WHAT IS THE PDPA?
The PDPA program, along with the completion of prescribed practical experience, provides members who are not currently eligible to obtain a licence to practise public accounting with a path to licensure.
Thank you for your interest in the PDPA program. Eligibility assessment requests are no longer being accepted for the August 2018 of the PDPA program. Information about future offerings will become available at a later date.
The PDPA program, along with the completion of prescribed practical experience, provides members who are not currently eligible to obtain a licence to practise public accounting with a path to licensure.
The PDPA program is available to CPA Ontario members in good standing who qualified without public accounting practice rights. Some exclusions apply, therefore, to determine your eligibility for the PDPA program, you must submit an eligibility assessment request by:
There is no fee associated with an eligibility assessment request. If you are eligible to enter the program, proceed to Step 2. If not, CPA Ontario will advise you of next steps, if applicable, that may allow you to take the PDPA in the future.
CPA Ontario will advise you of your eligibility in writing approximately three weeks from the date the request was received. In the event of a high volume of requests, processing timelines may be longer.
Currently, per Regulation 17-1, section 3, the following members are not eligible for the PDPA program:
The PDPA program comprises a mandatory education module and examination in assurance, financial reporting, taxation, finance, and strategy and governance.
The PDPA module is delivered online and consists of reading resources, practice problems and multiple-choice questions. Designed as a preparatory module, participants are provided with a suggested eight-week self-study schedule to assist with preparation for the PDPA examination. Participants must complete the PDPA module to be eligible to write the PDPA examination.
The PDPA examination is 4.5 hours and consists of a combination of multiple choice questions and integrated cases testing you on the required technical knowledge for public accounting licensure. Please refer to the PDPA examination blueprint for more information.
Unsuccessful writers may apply for an appeal online.
In addition to the successful completion of the PDPA program, PDPA participants are advised that qualification for public accounting licensure also requires the fulfillment of prescribed practical experience and other licensing eligibility requirements. In particular, pursuant to Regulation 17-1, you must satisfy the Qualifying Experience Requirement that requires the successful completion of a minimum of two years of prescribed public accounting experience in an Approved Training Office as defined in Regulation 9-2 or in an External Audit Pre-Approved Program pursuant to the current CPA Ontario Practical Experience Requirements (PER). That experience shall include:
For a list of External Audit Pre-Approved Programs, refer to Directory of Pre-Approved Programs. More information on general questions on practical experience and for firms interested in how to apply for an External Audit Pre-Approved Program is available by email at PracticalExperience@cpaontario.ca.
If you have successfully completed the PDPA program, you are not automatically licensed in Ontario. Upon successful completion of the PDPA program, and related practical experience, please go to My Portal, select Obligations and Requests and then Applications and Start New Application.