Unregistered professionals banned from drawing building plans

The City of Harare has announced the full enforcement of Statutory Instrument (SI) 56 of 2025, which prohibits unregistered professionals from drafting or submitting building plans to the local authority. The move, effective 1 October 2025, is part of efforts to strengthen compliance and improve the quality and safety of architectural work in the capital.

According to a public notice from the Office of the City Architect under the Department of Works, the city will only accept building plans prepared and submitted by registered professionals in line with the Architects Act. These include registered architects, interior architects, technologists, and technicians who fall within clearly defined categories under the new statutory framework.

"The City of Harare shall not receive building plans from any unregistered professionals with effect from 1 October 2025. Council advises the public to verify whether their building designer is a registered professional before outsourcing building plan designing services," reads part of the notice.

The City urged residents, ratepayers, and real estate practitioners to verify the credentials of those offering architectural services through official platforms such as City of Harare District Offices, Cleveland House, or directly with the Architects Council of Zimbabwe (ACZ). The ACZ website will also list accredited professionals to help members of the public confirm authenticity.

As part of the enforcement, the ACZ will conduct random inspections of local authority registers to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, reinforcing government's zero-tolerance stance towards unregistered or unqualified practice in the sector.

The council further clarified that all technologists, technicians, and draftspersons wishing to design building plans within Harare must be registered with the ACZ, noting that registration with the professional body does not exempt them from paying the city's separate licensing fees.

City officials said the enforcement of SI 56/2025 is meant to protect the public from substandard and unsafe construction designs, while also promoting accountability, ethical conduct, and professionalism within the architectural and construction industry.

The initiative forms part of a broader national agenda to promote sustainable urban development and enforce strict compliance with Zimbabwe's building standards and planning laws.