Last edited 11 Apr 2019

Chartered institute

A chartered institute, or a chartered body, is an organisation or institution which has been granted a Royal Charter. A Royal Charter is an instrument of incorporation which confers independent ‘legal personality’, reflecting the prestigious high status of that organisation. The terms of each Charter differ according to the specific organisation.

The authority for the granting of a Charter is derived from Royal Prerogative, i.e. by the Sovereign, on the advice of the Privy Council.

Pre-19th century, the Charter of Incorporation was the optimal means of creating separate legal personalities, and these were conferred on many different universities, schools, municipalities, joint stock companies, and so on. As benevolent institutions and charities became more prominent, and as legislation was passed that incorporated commercial enterprises, the granting of Royal Charters became more common.

In the construction industry, the most prominent chartered institutes include:

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE).
Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT).
Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)
Chartered Institute of Marketing Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG).
Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE).
Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES)
Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT).
Chartered Quality Institute (CQI).
Chartered Society of Designers.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

Chartered institutes have the authority to provide individuals who meet certain educational and skills-related criteria to use a Chartered title. This recognises professional competence and conformity with an established set of career standards.

In the construction industry, the most prominent chartered professional statuses include: