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Compliance & Enforcement
Compliance and Enforcement is implemented Under the Engineering Works, Services and Projects Monitoring Regulations 2015 (GN No. 237), under which ERB or any officer appointed by the Board may at any time enter into a site or premises to monitor, inspect and audit engineering works or services without prior notification. The Board officer shall identify himself to the Senior Personnel responsible for the works before proceeding with inspection.
Any person who obstructs or denies entry, refuses to answer questions, or resists producing documents commits an offence and shall upon conviction be liable to a fine of not less than TZS 500,000.
🔍 Site Inspections
ERB conducts regular and unannounced inspections to verify that practising engineers and firms are registered, works comply with approved plans and specifications, and professional standards are observed.
🚫 Unauthorised Practice
Engineering activities must be executed under supervision of registered Professional Engineers and registered Engineering Consulting Firms. Unauthorised practice is a criminal offence under Cap. 63.
⚖ Professional Misconduct
ERB investigates complaints of negligence, incompetence, fraud, unethical conduct, and breach of the Code of Conduct. Sanctions range from reprimand and penalty to deletion from the register.
🏢 Firm Compliance
Registered engineering consulting firms must comply with all registration conditions, submit annual returns, maintain a valid practising certificate, and ensure all employed engineers are individually registered.
Scope of Monitoring & Inspections
The Regulations govern engineering activities and practising engineers located in Mainland Tanzania under Cap. 63. Inspections and audits are conducted across the following areas:
What Inspectors Check by Sector
The inspection methodology and checklist items vary by the type of engineering works being monitored. Click each sector to see the specific items the Board's Inspection Team verifies on site.
🏗 Building Construction Projects (Part IV — Regulations 9–14)
+The Inspection Team verifies project registration with ERB, engineering drawings, material testing records, and the registration status of all engineers and consulting firms.
- Signboard: Erected and visible; contains all required particulars; ERB Project Registration Sticker pasted on board
- Project Particulars: Name, location (street & plot number), contract document, client name/address/telephone, planning consent number & issuer, building permit number & issuer, financier, project cost
- Project Team (Reg. 11): Main contractor, sub-contractors, specialist contractors, project manager, architect, resident engineer, structural engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, ICT engineer, quantity surveyor, site agent, site engineer, clerk of works — all with registration status verified
- Site Management (Reg. 12): General site layout, site instruction book with consultant's comments, frequency of site meetings, minutes present on site, safety and occupational health compliance
- Quality of Works (Reg. 13): General workmanship appearance, surface textures of completed structural members, evidence of concrete/reinforcement/geotechnical/aggregates testing, site and office cleanliness, site document storage
🛣 Road Construction Projects (Part V — Regulations 15–26)
+Road construction inspections cover both the consulting firm and contractor, with prescribed minimum qualifications for each key staff position (Regulations 21 and 26).
- Signboard (Reg. 17): Provided as per Third Schedule specifications; ERB Sticker pasted for consultant; CRB Sticker for contractor
- Consultant Key Staff (Reg. 21): Resident Engineer, Highway Engineer, Structural Engineer, Soils/Materials Engineer, Bridge/Drainage Engineer (minimum 8 years experience), Works Inspector, Materials Technician — all must be Professional Engineers with cumulative relevant experience
- Contractor Key Staff (Reg. 26): Project Manager, Site Agent, Senior Highway/Pavement Engineer, Structural/Drainage Engineer, Soils/Materials Engineer, Equipment Manager (Mechanical PE), Highway/Design/Measurement Engineer
- Equipment Schedule (Reg. 22): Equipment schedule vis-à-vis deployment on site verified against contract requirements
- Working Drawings (Reg. 24): All engineering drawings checked for professional correctness and approvals
🏭 Industries, Factories & Mines (Part VI — Regulations 27–33)
+Inspections at industrial and mining premises focus on engineering personnel registration, professional development, quality systems, and safety management.
- Company Particulars (Reg. 28): Organisation structure, CEO profile, category of organisation, contacts, nature of business (manufacturing, mining, consultancy, ICT, etc.)
