What MRICS gives you
MRICS is the chartered grade of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Once you are elected, you can use the letters MRICS and call yourself a Chartered Surveyor. RICS treats both as trade marks, and membership includes a licence to use them. Employers and clients read them as proof that you passed a formal competence assessment and that you work to RICS standards.
There are ongoing duties. Every RICS professional has to log at least 20 hours of CPD a year, and the annual subscription has to be paid to keep the title. RICS's Standards and Regulation Board oversees who is admitted to the profession.
The APC: the route most people take
You can enrol at any stage of your career. Before you apply for assessment, though, you need one of three things: an RICS-accredited degree plus relevant experience, any bachelor's degree plus five years of relevant experience, or 10 years of relevant experience at an advanced level. You also pick one of 22 sector pathways, such as building surveying or valuation, and find a counsellor who is MRICS or FRICS.
How long your structured training lasts depends on your experience. Up to five years means 24 months. Five to ten years means 12 months. More than ten years means none. Graduates who did an accredited placement year can count training from the placement, as long as they enrol within six months of graduating and at least one year falls after graduation. You can apply for the next final assessment at month 11 or month 23.
What the final assessment involves
You submit a summary of experience against your pathway competencies. That is 1,500 words on the mandatory competencies and up to 4,000 words on the technical ones. You add a 3,000-word case study on a project from the last 24 months. You also need 48 hours of CPD over the past 12 months, or 96 hours over 24 months if you are on the 24-month route, and you must complete the RICS Professionalism Module.
The interview lasts 60 minutes and now takes place by video. You give a 10-minute presentation on your case study, then the assessors question you on it and on your competencies. Leaving aside the time spent in employment, RICS says the formal assessment process takes six to twelve months. You have six years from enrolment to qualify.
Senior, specialist, academic and experienced routes
Experienced people who were not trained through the APC have other routes. APC Preliminary Review is for people with a degree, or membership of an RICS-approved body, plus five years of relevant experience, of which 12 months must come after that qualification. A panel looks at your submission before you go forward to the final assessment.
The senior professional and specialist assessments need 10 years of relevant experience, or 5 with a postgraduate degree, plus evidence of advanced responsibility as a leader or as a recognised specialist. You submit a CV with a 400-word statement, three case studies of 1,500 words each and 20 hours of CPD. The academic assessment is for people with a surveying-related degree and three years of relevant academic work. It asks for a 3,000-word statement, a 5,500-word summary, four pieces of academic evidence and 48 hours of CPD.
Pay
GBP a year, before tax. Each range runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile (UK median £48,900). Figures are based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), moved to the current year with a wage index. Regional figures are modelled. They cover all surveying jobs, not only chartered ones, and pay rises with seniority, discipline and location. Refer to the Surveying salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- EligibilityYou need an RICS-accredited degree plus experience, any bachelor's degree plus five years' relevant experience, or 10 years at an advanced level.
- Sector pathwayPick one of 22 chartered pathways that matches your surveying work. You are assessed against its competencies.
- CounsellorYou need an MRICS or FRICS counsellor. They guide your training and confirm when you are ready for assessment.
- CPDAPC candidates need 48 hours in the last 12 months, or 96 hours over 24 months on the 24-month route. Senior and specialist candidates need 20 hours.
- EthicsYou must pass the RICS online ethics course. APC candidates also complete the RICS Professionalism Module before the interview.
- Fees (UK, 2027)The APC and academic routes cost £520 enrolment plus a £179 subscription. Preliminary review, senior and specialist cost £620 plus £179. The chartered election fee is £140.
How to get there
- Years 1-4Degree or placementStudy an RICS-accredited degree. If it includes a placement year, enrol as an RICS student so the placement can count as training.
- Within 6 months of graduatingEnrol on the APCChoose a sector pathway, find a counsellor and pay the enrolment fee and subscription.
- 1-2 yearsStructured trainingBuild up competencies and log CPD for 24 months, or 12 months if you have five to ten years' experience.
- Month 11 or 23Written submissionsSubmit your summary of experience, case study and CPD record once your counsellor signs you off.
- After month 12 or 24Final assessment interviewA 60-minute video interview, opening with your 10-minute case study presentation.
- Within 6 years of enrollingElection to MRICSPay the election fee, then use MRICS and Chartered Surveyor while keeping up CPD and your subscription.
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Questions people ask
Do I need a surveying degree to become MRICS?
No. An accredited degree is the most direct route, but any bachelor's degree plus five years of relevant experience also makes you eligible. So do 10 years at an advanced level without a degree.
How long does it take to become chartered?
An accredited graduate usually needs 12 or 24 months of structured training before the final interview. RICS puts the formal assessment itself at six to twelve months, excluding time in employment. You must qualify within six years of enrolling.
How much does the APC cost in the UK?
RICS's 2027 fees are £520 enrolment plus a £179 candidate subscription, so £699 at joining. You then pay a £140 election fee once you pass. The preliminary review, senior and specialist routes cost £620 plus the subscription.
Can I go straight to MRICS if I belong to another professional body?
Possibly. Through Recognised Professional Qualification, members of some other bodies may be exempt from parts of the entry criteria. You need an MRICS or FRICS proposer, a record of recent CPD and a letter confirming your membership, and you must pass the RICS online ethics course.
Is the APC interview held in person?
No. RICS has decided to hold all future final assessment interviews online. The interview runs for 60 minutes and opens with your 10-minute presentation.
