Membership Application Instruction Guide – CPAs from other Provinces or Territories
The CPA Act reserves the use of the titles “Chartered Professional Accountant” and “Professional Accountant” to CPABC members in good standing and registered firms. This guide will help you through the online admission application process. Please read it carefully to ensure that you provide complete and accurate information necessary to process your application without delay.
When Can You Apply for Membership?
You may apply for membership in CPABC provided you hold an active CPA membership in another Canadian Province or Territory in good standing.
Circumstances that will require a CPA from another Province or Territory to register with CPABC include:
- Moving residence and/or to a workplace in BC (or intending to move in the near future);
- Requiring the use of the CPA designation within BC’s jurisdiction
How to Access the Online Application Form
Applicants will require access to CPABC’s Online Services to submit an application.
Please email cpabcapplications@bccpa.ca with the following information to have your access created:
- Legal first and last name
- CPA Canada ID number
- Preferred email address for communicating with CPABC
After your credentials are created; the Registration team will contact you with login details.
The Application Process – What You Can Expect
- Any attachments you upload to an un-submitted application will be saved for up to 14 days.
- All signatures provided on the application form must be an original (wet) signature.
- Processing of your application commences after a fully completed application is submitted. You will then receive an email confirmation that your application has been received by CPABC.
- Applications with outstanding requirements or requirements in progress will not be processed.
- Once your membership in CPABC is conditionally approved, you will receive an email to pay the assessed CPABC member dues (prorated, as necessary).
- Upon payment of dues, you will be admitted in CPABC and may use the CPA designation.
What You Will Need
- Your CPABC Online Services login credentials and password. If you do not remember your credentials or password (after your credential creation has been performed), use the links provided at https://services.bccpa.ca for assistance;
- Access to a printer and a scanner;
- A .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, .png or .gif of your legal name verification document (maximum file size 5MB); which contains your full legal name, date of birth and signature. Multiple legal name verification documents can be submitted in a combined document upload (if required).
How to Apply
Log into CPABC’s Online Services at https://services.bccpa.ca. Click on the “Membership Application” tab. Then click on “Apply for Membership”.
The Membership Application for CPAs from other Provinces or Territories includes the following sections:
Qualification
Confirm your current and former CPA body(ies) and date of Membership.
Profile Information
Confirm or update your personal information by clicking on the pencil icon.
Select a file from the browse icon to include as the supporting document you verify your full legal name. The selected file will then need to be uploaded to be saved to application form. You may upload the supporting document by way of a .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, .png or .gif with a max file size of 5MB.
Multiple ID’s for legal name verification can be submitted in a combined document upload, if required.
Documents accepted by CPABC for legal name verification purposes are:
- Passport
- Permanent Resident Card
- Birth Certificate
- Canadian Driver's License
- Marriage Certificate
- Change of Legal Name Certificate
The name field requires the assistance of CPABC staff to update.
If there is any discrepancy between the name recorded in our system and your supporting document, upload your supporting document and contact CPABC at cpabcapplications@bccpa.ca. Do not proceed further with your membership application until CPABC confirms your identity, updates your record and notifies you.
Home Address Information
CPABC Bylaws require that you provide a current mailing address for the delivery of regulatory communications. You may provide an email address to CPABC to send you regulatory communications by email. You must immediately update your mailing and email addresses for any changes.
Click on the pencil icon to update your home address information.
Employment Information
Click on the pencil icon to update your employer information. If your employer is not listed, select the box indicating “My Employer/business is no listed” to submit an Add Employer request containing your employer’s information including name, address, email address and phone number. CPABC will update your employment information accordingly.
Character Declaration
Applicants must satisfy CPABC’s Membership Committee that they are of good character in order to be admitted to membership.
Answer the questions in this section accurately and completely. You may be required to submit additional information to CPABC to assess your suitability for admission to membership upon request. A member of the Registrations team will contact you for further details.
Once you have answered the questions, download and print your Character Declaration. Applicants must provide an original (wet) signature on the Character Declaration.
Upload Character Declaration
Select from the browse icon to upload a copy of the signed Character Declaration.
Application Review and Submission
Before submitting your application, please review the information and answers that you have provided.
Your Membership Application will be reviewed once all the documents have been received (valid ID(s), signed character declaration, and Provincial Confirmation form(s)).
Please allow 4-8 weeks to process your application.
Terms & Conditions
CPABC may verify the accuracy of information you provide in your application for admission to membership, including addendum submissions. If you provide a false or misleading application, CPABC may deny you admission to membership or cancel your membership.
You may not use the CPA designation until all aspects of the application process are complete, including approval and payment of the application fee and membership dues. This application is limited to membership in the CPABC. An application for a practice license must be made separately to the CPABC Public Practice department (publicpractice@bccpa.ca).
By becoming a member of CPABC, you undertake to comply with the CPA Act [SBC 2015], CPABC Bylaws, Bylaw Regulations and the CPABC Code of Professional Conduct, as may be amended from time to time.
Privacy
The information in the online membership application is collected by CPABC under the authority of the CPA Act [SBC 2015] and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act [RSBC 1996] for the purpose of processing your application for membership. Upon admission to membership, this information will form part of your member record, which will be used by CPABC to administer and regulate your membership with CPABC; provide services under section 3 of the CPA Act; and develop new, or evaluate and make improvements to existing programs, services and products. Should you have any questions about the collection of this information, please contact: Associate Registrar, 800 – 555 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, 604-872-7222.
CPABC’s Membership Directory is available to the public and displays members’ preferred name, first name, last name, designation and city of employment. If you have a valid reason why your information should not be included, please contact the Privacy Officer (privacy@bccpa.ca).
CPABC’s Privacy Statement is available at www.bccpa.ca or by contacting privacy@bccpa.ca
Contact Information
If you have any questions about the requirements for membership and/or how to apply, please contact us at:
CPABC - Membership
Suite 800 – 555 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 4N6
Email: cpabcapplications@bccpa.ca
Tel: 604.872.7222
Toll Free: 800.663.2677
Fax: 604.235.3316