- Engineering Personnel (Reg. 29): List of engineers and technicians, registration status, measures to develop local engineers to replace expatriates, additional engineering manpower required
- Professional Development (Reg. 30): Training facilities for graduate engineers, CPD programme sponsorship, information centres for technology
- Quality Standards (Reg. 31): R&D activities, quality manual, quality plan, production methods, product certification numbers and certifying authority
- Safety (Reg. 32): Safety policy, safety and environmental management plan, training programmes on safety, occupational health management system, trained safety officer and environmental officer
- Maintenance (Reg. 33): Maintenance plan, programme, manual, evidence of equipped workshop, engineering/maintenance personnel
✔ An Annual Compliance Certificate is issued by the Board to factories, industries, mines, and engineering office premises that comply with these Regulations.
🏛 Local Government Authorities (Part VII — Regulations 34–40)
+LGA assessments evaluate the adequacy and qualifications of council engineers and the quality of engineering project implementation.
- Engineer Particulars (Reg. 37): Name, position, age, address, educational qualifications (certified copies required), registration certificate and practising licence, membership in professional institutions, CPD evidence for last 3 years, CV since graduation
- Employment Record (Reg. 36): List of engineers and technicians with registration status, reasons for unfilled vacancies, measures being taken to fill vacancies
- Engineering Activities (Reg. 38): Types of activities (civil, building, consultancy, mechanical, electrical, environmental, ICT works), volume vs. engineering staff numbers, funds channelled and their sources
- Plant & Equipment (Reg. 39): Type and ownership of plant and equipment/tools owned or hired by the council
- Consulting Firms (Reg. 40): List of projects with assigned engineering consultants and key staff involved
General Inspection Procedure
The Inspection Team signs the visitors' book at engineering premises. During inspection the team is entitled to access production standards, working drawings, photographs, videos, permits, and registration status of all engineers. Where an engineering premises is closed or no responsible officer is present, the team records observations and the responsible officer must report to the Registrar within 48 hours for countersigning.
📋 Documentation Tools
Checklist for inspection · Show Cause Notice Book · Notification of Offence Book · Special Notice Book · Intention to Issue Stop Order · Stop Order Book · Penalty Notice · Default Score Register
🔧 Field Equipment
Camera for photographing observations · Field Notebooks & Pen · Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) · Measuring Tape · Handheld GPS · Any other equipment necessary for inspection
PPE is Mandatory
PPE shall be carried to site regardless of the type of works being inspected. The Board procures and issues PPE to all Inspection and Audit Teams.
48-Hour Rule
If premises is closed during inspection, the responsible officer must report to the Registrar within 48 hours to countersign the observations recorded by the Inspection Team.
Administration of Defaults
When defaults are identified during an inspection, the Board follows a structured escalation process as set out in the Second Schedule. The severity of defaults determines which notices are issued and whether works are halted.
Types of Notices (Regulation 14)
Show Cause Notice
First formal notice requiring the defaulter to explain non-compliance before further action is taken.
Notification of Offence
Formal notification of the specific offence committed, issued alongside a Penalty Notice.
Penalty Notice
Formal notice specifying the monetary penalty imposed as prescribed in the First Schedule.
Special Notice
Posted at premises entrance when inspection cannot be completed; owner must contact ERB within 7 days.
Intention to Issue Stop Order
Warning notice issued before a formal Stop Order, giving the defaulter a final opportunity to comply.
Stop Order
Formal order to halt all engineering works. Non-compliance reported to Police and Local Authorities.
Disciplinary Process — Escalation Steps
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01Inspection or Receipt of ComplaintERB Inspection Team visits site unannounced, or a complaint is received and logged. Team identifies itself to senior personnel on site and proceeds per GN No. 237.
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02Assessment of DefaultsInspection Team evaluates the severity and nature of defaults found. Non-serious defaults may receive a Notification of Offence and Penalty Notice directly. Serious defaults trigger a Show Cause Notice.
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03Show Cause Notice (Serious Defaults)Engineer or firm is required to show cause before escalation to the Misconduct Committee or Stop Order. Non-compliance after the Show Cause Notice leads to a Stop Order.
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04Penalty Notice IssuedMonetary penalty prescribed in the First Schedule. Failure to comply with the Penalty Notice leads to engagement of a Debt Collector, Board of Inquiry, and potential suspension.
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05Stop Order (Unresolved Defaults)All engineering works halted. Board conducts Stop Order Compliance Inspections. Non-compliance is reported to Police and Local Authorities under jurisdiction.
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06Compliance Demonstrated — Stop Order LiftedOnce the engineer or firm demonstrates full compliance, the Stop Order is lifted and works may resume.
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07Evaluation & Report (within 2 weeks)Inspection Team prepares draft reports and submits to the Registrar. Original report maintained for 5 years in the Board's archive per the Records and Archives Management Act (Cap. 309).
