An APEC Architect is a person who is registered or licensed an architect in a participating economy, and whose name is enrolled on a section of the APEC Architect Register maintained by that economy.

The criteria adopted by the Central Council for admission to the APEC Architect Register, and use of the description 'APEC Architect', are based on identification of a common sequence and elements in the education, training and assessment of architects as qualified to provide professional architectural services in the home economy. Applicants to become APEC architects are required to

• be registered in their home economy
• have completed a minimum period of professional practice of 7 years after initial registration in any participating economy
• experience must be gained in all of the following categories of architectural practice
• Preliminary studies, preparation of brief
• Design
• Contract Documentation
• Administration
• at least 3 years of the 7 year period must have been undertaken as an architect
• with sole professional responsibility for the design, documentation and contract administration of buildings of moderate complexity
• OR in collaboration with other architects, as an architect in charge of and professionally responsible for a significant aspect of the design, documentation and/or contract administration of complex buildings.

Architects deemed by the Monitoring Committee in a particular economy to have fulfilled these requirements are eligible for registration as an APEC Architect. To retain their registration, APEC Architects must comply with obligations imposed by their home economies for maintaining professional competence and observing codes of professional conduct. Host economies may choose to adopt special requirements for the recognition of APEC Architects for practice in their economies, but any such requirements must be fully transparent