Our current allocation times have been reduced to around eight weeks and we are working hard to reduce that further. 

An exemption from completing the Practising Certificate Experience Forms (PCEF) is available for members who have gained all three years of their experience with employers that are registered under the ACCA Approved Employer Practising Certificate Development (PCD) stream. Instead of completing the PCEF such members must complete an ‘Approved Employer PCER confirmation form’. Read about the changes.

If you are applying for a practising certificate and audit qualification you must, in addition to the Approved Employer PCER confirmation form, complete Part 3 (audit units) of the PCEF (see below).

For further information including FAQs, guidance notes and the Approved Employer PCER confirmation form please click here.

Please watch our webinar series and make sure you have read and understood the relevant guidance documents which includes comprehensive examples.

If your three years of supervised experience has not been achieved with an ACCA approved employer - practising certificate development (general) stream but the employer would have been eligible to register, you may still be eligible for a practising certificate. However, you must complete Parts 1 and 2 of the PCEF. Please refer to the rest of the guidance below.

When you submit your practising certificate application please remember to:

  • Check your submitted documents are accurate and complete
  • Make sure your Approved Employer PCER confirmation form or PCEF meets the requirements set out in the guidance and videos 
  • Use your registered e-mail address
  • Make sure you read the top 10 PCEF tips

Download the application form for a practising certificate.

If you’re applying for an ACCA practising certificate for the first time, you’ll need to show that you have relevant experience. You do this by completing an Approved Employer PCER confirmation form or a practising certificate experience form (PCEF). 

Once you have completed the application form and the Approved Employer PCER form or PCEF as appropriate, send them to authorisation@accaglobal.com (it is important to keep your own copy too).

The application fee for a practising certificate is £591. Practising certificates must then be renewed on an annual basis before 31 December.

To apply for an ACCA practising certificate you must show that you have achieved:

  • three years of supervised experience with an ACCA approved employer - practising certificate development (general) stream - or an employer that would be eligible to register.  You can contact ACCA Connect for details of Approved Employers or alternatively access the ACCA Approved Employer Directory
  • A minimum of two years of continuous membership
  • two years of post-membership experience. Only experience gained after admission to membership can count towards a practising certificate
  • Experience must be supervised by an appropriately qualified individual.  The definition of this is set out in Appendix 1 of the PCEF Part 1.
  • the competences contained in the Approved Employer PCER confirmation form or PCEF.  A member training towards the practising certificate must complete the PCEF part 1 and part 2.

The provision of basic bookkeeping services directly to the public cannot count towards the practical training requirements for our practising certificates.  However, basic bookkeeping and other accountancy work undertaken on a sub-contract basis for employers who are approved by ACCA may count, provided that it is supervised by a Principal and documented in the PCEF.