Practice Standards, Bulletins, and Guidelines
APEGA publishes practice standards, bulletins, and guidelines under the mandate of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act and General Regulation. These publications are intended to protect the public interest and to outline requirements and recommended best practices for APEGA licensed professionals.
Visit the APEGA Dictionary for common terminology, abbreviations, and the defined terms found in practice standards, bulletins, and guidelines.
- Practice standard: A professional practice standard sets the minimum standard of practice permit holders and licensed professionals must meet. It is the standard against which a permit holder’s or licensed professional’s practice and conduct will be assessed by APEGA’s statutory boards.
- Practice bulletin: A professional practice bulletin provides clarity on a specific subject related to professional practice. Bulletins remain in force until a practice standard or guideline on the subject is developed or revised, or until the practice bulletin is repealed.
- Practice guideline: A professional practice guideline provides professional practice advice and best practice recommendations to help permit holders and licensed professionals meet their professional obligations. APEGA statutory boards may assess a permit holder’s or licensed professional’s practice and conduct against practice guidelines.
Practice Standards
Practice Bulletins
Practice Guidelines
Joint Practice Information
APEGA registrants must stay informed and up to date with all legislative and regulatory requirements, as well as uphold their professional and ethical obligations and responsibilities. For more information, review the following publications.
Read more about registrant obligations
Publication Updates
Revised Continuing Professional Development Standard Now in Effect
APEGA’s revised Continuing Professional Development practice standard has been published and is in effect as of November 1, 2025. In addition, the new Personal Annual Competency Evaluation practice guideline has been published, which provides recommended best practices for documenting Personal Annual Competency Evaluation (PACE) plans and continuing professional development (CPD) activities under the revised standard. To read more, visit the Continuing Professional Development page.
Withdrawn Practice Guideline Considerations for Establishing a Consulting Practice
The Practice Review Board has withdrawn the practice guideline Considerations for Establishing a Consulting Practice. Published in 2005, this guideline’s purpose was to provide an overview of considerations for establishing a consulting practice, including guidance on business plans, marketing, company names, and financial considerations. To read more, visit the Withdrawn Publications page.
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Proposed Guideline Withdrawals | Feedback Period Closed
APEGA is proposing to withdraw three practice guidelines: Concepts of Professionalism, Guideline for Professional Practice, and Guideline of Considerations for Establishing a Consulting Practice. Registrants and the public had the opportunity to submit feedback on the proposed withdrawals from May 1 to July 15, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed before a decision is made.
Administrative Revisions | Clarifying Authentication Requirements for Drilling and Completions
The Practice Review Board has approved the administrative revision of the Clarifying Authentication Requirements for Drilling and Completions practice bulletin, which is in effect as of April 1, 2025. The enforcement date remains July 1, 2021, when it was initially published. The revisions further clarify what is expected for professional work products created by the upstream oil and gas industry focused on drilling and completions activities.
Practice Standards
| Publication Title | Status | Publication Date | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authenticating Professional Work Products | In effect | November 1, 2024 | Revised November 1, 2024. Enforced as of November 1, 2020. Read more on the authentication page. |
| Continuing Professional Development | In effect | November 1, 2025 | In effect as of November 1, 2025. CPD compliance will be reviewed after a licensed professional has completed one full period under the new requirements. Read more on the CPD page. |
| Professional Practice Management Plan | In effect | November 1, 2022 | Revised November 2022. In effect as of May 1, 2022. Enforced as of May 1, 2023. Read more on the PPMP page. |
| Relying on the Work of Others and Outsourcing | In effect | May 1, 2021 | Enforced as of May 1, 2022. Read more on the outsourcing page. |
Don't see the publication you're looking for? Review all withdrawn publications.
Practice Bulletins
| Publication Title | Status | Publication Date | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication Requirements for As-Built, Record, and As-Acquired Drawings | In effect | February 1, 2023 | Enforced as of publication date. Read more on the authentication page. |
| Clarifying Authentication Requirements for Drilling and Completions | In effect | April 1, 2025 | Administrative revision April 1, 2025. Enforced as of initial publication date July 1, 2021. Read more on the authentication page. |
Don't see the publication you're looking for? Review all withdrawn publications.
Practice Guidelines
Don't see the publication you're looking for? Review all withdrawn publications.
Joint Practice Information
| Publication Title | Status | Publication Date | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functional Relationships for the Building Envelope Portion of Projects | In effect | May 1, 2024 | Revised May 1, 2024. Enforced July 1, 2023. Joint practice bulletin developed by AAA and APEGA that provides clarity on roles and responsibilities for building envelope projects and completing the National Building Code – 2023 Alberta Edition (NBC(AE)) Schedules. |
| How APEGA and ABSA Legislations Interact
| In effect | May 27, 2022 | Frequently asked questions developed jointly by APEGA and the Alberta Boilers Safety Association explaining the interaction between Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act and the Pressure Equipment Safety Regulation (PESR). Read the frequently asked questions. |
| National Building Code (Alberta Edition) Schedules User Guide
| In effect | May 1, 2024 | Revised May 1, 2024. User guide has been developed jointly with the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) to support the Alberta building code schedules. Read the Alberta Building Code schedules on Alberta.ca. |
| Professional Responsibilities in Completion and Assurance of Reclamation and Remediation Work in Alberta | In effect | July 2012 | Joint practice standard prepared by six professional regulatory organizations that defines acceptable practice for licensed professionals providing reclamation, remediation, and related project management services. Read the Reclamation and Remediation webpage on Alberta.ca for more information. |
| Professional Responsibilities in Completion and Assurance of Wetland Science, Design and Engineering Work in Alberta | In effect | May 1, 2017 | Joint practice standard prepared by the Professional-10 regarding responsibilities of licensed professionals under the Alberta Wetland Policy. Read the Alberta Government Transition Directive. |
Don't see the publication you're looking for? Review all withdrawn publications.
Comments?
If you have a comment on an existing publication, or a suggestion for a new publication, please contact us at [email protected].
Questions?
If you have any questions on the interpretation of practice standards, bulletins, and guidelines, or if you would like to request a previously published document, please contact us at [email protected].