Building designer vs architect in Australia

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The difference, in brief
Your state, in one card
Choosing one: what to ask
Building designers: the words on your website
Questions I get asked

If you're planning a house or an extension, you'll come across two kinds of professional who can design it: architects and building designers. They do overlapping work, they're trained differently, and they're regulated in completely different ways depending on which state you're in. "Architect" is a protected title everywhere in Australia. "Building designer" isn't, but in some states you need a licence to practise as one. This guide sets out the difference, state by state, for homeowners choosing between them, and for designers and architects describing themselves on their own websites.

The short answer

ArchitectRegistered with the state board after an accredited degree and a practice exam. Only registered people can use the title, in every state and territory.
Building designerLicensed or registered in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, and in NSW only for apartments and similar buildings. No designer licence in WA, SA, the ACT or the NT.
For a houseEither can design it in every state. Check the architect's registration, or the designer's licence class where one applies, and ask both for their insurance and a written agreement.

I build websites for architects and building designers, so I've no reason to favour either. Everything here comes from the state architects boards, building regulators and legislation, read on 11 October 2026. I'm not a lawyer; check with your regulator before relying on it.

The difference, in brief

	Architect	Building designer
Title	Protected in every state and territory	Not protected nationally. Victoria's architects board says someone who isn't registered must not be represented as a registered building designer
Training	An accredited architecture degree (usually five years of university), then the Architectural Practice Examination: at least 3,300 hours of logged experience over two years or more, a national exam paper and an interview	Usually a Diploma or Advanced Diploma of Building Design, plus two or more years' experience in the states that license designers
Who regulates them	The architects board in each state and territory	The building regulator in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and NSW for apartments. No licensing regulator elsewhere
Professional indemnity insurance	Required or expected in most states	Required where designers are licensed or registered
Fees	No credible Australian data compares them. Ask both for a written proposal listing every stage

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

On fees: you'll find percentages online, but they come from individual practices' blogs and quote websites. There's no official scale. The ACCC found in 2005 that the Institute of Architects' old fee graphs were "likely to significantly harm competition", and they were dropped. So I haven't printed a number.

Your state, in one card

New South Wales

Building designers: Registration applies only to apartments, boarding houses and aged care (class 2, 3 and 9c buildings), under the Design and Building Practitioners Act. Classes: building design (low-rise), building design (medium-rise), and building design for class 3 and 9c only. None of them covers "an architectural service". I found no registration for designing houses
Apartments: Apartment buildings of three or more storeys with four or more dwellings need a registered architect to design or direct the design
Low Rise Housing Diversity Code: For dual occupancies, terraces and manor houses, the design verification statement is signed by a registered architect or a building designer accredited with the Building Designers Association of Australia
Coming: NSW has passed a new building Act that will replace the current registration scheme. The details for building designers are still to come in regulations
Architects: NSW Architects Registration Board

Victoria

Building designers: Registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission as "building designers" (the category was called "draftsperson" until 2024). Classes: Building Design (architectural), (interior) and (services)
What they can design: The architectural class covers "all classes of buildings and types of construction", including project administration for projects they documented
Insurance: Professional indemnity insurance is compulsory
Architects: Architects Registration Board of Victoria

Queensland

Building designers: Licensed by the QBCC in three classes: building design low rise, medium rise and open
What they can design: Low rise: houses, sheds and other buildings up to 2,000m². Medium rise: up to three storeys above a parking level. Open: "buildings of any height or floor area". All include contract administration for work they designed
Insurance: Professional indemnity insurance is needed for a contractor licence
Architects: Board of Architects of Queensland. Architects are exempt from QBCC licensing for their professional work

Tasmania

Building designers: Licensed in three sub-classes: Restricted, Limited and Domestic
What they can design: Domestic: houses and outbuildings. Limited: other buildings up to two storeys or 2,000m². Restricted: up to three storeys or 2,000m². The regulator says "if a building is already larger than 2000m2, only an architect may perform new design work for that building"
Insurance: Minimum professional indemnity cover of $1 million, $750,000 or $500,000 depending on the class
Architects: Board of Architects of Tasmania, plus a building services licence

Western Australia

Building designers: No licence. Western Australia licenses builders, building surveyors and trades, not designers
Watch the words: WA restricts "architect", "architectural" and "architecture" in titles and business names, but allows "architectural drafter"
Architects: Architects Board of Western Australia

