Cpd Records & Certificates

Section 1

Purpose

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a mandatory requirement for all RICS members and APC candidates. The CPD obligation ensures that surveyors maintain and develop their professional competence throughout their careers. For APC candidates, CPD is both an assessment requirement and a lifelong professional obligation that begins from the date of enrolment.

This guidance note explains the CPD requirements for APC candidates on the QS and Construction pathway, provides a structured approach to planning and recording CPD, and sets out how to maintain records that will satisfy both the APC assessment and RICS audits.

The requirements are set out in the APC Candidate Guide (June 2025, amended March 2026) and the RICS CPD policy for members.

Section 2

Key Principles

• APC candidates on the 24-month route must complete a minimum of 96 hours of CPD over the training period. Candidates on the 12-month or 0-month routes must complete a minimum of 48 hours of CPD (APC Candidate Guide, June 2025).

• CPD must be a mix of formal and informal learning. Formal CPD includes structured courses, seminars, conferences, academic study and accredited e-learning. Informal CPD includes self-directed reading, on-the-job learning, mentoring and professional discussion.

• RICS requires members to maintain a CPD record that can be audited. The record must include the date, topic, provider (if applicable), duration and a brief reflection on what was learned.

• CPD should be planned, not ad hoc. RICS encourages members to prepare an annual CPD plan based on a personal development needs analysis, aligned to their professional role and competency development.

• CPD records form part of the APC submission. Assessors will review your CPD record for breadth, relevance and commitment to professional development.

• After qualification, RICS members must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD per calendar year, of which at least 10 hours must be formal. This is subject to annual declaration and random audit.

Section 3

Practical Application

Step 1

Understand the requirement — Calculate your total CPD hours requirement based on your entry route (96 hours for 24-month route, 48 hours for 12-month or 0-month routes). Plan how you will distribute this across your training period.

Step 2

Prepare a CPD plan — At the start of each year (or training period), identify your development needs against your selected competencies. Set targets for formal and informal learning in each area.

Step 3

Identify CPD opportunities — Sources include: RICS-accredited events and webinars, employer in-house training, industry conferences (e.g. RICS conferences, CIOB events), professional journals (RICS Construction Journal, Modus), online platforms (RICS isurv, RICS Academy), self-study of RICS publications, and mentoring sessions.

Step 4

Record CPD contemporaneously — After each CPD activity, log it immediately in the RICS CPD template or your firm's system. Record: date, title/topic, provider, duration (hours), type (formal/informal), and a brief reflection (2–3 sentences on what you learned and how it applies).

Step 5

Collect certificates and evidence — For formal CPD, retain attendance certificates, course completion certificates, and any assessment results. Store these alongside your CPD log for audit purposes.

Step 6

Review quarterly with your counsellor — Discuss your CPD progress at each counsellor review meeting. Identify gaps and adjust your plan. Your counsellor can suggest specific CPD activities aligned to your competency needs.

Step 7

Submit your CPD record — Include your complete CPD record as part of your APC submission via the RICS assessment platform. Ensure the total hours meet the minimum requirement and the content demonstrates breadth across your competencies.

Section 4

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating CPD as a box-ticking exercise — recording hours without reflecting on what was learned and how it applies to your practice undermines the purpose and is visible to assessors.

• Relying entirely on informal CPD — reading articles and attending team meetings is valuable, but you need a balance of formal structured learning to demonstrate commitment to development.

• Backfilling CPD records before submission — a retrospective record lacks the detail and reflection of contemporaneous logging. Start recording from day one of your APC.

• Not keeping certificates — RICS audits require evidence. If you attend a formal course and lose the certificate, you may not be able to count those hours.

• Exceeding the minimum without breadth — 100 hours of CPD in a single topic area does not demonstrate rounded professional development. Spread your CPD across multiple competency areas.

• Forgetting post-qualification CPD obligations — the CPD requirement does not end at qualification. RICS members must declare 20 hours per year, subject to audit, throughout their careers.

Section 5

APC Competency & Quick Reference

• CPD supports all competencies — it is not assessed as a standalone competency but underpins the evidence for every competency in your pathway

• Ethics, Rules of Conduct and professionalism — CPD on regulatory topics supports Level 3 evidence

• All technical core and optional competencies — targeted CPD fills knowledge gaps and provides Level 1 evidence

How many hours of CPD are required for the APC?

Candidates on the 24-month structured training route must complete a minimum of 96 hours. Candidates on the 12-month route or 0-month route (10+ years' experience) must complete a minimum of 48 hours. After qualification, RICS members must complete 20 hours per calendar year, of which at least 10 must be formal.

What counts as formal CPD versus informal CPD?

Formal CPD is structured learning with clear objectives, such as accredited courses, seminars, conferences, academic study, and structured e-learning. Informal CPD is self-directed and includes professional reading, on-the-job learning, mentoring, and professional discussions. Both are valid, but RICS requires a mix of both.

What should a CPD record entry include?

Each entry should record: the date of the activity, the title or topic, the provider or source, the duration in hours, whether it was formal or informal, and a brief reflection (2–3 sentences) on what was learned and how it applies to your professional development. Retain any certificates for audit purposes.

Section 6

APC Preparation Checklist

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Calculate your total CPD hours requirement based on your entry route

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Prepare an annual CPD plan aligned to your competency development needs

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Set up a CPD log (RICS template or firm system) and begin recording from day one

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Ensure a mix of formal and informal CPD activities across multiple competency areas

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Retain all attendance certificates, course completions and assessment results

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Review CPD progress with your counsellor at each quarterly meeting

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Verify total hours meet the minimum requirement before submission

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Include reflective notes on each CPD entry to demonstrate learning outcomes

Section 7

CPD Learning Outcomes

• Explain the RICS CPD requirements for APC candidates and qualified members, including minimum hours and the distinction between formal and informal learning.

• Plan and maintain a structured CPD record that demonstrates breadth of professional development across multiple competency areas.

• Evaluate CPD activities for relevance and quality, ensuring records meet audit requirements with appropriate evidence and reflection.

Section 8