QP Appointment in Singapore: Who to Appoint and How

A Qualified Person (QP) appointment in Singapore is the formal engagement of a registered architect or Professional Engineer who takes statutory responsibility for the design, authority submission and, where applicable, supervision of building works. The person you appoint must hold the right registration for the discipline of the works, and the appointment must be recorded accurately in the submission system before plans are lodged. This guide explains who can be appointed, which discipline applies, how the appointment is made digitally, and which rules on single QPs, geotechnical QPs and independence a developer or owner should settle before signing.

TL;DR

• A QP must be an architect registered under the Architects Act 1991 or a Professional Engineer registered under the Professional Engineers Act 1991, with a practising certificate in force.
• The discipline decides who can act: only a QP who is a registered civil or structural Professional Engineer can apply for structural plan approval.
• In CORENET X, the Project Coordinator (the lead QP) adds project members and allocates responsibilities, and the developer then formally appoints them in the portal.
• Projects are strongly recommended to keep a single QP and a single site supervision team; geotechnical works can require separate QPs.
• A QP who can no longer perform the duties must notify the Commissioner of Building Control and the builder within 14 days.

Table of Contents

• What a Qualified Person is, and who can be appointed
• When you need to appoint a QP
• Which QP discipline the work requires
• QP, Professional Engineer, architect and contractor: the differences
• What the QP does once appointed
• How the appointment is made in CORENET X
• Single QP and separate geotechnical QPs
• Why supervision failures matter
• If the QP cannot continue
• Checklist before you sign
• Our perspective
• Appointing Stellar Structures
• FAQ
• Sources

What a Qualified Person is, and who can be appointed

The term is defined in statute, not in marketing. Under the Building Control Act 1989, a QP is an architect registered under the Architects Act 1991 or a Professional Engineer registered under the Professional Engineers Act 1991, in either case holding a practising certificate that is in force (the version in force from 1 July 2026). A firm cannot be a QP in its own right, and neither can a contractor, a project manager or a draftsperson, however experienced.

The practical consequence is that a QP appointment is an appointment of a named individual. When you verify credentials, you verify that person: the registration, the practising certificate, and the discipline in which they are entitled to act. Our own explainer on what a Qualified Person is for building works sets out the definition in more detail.

When you need to appoint a QP

As a rule, any building work that requires approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) needs a QP to prepare and submit the plans. BCA also advises that private property owners should engage a QP to advise on the clearances required from BCA and other relevant authorities for intended building works. That advice matters for the grey area: owners often assume that interior or minor works need nothing, and the QP is the person who can confirm that early, before a contractor is engaged.

Typical triggers include:

• new buildings, rebuilds and additions and alterations (A&A) to landed homes;
• structural alterations, such as removing or opening load-bearing elements, or adding a mezzanine;
• works with geotechnical implications, such as deep excavation or piling near existing structures;
• changes of use that bring other agencies, such as SCDF or URA, into the process.

If the scope is unclear, the distinction between a renovation permit and a building permit is the first question to answer. We discuss it in renovation permit versus building permit, and the documents typically required are listed in our note on building plan submission requirements.

Which QP discipline the work requires

The appointment is not generic. The discipline of the QP follows the nature of the plans being submitted.

BCA states that only a QP who is a registered Professional Engineer in the civil or structural discipline can apply for structural plan approval. An architect-QP therefore cannot lodge structural plans, and an owner who appoints only an architect for a project with structural changes will need a second appointment.

Design QP and supervision QP

Design and supervision are separate statutory phases. The QP who designs the works prepares the plans and applies for approval. A QP for supervision oversees construction on site. They may be the same person or different ones, and the practical trade-offs are covered in QP design versus QP supervision. For the regulatory structure of site supervision, including the resident engineer and resident technical officer roles, see our article on the triad of site supervision.

QP, Professional Engineer, architect and contractor: the differences

These terms are often used as if they were interchangeable. They are not.

