IEMA's Individual EIA Practitioner Registration Scheme

The EIA Practitioner Register scheme was developed between 1999 and 2002 and launched at IEMA's Annual Conference in April 2002. The scheme is the result of extensive international consultation and a pilot exercise in which all the major elements in the scheme were tested. The scheme is aimed at all those currently involved in EIA activities from consultants and developers to environmental regulators, both in the UK and internationally.

"It is a great honour to be amongst the first to be awarded Registered status...I hope that the EIA Register scheme becomes quickly established as an industry standard in the same way as the Auditors Register has."

Alison Fell, Nicholas Pearson Associates

• Why Register?
• Which Level?
• How to Apply
• Application Process
• What are the costs of registration?
• Information for Existing EIA Practitioners
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Register?

The register allows individuals and their employers to demonstrate to interested parties and the public that they are adequately qualified and experienced to deal with environmental impact assessment issues.

As a registered EIA Practitioner on the scheme, you will:

Which level?

You can register at any one of the three levels provided you satisfy the respective registration requirements for that level. The following three paragraphs illustrate the experience required at the three levels.

You are likely to be either a 'trainee' EIA assessor or a specialist contributing to EIA projects. Alternatively you could be a senior member of staff in an organisation who cannot meet the currently-practising work experience requirements. As a minimum you will be expected to have a basic understanding of EIA methods, environmental impacts and EIA legislation;

You will be actively involved in EIA on a day-to-day basis either as an EIA 'generalist' or specialist providing impact assessment studies. As a minimum you will be expected to have a good appreciation of a range of environmental impacts and assessment techniques, be competent in the areas in which you operate, and have some EIA project management experience.

You will be a very experienced and senior EIA professional with a wealth of EIA expertise and experience, an excellent appreciation of a wide range of impact assessments and the issues pertaining to EIA. You will also be expected to have led, managed and directed large EIA teams and have experience of liasing with senior management.

How to Apply

To apply, read the EIA Practitioner Register Guidelines and then complete and return the application form. Please ensure when sending in the application that all necessary documentation as requested in the guidance is enclosed and that the relevant payment is enclosed(see table below for fees required). Applications should be sent to IEMA, Professional Standards, St Nicholas House, 70 Newport, Lincoln, LN2 3DP.

The guidelines and application form are available on request from info@iema.net. Please ensure you read the guidelines fully before completing your form.

EIA Application Process

Upon receipt of an application it will be logged and checked to ensure all necessary sections are completed.

The application is then fully reviewed to ensure that it meets the requirements of level applied for. Consideration of both an individual's practical experience and personal attributes and skills is the most effective and efficient means of assessing an individual's professional capabilities. Personal attributes and skills are assessed by the EIA External Assessment Panel through appraisal of personal statements, written submissions and, in the case of Principal Assessor applications, an interview.

At the time of submission of an application all applicants are required to forward to IEMA a signed reference from an individual who can attest to the quality of the EIA work produced by the applicant. In completing the application form applicants for the Registered or Principal EIA Practitioner levels are required to provide full contact details of clients and/or regulatory agencies (including planning authorities) who can provide independent confirmation of EIA projects cited by the applicant.

EIA Practitioners are required to sign and agree to abide by the Code of Practice which defines your responsibilities with respect to IEMA.

Go to Code of Practice for EIA Practitioners

Complaints against registrants are dealt with by a disciplinary committee and instances of malpractice or breaches of this Code will result in the removal of individuals from the register.

What are the costs of Registration?

The initial application fee will cover the administrative costs of undertaking the assessment, your first years EIA practitioner registration, and Affiliate Membership of the Institute if you are not already a member. Thereafter you will be required to pay an annual renewal fee. The cost of applying depends on whether you are already a member of IEMA. Please see the table below.p>

The cost to members will be appropriate application fee only. See table below.

The costs for Non-Members are:

Information for Existing EIA Practitioners

If you are an existing IEMA EIA Practitioner, you are required to complete Continuing Professional development (CPD) log sheets on an annual basis. These will be reviewed by IEMA Technical staff, and you will be advised if an upgrade application is possible. Auditors are required to submit CPD log sheets to maintain their registration. Blank CPD log sheets are available to download here:

IEMA CPD Pack Feb 2006.pdf (220.26 KB)
IEMA CPD Pack Feb 06.doc (945 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will my application take to process?
2. Will any documentation I send remain confidential?

1. How long will my application take to process?

   The length of time varies depending on circumstances. We assess your application within a week of receiving it, we might then request additional information or clarification from you before seeking references to verify the information on your application form. On average it takes about four months to process an application.

2. Will any documentation I send remain confidential?

   All documents will remain confidential. They will only be passed to the examiners who have signed a strict letter of confidentiality.

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