CPAA Professional Certification
Earning the Association’s Professional Certification in Public Practice Accountancy signifies a mastery of the essential areas required by principals in accountancy practices. This certification validates your expertise and readiness to excel in the field of public practice accountancy.
The certification encompasses three core areas: Financial Reporting and Analysis, Advanced Taxation for Accountancy Practitioners, and Advanced Ethics and Compliance for Accountancy Practitioners. Each area focuses on the practical application of technical knowledge in a professional setting. To obtain the certification, candidates must complete a self-reflective piece, exploring their experiences within accountancy, and pass a three-hour, closed-book examination covering all three areas under invigilation.
Any accountant aspiring to enter public practice in the UK, whether independently or as a partner in an existing firm, should consider pursuing this certification. It is an ideal choice for those who have acquired foundational knowledge and wish to advance to the next level.
Achieving this certification demonstrates that you possess the necessary knowledge and experience to act as a principal in an accountancy practice. It reassures clients and fellow professionals that you have mastered the competencies required to be a successful and ethical accountancy practitioner.
Why study the Professional Certification in Public Practice Accountancy:
Recognition
The Certification allows you to join the CPAA, showing that you have a strong commitment to professional standards. Upon successfully completing the Certification you can use the postnominals Cert.CPAA, showing your mastery of the three domains covered.
Study Support/Training
Candidates have access to CPAA Learn, which provides study support in the form of pre-recorded lectures, written notes and practice quizzes. CPAA regularly holds live revision and focus sessions led by experienced lecturers.
Remote Exams
The final exam is completed remotely and can be taken from most internet connected computers. Our partners at Meazure Learn will remotely invigilate the exam. To find out more about remote invigilation please visit our partner’s website here.
Prerequisites
Candidates should hold either a relevant Level 4 qualification, such as the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting, or be part qualified ACA, ACCA, or CGMA.
Qualified By Experience candidates with at least three years’ experience in a relevant role can also register as candidates for the Certification.
You can look at our prerequisites and exemptions policy here.
Training Highly Competent and Ethical Accountants
Key Dates
About the examination
To be awarded the Certification, all candidates must pass the final examination. This exam is conducted remotely and is fully invigilated, requiring candidates to complete it under closed-book conditions.
The examination is divided into two sections. Section A comprises a series of multiple-choice questions, while Section B includes three case studies, with questions that require candidates to produce a business document. All questions focus on applying the knowledge covered in each domain to a public practice setting.
Candidates must achieve at least 51% of the available marks in Section A and 50% in Section B to pass.
The CPAA employs experienced and highly qualified academics and practitioners to develop its exam scripts, ensuring the examination is rigorous and relevant.
About the self-reflective piece
Successful practising accountants must be able to combine strong technical knowledge with the ability to apply this knowledge in real-world scenarios.
All candidates are required to submit a self-reflective piece that explores their experiences within the accountancy sector. This written piece involves answering a series of set questions designed to challenge candidates to reflect on their experiences and how these relate to the learning objectives of the Certification.
Candidates should have relevant experiences to reflect upon. While there are no specific requirements for the number of hours of experience or particular job titles, candidates should have worked in an accountancy role that has provided them with exposure to ethical and compliance issues, as well as opportunities to apply technical knowledge.
Get Certified Today
Enrol as a candidate today to start your journey to gaining the CPAA Professional Certification in Public Practice Accountancy.
How to enrol and fees
Prospective candidates should enrol during the registration window, as advertised above. To register, candidates must complete the online registration form which is accessible only during the registration period. Candidates will need to provide personal details, a copy of government-issued ID, and payment of the relevant fees.
The cost of the Certification is £675. This fee includes access to CPAA Learn, which provides all the necessary learning materials to pass the exam, access to two exam sittings for the current period, and the marking of your self-reflective piece. It also covers live sessions to help you prepare for the exam. If you attend the live revision sessions and attempt both exam sittings, but do not pass, you can re-enrol in the next intake free of charge (this applies only once, if you are unsuccessful on your second attempt, you will need to re-register for future attempts and pay applicable fees at the time).
Additional fees apply if you wish to become a Member of the CPAA after completing the Certification. However, if you join within three months of receiving your results, the £120 joining fee will be waived.
If you have any questions regarding our qualifications, please take a moment to view our FAQ's section. Here, you will find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. This will help you quickly get the information you need and save you time.
Do have to pass any exams to gain the Certification?
Yes. All candidates must pass a three-hour closed book, remotely invigilated exam.
What happens if I don’t pass the exam?
You must pass the exam in order to gain the Certification. If you attend the live revision sessions and attempt the exam at both sittings, but do not pass you will able to re-enrol in the next intake free of charge, giving you a total of four attempts at the exam. If you are unsuccessful again, you can re-enrol for a third time, though will have to make payment of any applicable fees at the time.
Do you offer resits?
We offer two exam sittings in each cohort. If you are unsuccessful in the first sitting, you can resist the exam in the second.
I won’t be able to sit the exams on the days advertised.
Please ensure that you will be free on the days of the exams before enrolling.
If you are experiencing exceptional circumstances you can ask for reasonable adjustments under our Reasonable Adjustments Policy.
Are the exams marked by a computer?
Part B of the exam scripts are marked by a subject matter expert. Part A of the exam is marked automatically.
Do you offer exemptions?
No we do not offer any exemptions. If you are interested in Membership of the CPAA you may qualify if you already have relevant qualifications.
How recognised is the Certification?
The CPAA has decades of experience working with small accountancy practitioners. Our name is trusted by small accountancy practitioners in the UK.
We ask that you do appropriate research before enrolling to ensure the Certification is right for you and your career. If you would like advise please email admin@cpaa.co.uk or you can look at the National Careers Service website for impartial advise - https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/private-practice-accountant
I don’t have a Level 4 qualification, can I still register?
We recommend that you have a Level 4 qualification in accountancy before registering. Though if you do not, you can still register providing you have at least three years (4,900 hours) of experience working in a relevant role, in a public practice setting.
If you don’t have a Level 4 qualification and do not have the necessary experience, you might consider enrolling on a CPAA Foundation Qualification.
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