New License Application
Any person who is practicing public accounting or holding themselves out to be a public accountant as defined in the Chartered Professional Accountants and Public Accounting Act is required to hold a license. A definition of Public Accounting and which services it covers can be found here.
The first step in the registration process is to assess the member’s eligibility to register in accordance with the following requirements as established in the CPAPEI Act:
Education Requirements
- Successful completion of the Assurance and Taxation modules of the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP);
- Successful completion of the Common Final Exam with a depth in financial reporting and audit and assurance.
Practical Experience Requirements
- Having acquired the following:
- no less than 30 months of practical experience within the most recent five years under the supervision of a member licensed to practice public accounting in a pre-approved program in a firm registered with CPAPEI;
- 2,500 overall chargeable hours, including
- 1,250 chargeable hours in assurance, including no less than 625 hours of audit of historical financial information, and at least 100 chargeable hours of taxation experience.
- Having demonstrated the following competencies as defined by the CPA Practical Experience Requirements (PER):
- Depth of Audit & Assurance
- A breadth of experience as defined by the CPA PER
- Core of Financial Reporting
As a means of assessing a member’s eligibility to register, the member must complete the Application for Public Practice License, and submit the completed form by email to info@cpapei.ca.
Renewing a License to Practice Public Accounting
All members licensed to practice public accounting must renew their license annually with CPAPEI for each registration year (April 1 to March 31) by March 31 of each year.
A licensee who applies to renew his or her license to practice public accounting shall satisfy the Board that they have completed 1,250 chargeable hours of practice as a public accountant with in the immediately preceding five years. The hours may be prorated for a licensee who has been practicing public accounting for less than five years.
To renew a license, a member must complete the License to Practice Public Accounting Renewal Form and submit the completed form by email to info@cpapei.ca.
The CPA Post Designation Public Accounting (PDPA) Program
The PDPA program offers members who qualified without public accounting practice rights an efficient education and examination option. It comprises a mandatory education module and examination in assurance, taxation, financial accounting, finance, and strategy and governance. It is mandatory for members seeking post-certification public accounting registration in jurisdictions with no tiered registration, and for audit and review registration in jurisdictions offering tiered registration.
Requirements for members seeking public accounting registration (licensure) post certification
CPAPEI PDPA Information and Registration
PDPA Examination Dates 2023: TBA