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Your obligations
Content Summary
Compliance and governance
Understanding your obligations as a public practitioner is an essential part of running your own business. We’ve compiled a range of programs, tools and resources to help you with meeting your obligations so you’ll have more time to do what you do best – provide high quality financial services to your clients.
CPA Australia Best Practice Program
The CPA Australia Best Practice Program is a tailored program that focuses on helping public practitioners adopt best practice. The program assessments aim to ensure members implement an adequate system of quality and risk management, meet professional and ethical standards, and continue to adhere to CPA Australia By-Laws that are relevant to public practice certificate holders.
Helpful tools to ensure ongoing compliance
We've designed tools to help you efficiently set up a risk management framework and a quality management system for your practice.
Risk Management Framework Tool
This online tool helps you develop a custom Risk Management Framework for your practice
System of Quality Management for Public Accounting Services
Our smart tools help you address the requirements of implementing a system of quality management for the provision of public accounting services
Keep your business covered
When you’re running your own public practice, it’s essential that you fully understand professional indemnity insurance and the Professional Standards Scheme. CPAs and FCPAs that are offering public accounting services must hold professional indemnity insurance. And the Professional Standards Scheme may limit civil liability for eligible public practitioners.
Professional indemnity insurance
Members offering public accounting services must hold professional indemnity insurance (PII). This requirement also applies to services provided on a private, honorary, pro-bono or voluntary basis. Note: only fully qualified members, that is, those holding a CPA or an FCPA designation may provide public accounting services.
Professional Standards Scheme
The current Professional Standards Scheme commenced across Australia on 21 August 2025 for a period of 5 years.
Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards
The Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board (APESB) develops and issues professional and ethical standards in the public interest. Accounting professionals who are members of CPA Australia must comply to these standards.
Read about the APESB standards
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) obligations
Learn more about your obligations under legislation in Australia and New Zealand aimed at combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
Understanding Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) obligations in Australia
Learn more about the legislative reforms that require additional compliance obligations from many practitioners in Australia
Understanding Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations in New Zealand
Learn more about the legislative reforms that require additional compliance obligations from many practitioners in New Zealand
Complying with CPA Australia regulations
Understand more about CPA Australia’s regulations by exploring our by-laws and constitution.
Maintaining your professional development
As a holder of a public practice certificate, you're required to engage in continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain your CPA Australia membership. Explore resources and guidance to meet your CPD and ethics requirements.
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