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force until a practice standard or guideline on the subject is developed or revised, or until the practice bulletin is repealed.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

Enforced | Continuing Professional Development Practice Standard

The revised Continuing Professional Development practice standard is enforceable as of November 1, 2026, following a one-year transition. This practice standard and the Personal Annual Competency Evaluation practice guideline detail APEGA’s continuing professional development (CPD) requirements and best practice recommendations. To read more, visit the Continuing Professional Development page.

Withdrawn Practice Guideline | Guideline for Contract Employees and Independent Contractors

The Practice Review Board (PRB) has withdrawn Guideline for Contract Employees and Independent Contractors following a 60-day feedback period from May 1 to June 30, 2026. This guideline addressed business and employment considerations related to contract employees and independent contractors for permit holders. After considering the feedback, the PRB approved its withdrawal because these matters fall outside APEGA’s legislative mandate. To read more, visit the Withdrawn Publications page.

Withdrawn Practice Guidelines | Concepts of Professionalism and Guideline for Professional Practice

The Practice Review Board (PRB) has withdrawn the practice guidelines Concepts of Professionalism and Guideline for Professional Practice, following a 75-day feedback period from May 1 to July 15, 2025. The PRB approved the withdrawals because the information in these guidelines can be found in other APEGA publications. To read more, visit the Withdrawn Publications page.

Practice Standards

Publication TitleStatusPublication DateMore Information
Authenticating Professional Work ProductsEnforcedNovember 1, 2024Revised November 1, 2024. Enforced as of November 1, 2020.
Read more on the authentication page.
Continuing Professional DevelopmentEnforcedNovember 1, 2025Enforced as of November 1, 2026. In effect as of November 1, 2025.
Read more on the CPD page.
Professional Practice Management PlanEnforcedNovember 1, 2022Revised 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 OutsourcingEnforcedMay 1, 2021Enforced 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 TitleStatusPublication DateMore Information
Authentication Requirements for As-Built, Record, and As-Acquired Drawings EnforcedFebruary 1, 2023Enforced as of publication date. Read more on the authentication page.
Clarifying Authentication Requirements for Drilling and CompletionsEnforcedApril 1, 2025Administrative 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

Publication TitleStatusPublication DateMore Information
Environmental PracticeIn effectFebruary 1,  2004 
Ethical PracticeIn effectAugust 1, 2022

Replaces the February 2013 (v2.2) publication.
Read the 5 Rules of Conduct Reference Guide.

Ethical Use of Geophysical DataIn effectMay 1, 2010 
Field Reviews of Engineering and Geoscience WorkIn effectAugust 1, 2022 
Licensed Professional as an Expert WitnessIn effectFebruary 1, 2026Revised and retitled, replacing Professional Member as Witness
Management of Risk in Professional Practice
In effectSeptember 1, 2006 
Personal Annual Competency EvaluationIn effectNovember 1, 2025Read more about the guideline on the CPD page.
Preserved Wood Foundations
In effectOctober 1, 2007 
Professional Engineers Providing Equipment Certification as Required by Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Code
In effectApril 1, 2013 
Professional Responsibilities in Developing SoftwareIn effectFebruary 1, 2006 
Selecting Engineering and Geoscience ConsultantsIn effectApril 1, 2022Replaces the March 2013 (V1.1) publication.
Use of Geophysical Instruments in Near-Surface Investigations
In effectDecember 1, 2008 

Don't see the publication you're looking for? Review all withdrawn publications.

Joint Practice Information

Publication TitleStatusPublication DateMore Information
Functional Relationships for the Building Envelope Portion of Projects In effectMay 1, 2024Revised 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 effectMay 27, 2022Frequently 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 effectMay 1, 2024Revised 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 effectJuly 2012Joint 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 AlbertaIn effectMay 1, 2017Joint 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].