CPD for Accountants in Australia and New Zealand

Members of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) must complete 120 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) over each three-year period, with a minimum of 20 hours completed annually. Of the 120 hours, at least 90 hours must be verified CPD and up to 30 hours may be unverified CPD. The current CPD cycle runs from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.

Competency Areas:
Members must complete at least 20 hours in each of the following three CPD competency areas over the three-year cycle:

• Technical and Product Knowledge (e.g., taxation, auditing, financial reporting, business law and regulation, financial advice, governance)
• Management and Professional Skills (e.g., leadership, negotiation, technology, cyber security, practice management, mental health training, business processes)
• Professional and Ethical Standards (e.g., application of APES 110 Code of Ethics, professional judgment and skepticism, statutory codes of conduct, ethics training)

Verified CPD:
Verified CPD must have structured content, designated learning outcomes, a set timeframe, and documentary evidence. Examples include:

• Structured professional courses, webinars, or workshops
• Tertiary-level study with assessment/testing
• Formal in-house training programs
• Research, writing, and presenting technical papers (capped at 30 hours per 3-year cycle)
• Mentoring in structured programs (capped at 40 hours per 3-year cycle)
• Serving on technical committees or working groups (capped at 15 hours per 3-year cycle)

Unverified CPD:
May include informal or self-directed learning with no formal assessment. Examples include self-paced study, professional or technical reading, and informal peer discussions on technical or professional issues. A maximum of 30 hours of unverified CPD may be claimed per three-year period.

Recording and Monitoring:

• Members must maintain a CPD log and retain it for at least five years after the end of each three-year CPD cycle.
• CPD logs must record: activity name, provider, date, hours, category, and verification type.
• The IPA may audit CPD records as part of its compliance and Quality Review Program (QRP). Failure to comply may result in suspension or forfeiture of membership.

Exemptions and Reductions:
Exemptions or pro-rata reductions may apply in cases such as career breaks, recent membership (joined within the past 12 months), or retirement. Members must contact the IPA membership team for approval.

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Institute of Public Accountants. For full information, please visit:
https://www.publicaccountants.org.au/events/cpd-requirements
https://www.publicaccountants.org.au/media/4643893/Pronouncement-7-V41-CPD-6-Sep-2022.pdf

CPD Requirements – Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)

Annual & Triennial Requirements

All members must complete 120 CPD hours every three years, including at least 20 hours per year. The breakdown is as follows:

• 90 hours of Verifiable CPD
• 30 hours of Non-Verifiable CPD
• 6 hours of Verifiable Ethics CPD (effective for trienniums beginning on or after 1 July 2024)

Designation-Specific Requirements

• Chartered Accountants (CAs), Affiliates, and NMPs: 120 hours (90 verifiable)
• Associate Chartered Accountants (ACAs): 90 hours (67 verifiable)
• Accounting Technicians (ATs): 60 hours (45 verifiable)

CPD may be pro-rated for members not working full-time.

Verifiable CPD Criteria

To qualify as verifiable CPD, activities must be objectively verified by a competent source. Evidence may include:

• Certificates of completion
• Course materials
• Proof of attendance
• Calendar records
• Completed on-the-job training forms

CPD Activity Eligibility

CPD does not need to be delivered or accredited by CA ANZ. It must, however, be educational in nature, relevant to professional competence, and appropriately documented.

LearnFormula is in no way formally affiliated with Chartered Accountants ANZ. For more information, visit: https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/learning-and-events/managing-your-cpd/cpd-requirements

Members of The Tax Institute (TTI) must complete 30 hours of CPD each year, with the CPD year running 1 July – 30 June. The requirements differ depending on membership grade.

Requirements:

• Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA): A minimum of 30 hours structured, tax-related CPD annually.
• Fellow (FTI): A minimum of 30 hours annually, made up of 15 hours structured CPD and 15 hours unstructured CPD.
• Associate (ATI): A minimum of 30 hours annually, made up of 15 hours structured CPD and 15 hours unstructured CPD.

Accreditation & Eligibility:

• Structured CPD: Formal learning with defined outcomes, a target audience, and set CPD hours. Structured CPD must be recorded and evidenced.
• Unstructured CPD: Informal or self-directed learning without defined outcomes or assessments (e.g., professional reading, networking, on-the-job learning). For Fellows and Associates, up to 15 hours annually may be claimed as unstructured CPD.
• Structured CPD may be completed through The Tax Institute or through equivalent professional organisations and education providers of appropriate standing. No accreditation or pre-approval is required for CPD providers.

Recording, Reporting, and Audit:

• Members must record CPD activities, hours, and supporting documentation.
• Acceptable evidence includes receipts, enrolment records, certificates of completion, employer confirmations, or proof of papers/presentations.
• Records must be retained for at least 12 months after each membership year.
• A CPD recording form is available via the TTI Member Centre.

LearnFormula is not affiliated with The Tax Institute. For full information, please visit:
https://www.taxinstitute.com.au/membership/status-grades
https://tticdn.blob.core.windows.net/tti-files/forms/cpdbookletweb.pdf

Registered Tax Agents and BAS Agents regulated by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) must complete Continuing Professional Education (CPE) as a condition of ongoing registration.

Requirements:

• Tax Agents – Standard: 120 CPE hours over 3 years, with at least 20 hours completed annually.
• Tax Agents – Conditional registrations:
  • Tax (financial) advice services: 60 hours over 3 years, 7 hours annually
  • Australian financial services: 60 hours over 3 years, 7 hours annually
  • Quantity surveying: 6 hours over 3 years, 2 hours annually
  • Fuel tax credit specialty: 6 hours over 3 years, 2 hours annually
  • Other conditional registrations: 45 hours over 3 years, 5 hours annually
• BAS Agents: 45 CPE hours over 3 years, with at least 5 hours annually.
• Your CPE period is 3 years and begins from your date of registration. If you are a member of a recognised professional association, you may align your CPE period with that association’s cycle.

Accreditation & Eligibility:

• The TPB does not accredit CPE providers. Members may complete CPE through their professional association, employers, universities, or other providers of appropriate standing.
• Compliance with your recognised professional association’s CPE requirements will generally satisfy TPB requirements, provided activities are relevant, delivered by suitably qualified persons, and meet minimum CPE hours.
• Acceptable CPE activities include seminars, workshops, structured in-house training, webinars, tertiary courses, technical discussion groups, and distance education.
• Up to 25% of CPE may be professional or technical reading.
• Up to 10% of CPE may cover health and wellbeing topics (e.g., stress management, resilience, self-care).

Recording, Reporting, and Audit:

• Practitioners must maintain a record of all CPE activities, including activity details, provider, hours completed, and type of activity.
• A TPB CPE log is available, but members may use their association’s log if already maintained.
• CPE records must be kept for five years from the end of each CPE period.
• Evidence may include enrolment records, receipts, certificates of completion, assessment reports, employer confirmations, or proof of presentations/publications.
• The TPB may request evidence of CPE at any time, including at renewal, during audits, or upon reactivation of a lapsed registration.

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Tax Practitioners Board. For full information, please visit:
https://www.tpb.gov.au/continuing-professional-education
https://www.tpb.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/CPE%20factsheet%20for%20tax%20agents_1.pdf