How to Join RICS or Become a Surveyor

Updated

RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is a globally recognised professional body for land, property, infrastructure and construction. If you want to join it or become a surveyor, the practical starting points on rics.org are the Join RICS entry, the Candidates & Assessment section, and Training & Events. These pages connect you to membership routes, assessment information and professional development. The exact requirements, fees and assessment steps depend on your current qualifications and experience, so treat the site as the authoritative source and check the specific route that matches your situation.

What RICS offers to people entering the profession

RICS describes itself as a professional body whose work is designed to effect positive change in the built and natural environments. For individuals, the site provides:

  • Join RICS – the main membership entry point.
  • My Account – account access for members and candidates.
  • Candidates & Assessment – information for people working toward RICS qualifications.
  • Training & Events – learning and event opportunities.
  • Find a member – a directory of members and firms.
  • Log your CPD – continuing professional development tracking.

The site also notes a Qualifications and Professional Development (QPD) programme, with an update on "detailed design begins for the future journey to becoming a surveyor." That signals the qualification pathway is being revised, so confirm current requirements rather than relying on older descriptions.

Routes to joining or qualifying

RICS does not present a single one-size-fits-all path. The site's structure points to several connected routes:

Goal Where to start on rics.org
Become a member Join RICS
Work toward a surveying qualification Candidates & Assessment
Build skills and stay current Training & Events, Log your CPD
Find or verify a surveyor Find a member / Find a surveyor
Understand standards you'll be assessed against Profession & Standards, Rules of conduct

Because the QPD programme is under development, the specific assessment stages and entry criteria may change. Use the Candidates & Assessment pages for the current process rather than assuming a fixed sequence.

Practical steps

  1. Check your eligibility and route. Go to Join RICS and Candidates & Assessment to see which membership grade or candidate pathway fits your education and experience.
  2. Create or access your account. Use My Account to manage applications and, once relevant, CPD.
  3. Review the standards and conduct rules. The Profession & Standards and Rules of conduct pages set out what members are expected to meet.
  4. Plan your development. Use Training & Events and Log your CPD to build and record the experience and learning your route requires.
  5. Verify the current process. Since the QPD programme is being redesigned, confirm assessment details directly on the site before committing to a timeline.

Common sticking points

  • Assuming one fixed pathway. The site separates membership joining from candidate assessment and from CPD; these are related but distinct.
  • Overlooking the QPD changes. The "future journey to becoming a surveyor" is explicitly being redesigned, so older guides may be out of date.
  • Skipping the conduct rules. Standards and rules of conduct are part of what membership means, not an afterthought.

If your goal is to hire rather than join

RICS provides a Find a surveyor tool and states you can connect with 40,000+ surveying firms, plus a library of free consumer guides for property decisions. That is the relevant entry point if you need a surveyor rather than to become one.