• QP is a statutory role under the Building Control Act. It is something a person is appointed to be for a particular project.
• Professional Engineer (PE) is a professional registration under the Professional Engineers Act 1991. A PE who holds a practising certificate can act as a QP, but registration alone does not make someone the QP of your project: the appointment does.
• Architect is a registration under the Architects Act 1991. A registered architect with a practising certificate can be a QP for architectural plans.
• Contractor or builder carries out the works. The builder is a separate party under the Act, and the QP’s duties include supplying every approved or deemed-approved plan to the site supervisor, the builder and the QP appointed to supervise the works.

It follows that a PE engaged merely to “check a drawing” is not automatically a QP. Our service for civil and structural design checks is an example: a non-authority design check is a different engagement from a QP appointment that carries statutory duties.

What the QP does once appointed

According to BCA’s submission requirements presentation, a QP designs the building works, prepares the plans, applies for approvals, supervises construction, submits amendment and as-built plans, and applies for the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) or Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC). The sequence is therefore long, and a QP appointment is effectively a commitment from design through completion.

The statutory duties are substantive. A QP appointed to prepare plans must ensure that the design complies with the Building Control Act and the prescribed building regulations, and must notify the Commissioner of Building Control of any contravention the QP knows of (Building Control Act 1989). Owners should read that as a reason to give the QP complete information and to resist pressure to submit a design that the QP is not willing to certify.

The URA step before BCA

Sequence matters. Before applying for BCA building plan approval, the QP must first obtain written permission from URA, as stated on BCA’s building plan submission page (updated 6 July 2026). Depending on the project, further clearances from SCDF, PUB, LTA, NEA, NParks, HDB or JTC may run alongside. Our overview of authority submission services and the practical guide to authority submissions show how these fit together.

How the appointment is made in CORENET X

The appointment is recorded digitally. According to CORENET X guidance on appointing project members, the Project Coordinator, who is the lead QP, adds members to the project and allocates their specific responsibilities. The developer then reviews and formally appoints those members, including the QPs, digitally within the portal. The same guidance notes that the approval process is being redesigned to improve the user experience while the agencies’ mandates and regimes remain unchanged. In other words, the portal changes how the appointment is recorded, not what the QP is legally responsible for.

A workable sequence for a developer or owner is:

1. Define the scope. List the works, the authorities likely to be involved and whether structural, geotechnical or fire safety elements are present.
2. Identify the disciplines. Decide which QPs are needed for design and for supervision.
3. Verify each candidate. Confirm registration, a current practising certificate and relevant experience in projects of your type and scale.
4. Agree the scope in writing. State what the QP will do, what is excluded, and what information you will provide.
5. Appoint through the portal. The lead QP allocates responsibilities; the developer confirms the appointments.
6. Hold a pre-submission consultation. Project teams are encouraged to consult agencies as early as possible to clarify requirements and potential deviations.

Fees are part of the workflow. The same CORENET X page notes that fees below $10,000 are encouraged to be paid by credit card, and that processing begins only after the agencies have received and verified payment. Budget for the timing of payment, not only its amount. For consultancy fees, our note on the cost of hiring a QP(S) explains the factors that shape them.

Single QP and separate geotechnical QPs

Supervision arrangements are where appointments most often go wrong. Two points apply.

Keep one QP where possible. CORENET X guidance on common mistakes and good practices says it is strongly recommended that projects maintain a single QP and a single site supervision team, which supports consistent oversight and clearer communication. A BCA circular dated 20 December 2024 on the single QP also indicates that developers should appoint only one QP(Supervision), together with a QP(Supervision)(Geotechnical) where applicable.

Appoint geotechnical QPs when the Act requires it. Under Division 4 of the Building Control Act, if the builder does not appoint them, the developer must appoint a geotechnical QP to prepare plans and a geotechnical QP to supervise the geotechnical aspects. Either may also be the general QP. The distinction between disciplines is explained in structural versus geotechnical engineering, and the triggers for specialist input are in when you need a geotechnical engineering consultant.

