Acquire CPA Ontario Membership from Another Canadian CPA Body

As a CPA in Canada, you can choose to hold membership in any one province or territory (or Bermuda) or hold membership in multiple jurisdictions. You can also transfer your membership between jurisdictions. This page details the steps for transferring into or acquiring CPA Ontario membership.

Obtain membership in CPA Ontario

CPAs in good standing in other provinces, territories or Bermuda may apply for admission to membership with CPA Ontario. Eligible members are awarded the CPA designation together with any legacy designation(s).

To be eligible to apply for membership you must:

  • hold membership in good standing with another provincial body
  • make an application in the appropriate form for membership and pay the prescribed dues
  • provide evidence of good character
  • not be an undischarged bankrupt
  • have provided all information and produced all documents requested by CPA Ontario

How to apply to CPA Ontario

Gather information and documents

Gather the following information and documents regarding your membership with your accounting body before starting your application:

  • membership ID
  • date of admission
  • date of exam completions
  • proof of identity
  • proof of legal name

You must have your documents officially translated into English if necessary.

In extraordinary circumstances where required documents are not obtainable for reasons beyond your control, you can request that alternative documents be assessed. This decision will be made on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Admissions team for more information prior to submitting your application.

Send us an email

In the body of an email please include the following information:

  • full name as it appears in your current body’s records
  • legal first and last name
  • preferred first name (if differs from above)
  • date of birth
  • preferred email address
  • CPA Canada ID
  • designation(s) held
  • details of previous student registration or membership with CPA Ontario, if applicable

We will provide you with your My Portal login details once our records have been updated.

Complete online application

After your account is created, you can complete the online application form and upload the following documents:

  • proof of identity (please provide a copy of only one)
    • birth certificate or equivalent government-issued documentation
    • passport
    • both sides of a Canadian citizenship certificate card
    • both sides of a permanent resident card or landed immigrant papers
    • Canadian driver’s license
    • Nexus identification card
  • proof of legal name change document or a marriage certificate if your legal name has changed

Please ensure that you enter all your designation(s) in the online application, including the CPA and any of the legacy designations granted to you by your current body.

Complete the confirmation form

You must fill in the first section of the Provincial Body or Recognized Professional Accounting Body Confirmation Form and have your accounting body complete the form and send it directly to us.

Your accounting body must send the form or letter through mail or email to CPA Ontario. It cannot be uploaded into the online application form.

You are responsible for contacting your accounting body and requesting that confirmation be provided directly to CPA Ontario.

You can still apply before your accounting body sends this confirmation to CPA Ontario. However, the application will not be considered complete until this confirmation is received.

If you wish to add any international designation(s) to your CPA Ontario account, you must also have the accounting body in question provide a Letter of Good Standing directly to CPA Ontario.

Application payment

You will be charged Annual Membership Dues at the end of the application. Applications are not considered complete until payment is received.

The CPA Ontario Annual Membership Dues (AMD) and CPA Canada dues payable on admission are set out in the Schedule of Dues in Regulation 11-1: Dues and Fees.

The amount payable depends on when in the year you are admitted and whether you have paid full dues to your accounting body for the current CPA fiscal year.

Application payment
AMD - Current year admissionCurrent year admissions April 1 to September 30 for those who were not previously Students$580 + GST/HST
AMD - Current year admission (other provincial body)Current year admission April 1 to September 30 if full dues paid in other Provincial Body$290 + GST/HST
AMD - Current year admissionCurrent year admissions October 1 to March 31 for those who were not previously Students$290 + GST/HST
AMD - Current year admission (other provincial body)Current year admissions October 1 to March 31 if full dues paid in other Provincial Body$145 + GST/HST
CPA Canada Due - Current year admissionCurrent year admission April 1 to September 30 for those who were not previously Students$289* + GST/HST
CPA Canada Due - Current year admission (other provincial body)Current year admission April 1 to September 30 for those who paid full CPA Canada Due through a Provincial Body$0
CPA Canada Due - Current year admissionCurrent year admissions October 1 to December 20 for those who were not previously Students$144.50* + GST/HST
CPA Canada Due - Current year admission (other provincial body)Current year admission October 1 to March 31 for those who paid full CPA Canada Due through a Provincial Body$0

*As part of Annual Member Dues, CPA Ontario collects dues on behalf of CPA Canada. Please note effective December 20, 2024, CPA Ontario’s current agreement with CPA Canada through the Collaboration Accord concludes. The amount payable on admission includes prorated CPA Canada dues up to that date. It is important to note that being a member in good standing with CPA Ontario is what enables you to utilize your CPA designation, facilitates your mobility, and allows you to practice in Ontario.

After applying to CPA Ontario

After you have submitted your application, you will be able to check the status of your application online. Additional information may be requested, so please check your email regularly.

Once the application is completed in its entirety, you will be informed within four to six weeks of the Registrar’s decision.

When you are admitted to CPA Ontario, your other membership will not automatically end. If you wish to resign, you will need to contact your provincial body for guidance.

For more information on how to access your records, please see our Access to Records Policy.

Refused admission appeals

An applicant who is refused admission with CPA Ontario for a reason other than good character or credibility or whose admission is made subject to terms and conditions, may appeal the decision to the Admission and Registration Committee. The parties to an appeal are the applicant and the Registrar. The decision of the committee is final.

In circumstances where an applicant does not provide evidence of good character or a credibility assessment is required, the Registrar will hold an oral hearing before the Admission and Registration Committee. The parties to the hearing are the applicant and the Registrar. An applicant may appeal an order of the Admission and Registration Committee to the Appeal Committee. The decision of the Appeal Committee is final.

The appeal shall be conducted in accordance with Regulation 6-1: Admission and Registration Committee.