The EP-APC is a direct route to becoming a Chartered Town Planner for planners with extensive experience.

The EP-APC provides a way for experienced planners, including those who gained qualifications and experience outside the UK, to become Chartered Town Planners. Built environment professionals who have been working in and alongside planners for an extended period – such as architects and surveyors – may also be able to apply through this route.

Eligibility

To be eligible to submit your EP-APC application:

• You must have a minimum of 5-10 years' professional planning experience (full-time equivalent). The exact amount required varies according to your educational background and qualification, as shown below.
• All this experience must be gained after the relevant qualification was obtained.

Educational background

a. Planning degree (fully or partially RTPI accredited) - experience required 5 years
b. Planning degree (non-RTPI accredited) - experience required 5 years
c. Non-planning degree - experience required 6 years
d. RTPI Town Planning Technical Support Apprenticeship - experience required 6 years
e. Other - experience required 10 years

What is the EP-APC?

EP-APC candidates must prepare a 7,000 word written submission (+/-10%) demonstrating their experience and how they have developed their competence. There are three parts to the submission:

• Practical Experience Statement
• Professional Competence Statement
• Professional Development Plan

Your EP-APC submission must contain the following items:

To complete your application for Chartered membership through the EP-APC route, you will need the following: 

• A copy of any relevant degree certificate or transcript to confirm you have been awarded the qualification/s. 
• Your academic transcript, if applying under education background b. 
• A Planning Degree Statement and Matrix, if applying under education background b. 
• Your relevant educational background. 
• A signed sponsor declaration form. 
• Corroborator declaration form/s. 
• Your written submission, including the three components: PES, PCS and PDP. 
• Between 5-10 examples of professional work. 
• Your employment history. 
• A credit/debit card for payment. 

Download the main guidance from our Resource Centre.

Submitting your application 

2026 new applications:

Please submit your application via the online joining portal. The RTPI will accept files up to 10 MB each. If an individual document is larger than this, please contact the Membership team for advice on how to resave your submission in a smaller file size. 

See the How to submit page for more information on how to submit your application online. 

All first-time and resubmissions from February 2026 onwards should be made via the online joining portal. We will no longer accept applications via email.  

Fees

An administration fee is required to process your application and should be paid on submission. Further information on administration fees can be found here.

Visit the membership subscription fees page for more information about how to maintain your membership.   A confirmation of fees notice will be issued to you once you have joined and will be pro-rated based on the month you join.