Public Practice

Practising Certificate Guidelines


Pursuant to the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (Membership and Council) Rules 2001 which was approved on 7 November 2001, a member shall not hold himself out as a member in public practice unless he holds a valid practising certificate issued by the Institute.

In this Rules,
"Member in public practice" means a chartered accountant or licensed accountant who, is a sole proprietor or in a partnership, provides or is engaged in public practice services in return for a fee or reward for such services otherwise than as an employee.

"Public practice services" includes:

  1. auditing including internal auditing;
  2. accounting and all forms of accounting related consultancy;
  3. accounting related investigations or due diligence;
  4. forensic accounting;
  5. taxation, tax advise and consultancy;
  6. bookkeeping;
  7. costing and management accounting;
  8. insolvency, liquidation and receiverships;
  9. provision of management information systems and internal controls;
  10. provision of secretarial services under the Companies Act 2016; or
  11. such other services as the Council may from time to time prescribe

Those who intend to:

  1. Apply for audit licence and later to set up or be a partner of an existing audit firm,
  2. Set up or be a partner of an existing non-audit firm, or
  3. Be a director in a limited or unlimited company which offers accounting, taxation and secretarial services under the Companies Act 1965. Please refer to Section 500.6 of Institute’s By-Laws (On Professional Ethics, Conduct and Practice) for further information.
  1. MIA member – Chartered Accountant
  2. Attended the Public Practice Programme
  • Effective 1 January 2019, the certificate issued for Public Practice Programme shall only be valid for 2 years from the date of attendance for the purpose of applying the practising certificate.
  • However, who have attended the Public Practice Programme from the period of 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2018, the validity remains at 3 years for audit approval application if you are holding a valid PC.
  • This validity period applies to practising certificate holders making their first attempt for the audit approval or to setting up a non-audit practice or joining an existing non-audit firm as a partner and to participate as a director in limited or unlimited company which offers public practice services.
  • If the certificate is no longer valid after obtaining the audit approval, member would be required to re-attend the Public Practice Programme within 6 months after setting up an audit practice or joining an existing audit firm as a partner.
  1. Practising Certificate application must be submitted through member’s online account HERE together with payment of PC annual fee and to settle any outstanding fee
  2. Copy of Public Practice Programme (PPP) certificate.
  1. Member must commence public practice within six months from the date of issuance of the practising certificate and shall practice on a full time basis. The member issued with a practising certificate but is unable to commence practice within the 6 months is to return the practising certificate to the Institute immediately upon the expiry of the period.
  2. The certificate will be renewed automatically on a year to year basis for a period of twelve months each commencing on the first day of July next following, whereupon the annual practising certificate fee shall become due and payable.
  3. A member shall cease to be entitled to a practising certificate if he fails to pay the annual practising certificate fee by the last day of December in the year in which it becomes due and payable pursuant to subrule (4) unless the Council decide otherwise.
  4. The fee for practising certificate is RM600 annually.
  1. The annual practising certificate fee of RM600 will be due for renewal on 1 July of every year upon obtaining the practising certificate. Rule 9(6) of the Institute’s Membership and Council Rules 2001 provides that a member shall cease to be entitled to a practising certificate if he fails to pay the annual practising certificate fee by the last day of December in the year in which it becomes due and payable unless the Council decides otherwise.
  2. Proof of purchase of a professional indemnity insurance shall be enclosed for the purpose of the annual renewal of the practising certificate as provided under By-Law B-10.3 of the Institute’s By-Laws (On Professional Conduct and Ethics)
  3. Practising certificate holders must complete minimum 20 Professional Education (CPE) credit hours of relevant structured and verifiable learning. The required year of CPE compliance will be the previous (1) year from the renewal financial year

If member would like to request for a replacement certificate, the application can be submitted through member’s online account together with the Statutory Declaration form. The replacement fee as specified below:

  • RM50* (unidentified/ unsupported reason)
    OR
  • RM10* (with valid reason, i.e. stolen, snatched or any reason with proof of police report)

Description: Statutory Declaration Form PC
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