What is the Audit Qualification (AQ)?

The Audit Qualification is free of charge and, once granted, it remains yours indefinitely. In your career it will also:

• Qualify you as counting towards the control percentage* of an audit registered firm
• Make up one of the required elements of your application for signing audit reports

* The control percentage enables firm to become 'firms of registered auditors'. In order to maintain this status firms must ensure that at least 50% of partners hold the audit qualification.

Audit is a regulated area in the UK. This means that audit work undertaken is:

• Ultimately signed off by an individual holding UK statutory audit rights who:
  • is a member of an recognised qualifying body (RQB)
  • holds the audit qualification
  • holds a licence to practise (known as a practising certificate); and
  • has been granted the title 'Responsible Individual' by an RSB. You must be nominated for this title by your firm.
• Always supervised by a Recognised Supervisory Body (RSB)

ICAEW is an RQB. An RQB is a professional body that has been granted powers by the government to award the appropriate (ie, audit) qualification. They ensure that individuals have met both the examination and practical training requirements specified for the qualification in the Companies Act.

If you work on an audit during your training you will ultimately report to an individual within your firm who is known as a 'Responsible Individual'. This is the person who is qualified to sign off the audit report at the end of an audit. You must never sign an audit report unless you have been granted RI status by your professional body. Doing so will result in disciplinary action.

• Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)
• Practice helpsheets
• ICAEW Technical Releases
• DPB Update