South Australia

Building designers: No licence found
Watch the words: The architects board says "architectural" in business names or job titles in a way that implies registration isn't permitted
Architects: Architectural Practice Board of South Australia

Australian Capital Territory

Building designers: No licence. The ACT licenses builders, building surveyors and some trades
Architects: Registered under the ACT Architects Act, and must give clients evidence of their insurance before starting

Northern Territory

Building designers: No designer category under the Building Act
Watch the words: "Architectural designer" is a title only registered architects can use; "architectural draftsman" is allowed
Architects: NT Architects Board

Where I've said "no licence found", that's because the state's licensing lists don't include designers, not because a regulator has said so in words.

Choosing one: what to ask

For a house or extension, either can do the job in every state. The bigger the building, the more the rules start to matter, especially in NSW and Tasmania. Whichever you choose:

Before you sign

Check the register. An architect's registration with the state board, or a designer's licence class and number where one applies.
Ask for a certificate of currency for professional indemnity insurance. The NSW architects board expects architects to give one.
Get a written agreement listing every stage and how fees are worked out. It's required for architects in most states, and Consumer Affairs Victoria says designers should provide one too.
Agree who can use the plans. The architect or designer usually owns copyright in the drawings, so get the licence in writing if you might change builder.
If they claim BDAA accreditation, check it. It's a voluntary credential, not a licence, but it's written into a few NSW rules.
Ask who will run the build contract, if you want that. Architects offer it, and Queensland and Victorian designer classes include administering contracts for work they designed.

Building designers: the words on your website

This is the part I deal with most. Several states restrict more than the word "architect", and building designers get caught by words that seem harmless. The Victorian architects board published guidance for designers that says it plainly: "It is unlawful under the Act for non-architects to use the title 'architect' and the expressions 'architectural services', 'architectural design services' and 'architectural design'," and "Using terms such as 'architecture' and 'architectural' may induce or reinforce a misconception that you are an architect". Its test is the "overall impression".

Tap each phrase to see whether a building designer who isn't a registered architect can use it.

The Victorian board even gives a worked example: a registered building designer it calls Terry, trading as "AAA Architecture" with a small disclaimer in the footer. Its view is that "To be effective, disclaimers need to be prominently displayed", and that Terry should rename the business, for example to "AAA Building Design". Small print doesn't fix a misleading name.

A building designer's website

Call yourself a "Building Designer".
Show your licence class and number near your name, where your state licenses designers.
List your qualification, such as a Diploma or Advanced Diploma of Building Design.
Keep "architecture" and "architectural" out of your business name and service descriptions.
Describe services as building design, drafting and documentation.
Staff with architecture degrees: "Graduate of Architecture" only with an equally prominent "not an architect" line.
Show BDAA accreditation only while you hold it.
If you could be mistaken for an architect, say plainly that you're building designers, not architects.

Architects have their own website rules, including registration numbers and project credits. I've covered those in what an architect's website needs.

Questions I get asked

Can a building designer call themselves an architect?

No. "Architect" is a protected title in every state and territory, for registered architects only.

Can I call myself an architectural designer?

Not unless you're a registered architect in NSW or the NT, where it's a restricted title. Queensland restricts "architectural building designer", and Victoria restricts "architectural design" as a description of services.

Do building designers need a licence in Australia?

In Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, yes. In NSW, only for apartments and some other residential buildings. I found no designer licence in WA, SA, the ACT or the NT.

Is an architect or a building designer cheaper?

There's no credible Australian data comparing their fees, and no official fee scale. Ask both for a written proposal that lists every stage.

Can a building designer design a house?

Yes, in every state. In Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania they need the right licence class; in the other states no designer licence applies.

Who can design an apartment building in NSW?

Apartment buildings of three or more storeys with four or more dwellings need a registered architect to design or direct the design. Registered building designers can work on smaller class 2 buildings within their class limits.

About this guide

Written by Joseph Alzein, founder of bdog. I build websites for architects and building designers. Everything here comes from the state architects boards, building regulators and legislation, read on 11 October 2026. Rules are changing, particularly in NSW, so check with your regulator. This is general information, not legal advice.

Main sources:

Building designer or architect: who can use which title

The difference, in brief