How to become a chartered town planner (MRTPI) in the UK

What does chartered status involve?

Chartered status comes from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), and a chartered planner uses the letters MRTPI. You do not legally need it to work in planning. Many jobs in councils and consultancies are open to graduates and assistants. Employers do look for it at senior level, though, and it shows you have been tested against a set standard of competence and agreed to follow the RTPI Code of Professional Conduct.

Every route ends with an Assessment of Professional Competence, known as an APC. The route you take depends on what qualification you hold. If you have a fully accredited degree, you take the Licentiate APC. If your planning degree is not accredited, you take the Associate APC. Experienced practitioners have their own route, and degree apprentices take the Degree Apprenticeship APC as part of their end-point assessment.

Which degrees count?

The RTPI accredits planning courses at UK universities, and the label on your course decides what comes next. If your degree is fully accredited, you can join as a Licentiate as soon as you graduate. Partially accredited courses are labelled either spatial or specialist. A spatial-only degree has to be followed by a specialist qualification, and a specialist-only degree needs a top-up. Many graduates in other subjects take a fully accredited postgraduate MSc or MA in planning.

Some courses are only fully accredited if you pick particular modules, so check before you enrol. Some five-year MPlan programmes include a placement year, and you only get full accreditation if you finish all five years. Check your course against the RTPI course listings before you start. If you graduate with partial accreditation, you add a further year of study or a longer route to chartership.

How the L-APC works

The written submission is 5,500 words, give or take 10%. It has three parts: a Practical Experience Statement of about 1,000 words, a Professional Competence Statement of about 3,000 words and a Professional Development Plan of about 1,500 words. The competence statement uses case studies to show ten competencies, including ethics, legal framework, politics in planning and economics in planning. You also submit a Reflective Journal covering at least one year as a Licentiate, corroborator forms covering all your work experience, and a sponsor form signed by a Chartered Town Planner.

Two trained assessors read your submission separately, then agree a recommendation. There are two possible outcomes: successful or deferral. A deferral is not a fail. You resubmit the weak section or add a supplementary statement, and a resubmission fee applies. You can resubmit for up to two years from your first submission. After that you have to make a full new application.

Apprenticeships

The Chartered Town Planner degree apprenticeship is a paid planning job combined with an RTPI accredited postgraduate qualification. The RTPI says it typically takes three to six years, depending on what qualifications you start with. It ends with a Professional Discussion and the Degree Apprenticeship APC. Before end-point assessment, you need Level 2 English and maths, the accredited qualification, and at least 12 months recorded in your Reflective Journal.

Funding changed in England on 1 January 2026. Government money for Level 7 apprenticeships now only covers people aged 16 to 21, or under-25s who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care plan. Older applicants depend on their employer paying. There is also a Level 4 Town Planning Assistant apprenticeship. It can lead on to the degree apprenticeship, or to chartership through the Associate or Experienced Practitioner routes.

Pay

United Kingdom (25th to 75th percentile)

£34,300–53,300

London

£42,000–65,200

South East

£35,200–54,700

North West

£31,600–49,000

Scotland

£32,100–49,800

Wales

£29,400–45,700

GBP a year, before tax. Ranges run from the 25th to the 75th percentile for town planning roles. They are based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), uprated with a wage index. Regional figures are modelled. The UK median is £44,000. Chartered status, seniority and London weighting push pay towards the top of the range. Refer to the Town Planning salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

Accredited qualificationFor the L-APC you need a fully RTPI accredited qualification. That means either a combined accredited degree, or a spatial plus a specialist accredited qualification.
Licentiate membershipYou must be a current Licentiate when you apply. The 2026 application fee is £50, and the subscription is £78 a year for your first three years.
Two years' planning experienceYou need at least two years full-time equivalent, with one year or more gained as a Licentiate. Paid, voluntary, UK and overseas experience can all count, and part-time hours are pro-rated against a 35-hour week.
Reflective JournalKeep a journal covering at least one year of recent experience as a Licentiate. It goes in with your submission.
Sponsor and corroboratorsA Chartered Town Planner must sign your sponsor declaration. Corroborator forms must cover all the work experience you claim.
Written submission5,500 words (plus or minus 10%), split across a Practical Experience Statement, a Professional Competence Statement and a Professional Development Plan.
FeesThe L-APC application fee is £253 in 2026 and £258 in 2027. A deferred section costs £33 to resubmit in 2026. Once elected, chartered membership costs £390 a year for members based in the UK or Ireland.

How to get there

Before startingComplete an accredited qualificationTake a fully accredited undergraduate or postgraduate planning course. If your course is only partially accredited, add the spatial or specialist qualification you are missing.
On graduatingJoin the RTPI as a LicentiateApply as soon as you have been awarded the qualification, and send your degree certificate or final transcript with the application. The 2026 fee is £50.
Years 1-2Build planning experience and keep a journalWork in plan-making, development management, consultancy or similar planning work, and record it in your Reflective Journal. Most candidates stay Licentiates for at least two years.
Year 2Line up a sponsor and corroboratorsAsk a Chartered Town Planner to sponsor you. Get corroborator forms that cover every role you list.
After 2 yearsSubmit the L-APCSend your 5,500-word submission and supporting documents through the RTPI portal, and pay the £253 fee (2026).
After assessmentElection as MRTPIIf the assessors find you successful, you are elected a Chartered Member. You then work to your Professional Development Plan for the next two years.

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Questions people ask

Can I become chartered without an accredited planning degree?

Yes, through the Associate APC. You join as an Associate and gain at least two years' full-time-equivalent planning experience, all of it as an Associate. You then submit a 7,000-word application, and the 2026 fee is £320.

Is there a route for experienced planners and surveyors?

Yes, the Experienced Practitioner APC. It needs five to ten years of planning experience gained after qualifying, depending on your background. For example, you need five years with a planning degree, six with a non-planning degree and ten with other backgrounds. Architects and surveyors who have worked closely with planners for a long time may also qualify.

What counts as planning experience?

Your work has to directly affect or influence planning decisions. Examples include preparing plans and policies, development management and enforcement, preparing planning applications, and assessments such as viability, environmental or transport work. Public, private, charity and self-employed work can all count.

What happens if my submission is deferred?

A deferral is not a fail. You resubmit the section that fell short or add a supplementary statement, and a resubmission fee applies. You can resubmit for up to two years from your first submission. After that you have to make a full new application.

Will the government fund my planning apprenticeship?

In England, since 1 January 2026, Level 7 apprenticeship funding only covers people aged 16 to 21, or under-25s who are care leavers or have an EHC plan. Anyone else depends on their employer paying. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own apprenticeship systems.

How much does RTPI membership cost while I train?

Students on an RTPI accredited course pay no subscription. Licentiates pay £78 a year for their first three years and £196 after that. Chartered Members based in the UK or Ireland pay £390 a year (2026 rates).

How do you become a chartered town planner?