How much are ICAEW membership fees?

Annual membership fees

Annual ICAEW membership fees are based on your annual income and circumstances.

• If you have an annual income above £33,638, then you pay the full rate.
• If you have an annual income below £33,638, but above £16,819, then you pay the half rate.
• If you have an annual income below £16,819, then you pay the low rate. 

Do you hold membership with another professional body?

Joined ICAEW as a member of another professional body via a reciprocal agreement

If you joined ICAEW as a member of another professional body via a reciprocal agreement, you are required to pay an annual membership to ICAEW.

Those individuals on a special membership rate will receive an annual renewal to reflect this. In addition, you may be required to maintain your membership with your home body.

Joined another professional body after becoming an ICAEW member

If you have joined another professional body since qualifying with ICAEW, you are still required to pay an annual membership fee to ICAEW.

Reduced membership fees

If you have an annual income of less than £33,638 due to redundancy, retirement or taking a career break, you may be eligible for a reduced subscription. 

Members with an annual income between £16,819 and £33,638 may be eligible for the half rate, while members with an annual income below £16,819 a year may be eligible for the low rate. 

You can only request a reduced subscription rate when you renew your membership. You can apply online when you renew your membership, or by calling us on +44 (0)1908 248 250.

In the application you must share your annual income, this includes income earned or unearned, from all sources, including: 

• interest on investments and savings, 
• property rental, 
• dividends, 
• ISA's, and 
• PEPS

Income from pensions or state benefits is not considered when calculating your annual income.

If you are granted a reduced membership fee, it will run for a calendar year, regardless of any changes in circumstances. However, it cannot be back-dated, so if your income is reduced part-way through the year, we cannot amend your current subscription rate. 

Retired rate and life membership

If you are fully retired and have an income of less than £16,819, then you will be eligible for the lowest annual membership fee which is £59 for 2024. If you have income (as defined above) which takes you over this threshold, you may qualify for one of our alternative rates for retired members.

Members over the age of 60 who have retired from all paid work (but have an annual income of more than £16,819) are eligible for the retired rate of annual membership of £225. To receive this rate members must have also surrendered their Practising Certificate, if one is held.

Alternatively, members can pay a one-off fee for life membership, if they:

• are over the age of 60,
• are fully retired, 
• do not hold a Practising Certificate, and 
• have held ICAEW membership for more than 30 years. 

Fully retired members who have held membership for more than 50 years or who have reached 75 years of age are eligible for life membership without a one-off final payment, so if you retire and are just a few years away from free life membership, it may be more beneficial financially to look at paying a reduced rate rather than the one-off life membership fee.

Please contact a member of our team if you would like to talk through these options.  

Free life membership

Retired members aged 75 and over, and those who have held membership for 50 years, are eligible for free life membership which you can apply for when you renew your membership.

Members aged 90 and over are now automatically granted free life membership. Any Practising Certificate, Practice Assurance, Faculty and Community fees and subscriptions shall also be waived.

If you are unable to work due to an incurable and or progressive illness you may also be eligible for free life membership. Please contact the Members Information Team to enable them to assess your circumstances and provide support to you and your family.

Practising certificate and practice assurance fees

Before you engage in public practice in the UK or the rest of the EEA, you need to hold an ICAEW practising certificate. 

If you require a practising certificate for as little as a day within the calendar year, you must pay for the whole year. There are no reductions for holding a practicing certificate for part of the year. 

Readmission fees

Readmission fees are only charged in cases requiring review by the Fitness Committee. The fee for readmission for such cases is £900.

Paid the wrong rate?

Please contact our Members Information Team as soon as possible with your income details and circumstances. Any request should be submitted to ICAEW by 31 March in the relevant subscription year.