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08Compliance Certificate IssuedUpon approval of the report, the Board issues a Compliance Certificate to the inspected establishment. Failure to maintain an Annual Compliance Certificate constitutes an offence.
Penalties for Key Offences
The First Schedule prescribes specific penalties for each category of offence. Repeat offences attract higher penalties. Third offences typically result in referral to a Board of Inquiry, deletion from the register, or court action.
| Offence | 1st Offence | 2nd Offence | 3rd Offence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to employ registered Professional Engineer(s) (per unregistered engineer) | TZS 2,000,000 | TZS 4,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Practising as Professional Engineer without registration | TZS 1,000,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Practising as Consulting Engineer without registration | TZS 2,000,000 | TZS 4,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Practising outside area of professional competence | TZS 2,000,000 | TZS 4,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Offering consulting services without Consulting Engineers — Local Firm | TZS 2,000,000 | TZS 3,000,000 | DELETION |
| Offering consulting services without Consulting Engineers — Foreign Firm | USD 5,000 | USD 10,000 | DELETION |
| Employing unregistered Engineering Consulting Firm — Client/Employer | TZS 3,000,000 | TZS 5,000,000 | Court Action |
| Failure to maintain site instruction book | TZS 500,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Failure to paste ERB Project Registration Sticker on signboard | TZS 500,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | Board of Inquiry |
| Non-positioning of signboard at construction site | TZS 500,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | TZS 2,000,000 |
| Practising without valid Practising Certificate — Professional Engineer | TZS 500,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | DELETION |
| Practising without valid Practising Certificate — Consulting Engineer | TZS 700,000 | TZS 1,500,000 | DELETION |
| Practising without valid Practising Certificate — Local Engineering Consulting Firm | TZS 1,000,000 | TZS 2,000,000 | DELETION |
| Using services of engineers without valid practising certificate — Local Firm | TZS 5,000,000 | TZS 10,000,000 | DELETION |
| Denying access to Board staff or representatives executing official duties | TZS 500,000 | TZS 1,000,000 | Court Action |
| Cheating on contract value for consultancy services | Actual value plus 50% | ||
| Failure to adhere to Code of Conduct and Ethics | Penalty up to TZS 1,000,000 / Suspension | DELETION | |
| Failure by Engineer to acquire 90 PDUs in 3 consecutive years | Obtain 60 PDUs within 1 year | Suspension | DELETION |
| Failure to submit Annual Returns | TZS 200,000 | Suspension or Deletion | Court Action |
| Failure to pay Annual Fee | 5% of annual fee per month | Suspension | DELETION |
| Failure by industry/factory/mine to maintain Annual Compliance Certificate | TZS 1,000,000 | TZS 5,000,000 | Court Action |
Source: First Schedule, GN No. 237 of 2015 — The Engineering Works, Services and Projects Monitoring Regulations. All penalties in TZS unless marked USD. Penalties apply per count/offence.
Standard Signboard Requirements
Every engineering works site must display a standard signboard as prescribed in the Third Schedule to GN No. 237. The signboard must be properly positioned, legible, contain all required particulars, and bear an ERB Project Registration Sticker. Failure to comply attracts penalties from TZS 500,000 to TZS 2,000,000.
Compliance Certificate (GN No. 237 · Regulation 42)
📋 What Is It?
Upon approval of the Inspection or Audit Report, the Board issues a Compliance Certificate to the inspected industry, project, firm, or local government certifying compliance with GN No. 237.
🔄 Annual Requirement
Factories, industries, mines, and engineering office premises must maintain an Annual Compliance Certificate. Failure constitutes an offence attracting penalties of up to TZS 5,000,000 and potential court action on the third offence.
💼 Inspection Costs
The inspected or audited engineering establishment is required to pay inspection costs as prescribed by the Board from time to time.
🗂 Archiving
The original Inspection or Audit Report shall be maintained for 5 years in the Board's archive in accordance with the Records and Archives Management Act (Cap. 309). All data obtained during inspection is attached to the original.
Practising Without Registration is Illegal
No person other than a registered engineer, or as exempted, may engage in professional engineering works and services in Tanzania. Offenders are liable to criminal prosecution under Cap. 63.
Report a Violation
Members of the public, employers, and other engineers can report unauthorised practice or professional misconduct through the e-Mrejesho feedback portal or by contacting ERB directly at registrar@erb.go.tz or +255 26 2960086/87.