Professional Practice Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to Bulletin 60: Signature, Seal and Delivery of Electronic Documents (PDF).

The entire process of obtaining a digital seal is done online. There are four steps, which take approximately 45 minutes to complete over several business days. Additional details can be found on the Notarius website, as well as on the AIBC website: Electronic Seals and Sealing Documents Remotely, Notarius Digital Seal Technology.

Technical support is provided by the software manufacturer. For the Notarius Consigno application, contact Notarius support. When using the digital certificate in Adobe applications, contact Adobe support. When using the digital certificate in Bluebeam applications, contact Bluebeam.

All architectural services delivered to the public must be through a Certificate of Practice, regardless of size of project.

If you are not certain if the work you are doing is the practice of architecture, please contact practiceadvice@aibc.ca.

No, architects are not required to place their Certificate of Practice number on documents. Architects are required to practice using the name on their Certificate of Practice.

While there is no specific regulatory requirement in the Architects Act or the AIBC Bylaws, it is recommended to keep all project documentation, either hardcopy or digital copy, for 15 years, as this is the period in the Limitation Act.

Financial records should be retained per Canada Revenue Agency requirements. 

CAD files are not a deliverable under standard contracts. It is up to the architect to decide if they wish to provide CAD files as an addition service to an existing contract or include them as a service under a new contract. If provided, an architect should seek legal and insurance advice. Refer to Guidelines on Intellectual Property.

There are many  resources available that are useful for understanding wood frame construction in British Columbia:

• Canadian Home Builders’ Association: Builders’ Manual
• BC Housing:Building Enclosure Design Guide – Wood-Frame Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Wood-Frame Envelopes in the Coastal Climate of British Columbia
• Canadian Wood-Frame House Construction
• Canadian Wood Council website

For Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction, refer to the Joint Professional Practice Guideline published by the AIBC and Engineers and Geoscientists BC: Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction up to 12 Storeys.