Illegal practice
s 10
10.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person must not draw or prepare any architectural plan, drawing, tracing, design, specification or other document intended to govern the construction, enlargement or alteration of any building or part of a building in Singapore unless the person —(a) is a registered architect —(i) who has in force a practising certificate; or (ii) who, if he or she is not required to obtain a practising certificate, is doing so in accordance with any prohibition, restriction or condition of his or her registration; (b) is doing so under the direction or supervision of a person mentioned in paragraph (a); or (c) is exempt under section 36 from this section.[20/2017] (2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person must not sign and submit to a building authority or to a public authority (as defined in section 3(4)) —(a) any architectural plan, drawing, tracing, design, specification or other document intended to govern the construction, enlargement or alteration of any building or part of a building in Singapore; or (b) any report, certificate or other document relating to the construction, enlargement or alteration of any building or part of a building which is required by any written law to be signed by an architect, unless the person is a registered architect who has in force a practising certificate. [28/2005] (2A) Any document that is signed in contravention of subsection (2) is invalid. (3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person must not —(a) use verbally or otherwise the word “architect” or any of its derivatives in connection with the person’s business designation, or any other words, name or designation that will lead to the belief that the person is an architect unless the person is a registered architect who has in force a practising certificate; (b) advertise or hold himself, herself or itself out, or conduct himself, herself or itself in any way or by any means, as a person who is authorised to supply architectural services in Singapore, unless the person is —(i) a registered architect who has in force a practising certificate; or (ii) an architectural practice; (c) use the word “architect” or any of its derivatives as part of the name of an architectural practice unless the person is authorised under this Act to supply architectural services; or (d) use verbally or otherwise the word “architect” or the abbreviation “Ar.” as a title before the person’s name unless the person is a registered architect who has in force a practising certificate.[28/2005; 20/2017] (4) Nothing in subsection (3)(b) prevents a corporation or limited liability partnership that ceases to have in force a licence from carrying on any activity necessary to the winding up of the corporation or limited liability partnership.[28/2005] (5) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person must not —(a) supply architectural services in Singapore unless the person is —(i) a registered architect who has in force a practising certificate and is doing so on the person’s own account or under, or as an employee of, an architectural practice; (ii) a registered architect who, if he or she is not required to obtain a practising certificate, is doing so in accordance with any prohibition, restriction or condition of his or her registration; or (iii) a licensed corporation or licensed limited liability partnership; or (b) offer to supply architectural services in Singapore unless the person is —(i) a person mentioned in paragraph (a); or (ii) an allied professional who is doing so only by reason of being a partner in a licensed partnership or licensed limited liability partnership.[20/2017] (5A) Despite subsection (5), a builder may supply or offer to supply architectural services in Singapore in connection with any building works which the builder undertakes to carry out if the architectural services are provided by a person referred to in subsection (5)(a)(i) or (iii).[18/2003; 20/2017] (6) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2), (3) or (5) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —(a) in the case of a natural person —(i) to a fine not exceeding $5,000; and (ii) if the person is a repeat offender, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both; and (b) in the case of a body corporate —(i) to a fine not exceeding $5,000; and (ii) if the body corporate is a repeat offender, to a fine not exceeding $10,000.[20/2017] (7) In this section, a person is a repeat offender if the person who is convicted, or found guilty, of an offence under subsection (6) has (whether before, on or after 6 October 2017) been convicted or found guilty on at least one other earlier occasion of —(a) an offence under subsection (6) for contravening subsection (1), (2), (3) or (5); or (b) an offence under subsection (6) as in force immediately before that date for contravening subsection (1), (2), (3) or (5) as in force immediately before that same date.[20/2017]