Independence of the supervising QP

The same Division sets a conflict rule. A QP, or a nominee, must not supervise major structural works or geotechnical aspects if the person is a partner, officer or employee of the developer, the builder or an associate of either. Owners who oversee builders from a distance should note that supervision is a statutory function that cannot be handed to a party with a stake in the contract; for the practical side of overseeing trades at arm’s length, see this guide to managing contractors remotely.

Why supervision failures matter

The consequences of a weak appointment are not theoretical. In June 2026, BCA reported that charges were brought against two QPs in connection with alleged supervisory failures in the Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole incident, and also reported false declarations about the appointment of a site supervisor. The lesson for owners is administrative as much as technical: the appointment record must match who is actually supervising on site. Related reading on the legal exposure is in why every structural work requires a QP(S), and on site risk in managing high-risk construction in urban Singapore.

If the QP cannot continue

Appointments can break down: a QP may become unwilling or unable to carry out duties. Under the Building Control Act, the QP must notify both the Commissioner of Building Control and the builder within 14 days of ceasing those duties. Owners should therefore write a handover clause into the engagement terms, keep a current copy of all approved plans, and confirm that a replacement is appointed in the portal before works that need supervision continue.

Checklist before you sign

A longer version for project teams is in our checklist for choosing the right QP(S) and supervision team.

Our perspective

Most appointment problems we see are not about competence. They arise because the appointment was treated as a signature on a form rather than a decision about responsibility. Owners often ask for a QP only when a contractor requests a permit, by which point scope, discipline and supervision have already been fixed informally.

We advise settling three questions first: what the works actually change, which disciplines must therefore sign, and who will supervise and independently of whom. Our team is led by a Professional Engineer with decades of experience in Singapore infrastructure, and our approach is to align design, geotechnical input and authority submissions under one coordinated scope so that approvals proceed with fewer clarifications. A single, well-defined appointment is easier to administer, easier to audit and easier to hand over than several informal ones.

— Aman

Appointing Stellar Structures

Stellar Structures provides civil, structural and geotechnical engineering consultation, architectural design and authority submissions to BCA, URA, HDB, JTC, SCDF, PUB, LTA, NEA and NParks for residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects in Singapore. If you are scoping an A&A, a rebuild or a structural alteration, we can confirm which approvals apply and which QP disciplines the project needs.

See the full list of our engineering and submission services, or contact us through our website to discuss the scope of your project.

FAQ

Who can be a QP in Singapore?

A registered architect or a registered Professional Engineer, in either case with a practising certificate in force, can be a QP under the Building Control Act. The discipline must suit the plans: only a civil or structural PE can apply for structural plan approval.

What is the difference between a QP and a PE?

A PE is a professional registration under the Professional Engineers Act, while a QP is a role under the Building Control Act. A PE can act as a QP only when formally appointed for the project and registered in the right discipline.

Can I appoint more than one QP for a project?

Yes, where the works require it, for example separate geotechnical QPs. However, it is strongly recommended that projects keep a single QP and a single site supervision team for consistent oversight.

How is a QP formally appointed?

In CORENET X, the lead QP, as Project Coordinator, adds members and allocates their responsibilities. The developer then reviews and appoints them digitally in the portal.

Can the QP supervising my works be the builder’s employee?

No, not for major structural works or geotechnical aspects. A QP or nominee who is a partner, officer or employee of the developer, the builder or their associate must not supervise those works.

Sources

• Building Control Act 1989, Singapore Statutes Online
• BCA: Building works not requiring approval
• BCA: Building plan submission
• BCA: Structural plan submission
• BCA: Submission requirements and TOP/CSC presentation
• CORENET X: Appointing project members
• CORENET X: Submission workflows
• CORENET X: Common mistakes and good practices
• Building Control Act 1989, Division 4
• BCA: Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole enforcement actions
• Managing contractors remotely