Construction contracts and resolving disputes

You must have a degree from an Australian university or tertiary institution in architecture, building, building surveying, construction, engineering, law, project management or quantity surveying, or an equivalent degree from outside Australia.

You must successfully complete a training course for adjudicators that has been approved by the Construction Contracts Registrar.

You must be eligible for membership of any of the following professional associations:

• The Royal Australian Institute of Architects
• The Institution of Engineers Australia
• Law Society Northern Territory
• The Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators of Australia
• Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
• Australian Institute of Building
• Australian Institute of Building Surveyors
• Australian Institute of Project Management.

You must have 5 years of experience in either administering construction contracts or resolving disputes related to construction contracts.

You can't apply if you:

• are bankrupt
• have applied for the relief of bankruptcy or insolvency
• have entered into a composition arrangement for the repayment of debts owed to creditors, or have made an assignment for the benefit of creditors as an alternative to bankruptcy
• have a relevant criminal history
• have been disqualified under state or territory law from architecture, building, building surveying, construction, engineering, law, project management or quantity surveying.

To apply to become a background adjudicator, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the adjudicator registration form and profile.

Adjudicator registration form PDF (224.7 KB)
Adjudicator registration form DOCX (67.7 KB)

Adjudicator profile template DOCX (43.8 KB)

To renew, fill in the renewal of adjudicator registration form.

Renewal of adjudicator registration form PDF (296.6 KB)
Renewal of adjudicator registration form DOCX (74.0 KB)

Step 2. Provide written authorisation for the Construction Contracts Registrar to seek a criminal history check. Get the criminal history check application PDF (144.5 KB).

Step 3. Pay the registration fee of 115 revenue units. Find out more about revenue units.

Step 4. Submit your application and supporting documents to the Construction Contracts Registrar.

After you apply

The Construction Contracts Registrar will notify you of the outcome. If you're successful, you will receive a certificate.

Your registration or renewal is valid for 5 years under section 52 of the Construction Contracts Security of Payment) Act 2004, unless cancelled sooner. It is your responsibility to ensure you renew your registration every 5 years.

If you are a registered adjudicator in Queensland or Western Australia, you can apply for registration in the NT under mutual recognition laws. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application for registration and declaration.

Application for registration as an adjudicator under mutual recognition principles PDF (698.7 KB)
Application for registration as an adjudicator under mutual recognition principles DOCX (71.7 KB)

You must state all the following information:

• your adjudicator registration in Western Australia or Queensland is current, not cancelled or suspended, and free of prohibitions or special conditions that are a result of criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings in the relevant state or territory
• you want mutual recognition for your adjudicator registration in the NT
• you are not the subject of preliminary investigations or disciplinary proceedings in your relevant occupation in the states or territories in which you are registered as an adjudicator
• any special conditions you have related to your existing registration as an adjudicator
• your consent to inquiries and the exchange of information with authorities of any state or territory about your activities as an adjudicator.

Step 2. Sign your declaration in front of a witness aged over 18 years.

Step 3. Submit the declaration to the Construction Contracts Registrar.

Step 4. Pay the registration fee of 115 revenue units. Find out more about revenue units.