Practising certificate regulations

All members who wish to engage in public practice must comply with these regulations.

These regulations were effective from 6 March 2012 to 31 December 2023. For current guidance, please see the 2024 Practising certificate regulations.

Please see the ICAEW statement on engaging in public practice for further guidance. There's more information, including the form for applying for a practising certificate, at icaew.com/pc

1.	Subject as follows, a member, including a member to whom the Corporate Practice Regulations apply, shall be entitled to engage in public practice in the United Kingdom or any other member state of the European Economic Area only if he holds a current practising certificate.

2.

A member shall be entitled to engage in public practice in any country in the European Economic Area other than the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland without holding a current ICAEW practising certificate provided that he holds a licence or authority to practise from a body recognised by ICAEW to be of appropriate standing and which authorises him to practise in that jurisdiction.

3.	For the avoidance of doubt, a member must hold a practising certificate from ICAEW if he practises in any jurisdiction in the EEA without holding a licence or authority as provided in accordance with regulation 2.

4.	The following bodies are recognised for the purposes of regulation 2 as being of appropriate standing: Any state or emanation of a state. Any FEE or IFAC body provided that it is headquartered within the jurisdiction within which the member is practising.

5.

A member shall be eligible to hold an ICAEW practising certificate only if the member has satisfied the Committee that he: has been a member for two years; is compliant with the requirements of Principal Bye-law 56 - Continuing Professional Development; understands the Fundamental Principles set out in the Code of Ethics and in particular Fundamental Principle (c); has undertaken to comply with the Council's Professional Indemnity Insurance Regulations; is a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate; has submitted an application in such form as prescribed by the Committee including payment of set application fees; has passed an aptitude test if relevant.

6.

A member shall cease to be eligible to hold an ICAEW practising certificate if he fails to certify his compliance with the provision of Principal Bye-law 56 (requirements for Continuing Professional Development) or fails to provide evidence required to demonstrate such compliance when required to do so.

7.	A member who ceases to be eligible for an ICAEW practising certificate by reason of regulation 6 above shall forthwith return his practising certificate to ICAEW.

Powers of variation

8.	The Committee shall have the power to vary or waive the above regulations.