Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)

Architectural Services

Relevant Mainland Rules and Regulations

Rules and regulations promulgated by the Mainland authorities relating to the implementation of commitments under CEPA :

• Hong Kong professionals with the Mainland's qualification of Registered Architects can register and practice in the entire Mainland. For details, please refer to:
  • "Notice Concerning the Registration and Practice of Hong Kong and Macao Professionals, who have Obtained Mainland's Registered Architect Qualification " (Apr 2020) (in Chinese only)

• Hong Kong professionals with the Mainland's qualification of Class 1 Registered Architects can be recognised as registered practitioners for the purpose of declaration of engineering design enterprise qualifications in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian Provinces, in accordance with the relevant Mainland regulations. For details, please refer to:
  • "Guide of Administrative Measures for Hong Kong and Macao Service Suppliers to Declare Architectural Engineering Design Associates as Class A Qualification" (in Chinese only)
  • "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Issues Related to Promoting the Development of Construction and Engineering Design Offices" (Circular of the Ministry of Construction No. 261 - Nov 2016) (in Chinese only)

• "Provisional Administrative Measures on the Qualification of Construction and Engineering Design Enterprises in Guangdong Province Employing Hong Kong Professionals" (Circular of the Guangdong Province Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Department No. 39 - Mar 2012) (in Chinese only)
• "Interim Guidelines for the Management of Hong Kong Engineering Construction Consultant Enterprises and Professionals Starting Business and Practising in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cities" (Nov 2020) (in Chinese only)

• "Notice of the Guangxi's Housing and Urban-Rural Department concerning the Issuance of the Supporting Documents regarding the Implementation of the Trade in Services Agreement of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement on Construction Industry of Guangxi" (Circular of the Guangxi Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Department No. 17 – Sep 2016) (in Chinese only)

• "Notice on the Registration and Practice in Fujian Province of Hong Kong Professionals who have Obtained Registered Architects and Registered Land Surveying and Design Engineers in the Mainland" (Circular of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Fujian No. 21 - Dec 2014 ) (in Chinese only)
• "Provisional Administrative Measures on the Qualification of Construction and Engineering Design Enterprises in Fujian Province Employing Hong Kong Professionals" (Circular of Housing and Rural-Urban Development of Fujian No.5 - Apr 2017) (in Chinese only)

Qualification of Engineering Design

For details about applying for the Qualification of Engineering Design, please refer to:

• "Regulations on Administration of Qualification of Survey and Design of Construction Projects" (Decree of the Ministry of Construction No. 160 - Jun 2007) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending the 'Provisions on the Administration of the Qualifications of Real Estate Development Enterprises' and Other Departmental Rules" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 24 - May 2015) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending Eleven Departmental Rules Including the 'Provisions on the Administration of Certified Survey and Design Engineers'" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 32 - Sep 2016) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending the 'Administrative Provisions on the Qualification of Construction Enterprises' and Other Departmental Rules" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 45 - Dec 2018) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice concerning the Issuance of Implementation Opinions of Regulations on Administration of Qualification of Survey and Design of Construction Projects" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 202 - Aug 2007) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice Concerning the Issuance of the Application Form for Qualification of Engineering Design" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 67 - Aug 2013) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Concerning the Issues Related to the Adjustment of Annual Business Income Indicators of Survey and Design of Projects for Assessment of Qualification of Comprehensive Engineering Design" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 202 - Dec 2015) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Concerning the Issues Related to the Assessment on Asset Management for Qualification of Construction Engineering Enterprises" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 122 - Jun 2016) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Commerce on Abolishing the 'Provisions on the Administration of Foreign-funded Construction Engineering Design Enterprises' and Other Departmental Rules" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Commerce No. 44 - Dec 2018) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Commerce on Abolishing the 'Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Provisions on the Administration of Foreign-funded Construction Engineering Design Enterprises'" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 126 - Dec 2018) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice Concerning the Qualification Standard of Engineering Design" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 86 - Nov 2007) (Mar 2007) (in Chinese only)
• "Circular on Further Opening up the Design Market for Civil Aviation Projects" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 66 - March 2017) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Issues Concerning the Registration and Practice of Hong Kong and Macao Professionals, who have Obtained Mainland's Certified Survey and Design Engineers Qualification and Mainland's Supervision Engineer Qualification" (Circular of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 19 - Apr 2020) (in Chinese only)

Qualification for Survey of Construction Projects

For details about applying for the Qualification for Survey of Construction Projects, please refer to:

• "Regulations on Administration of Qualification of Survey and Design of Construction Projects" (Decree of the Ministry of Construction No. 160 - Jun 2007) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending the 'Provisions on the Administration of the Qualifications of Real Estate Development Enterprises' and Other Departmental Rules" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 24 - May 2015) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending Eleven Departmental Rules Including the 'Provisions on the Administration of Certified Survey and Design Engineers'" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 32 - Sep 2016) (in Chinese only)
• "Decision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Amending the 'Administrative Provisions on the Qualification of Construction Enterprises' and Other Departmental Rules" (Decree of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 45 - Dec 2018) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice concerning the Issuance of Implementation Opinions of Regulations on Administration of Qualification of Survey and Design of Construction Projects" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 202 - Aug 2007) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice Concerning the Issuance of the Application Form for Qualification of Engineering Design" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 67 - Aug 2013) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Concerning the Issues Related to the Adjustment of Annual Business Income Indicators of Survey and Design of Projects for Assessment of Qualification of Comprehensive Engineering Design" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 202 - Dec 2015) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Concerning the Issues Related to the Assessment on Asset Management for Qualification of Construction Engineering Enterprises" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 122 - Jun 2016) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on the Issuance of the 'Measures for the Implementation of the Qualification Standard for Survey of Construction Projects'" (Circular of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 86 - Jun 2013) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Issues Concerning Foreign-funded Enterprises Applying for Qualification for Survey of Construction Projects" (Circular of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 1 - Jan 2019) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Issues Concerning the Registration and Practice of Hong Kong and Macao Professionals, who have Obtained Mainland's Certified Survey and Design Engineers Qualification and Mainland's Supervision Engineer Qualification" (Circular of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development No. 19 - Apr 2020) (in Chinese only)
• "Qualification Standard for Survey of Construction Projects" (Circular of the Ministry of Construction No. 9 - Jan 2013) (in Chinese only)

For other details, please refer to :

• "Circular on Deepening the Reform of 'Separating Operating Permits and Business Licenses' to Further Boost the Vitality of Market Entities for Development" (May 2021) (in Chinese only)
• "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development on Ensuring Smooth Transition for the Reform of 'Separating Operating Permits and Business Licenses' in the Construction Industry" (Jun 2021) (in Chinese only)

Enquiries concerning the application procedures and requirements for the establishment of foreign-invested architectural enterprises can be directed to :

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People's Republic of China
  ( Website: http://www.mohurd.gov.cn )
• The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
  ( Website: http://www.mofcom.gov.cn )
• Guangdong Construction Information
  ( Website: http://www.gdcic.net/ )
• Guangdong Construction Practice Qualification Registration Center
  ( Website: http://gdzczx.gdcic.net/ )
• Guangxi Construction Network
  ( Website: http://www.gxcic.net/default.aspx )
• Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Fujian
  ( Website: http://zjt.fujian.gov.cn/ )