We apply time-resolved photoluminescence with 1-2 mum spatial resolution for the characterization of deep centre distributions in semi-insulating GaInP:Fe and GaAs:Fe epitaxial layers regrown by hydride vapour phase epitaxy around etched GaAs mesas and GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser structures. In InGaP, Fe ions act as the main carrier recombination centres, while in Fe-doped GaAs both the Fe ions and As antisite defects have to be considered. The distribution of Fe ions in InGaP was found to be rather uniform and close to the target value. For GaAs:Fe, the number of ionized Fe and EL2 centres showed a certain increase at the mesa interfaces. In both cases, the high trap concentration was maintained throughout the regrown layers indicating good semi-insulating material properties.