Apply for AAT full membership

AAT full membership brings many professional benefits. Applying for MAAT status is simple - you may be closer to full membership than you think.

Apply for full AAT membership in just four easy steps

MAAT status requires you to meet just four criteria, listed below. We can start assessing your application as soon as you complete step 3 - our assessment should take about two weeks. Approval of full AAT membership will be confirmed in writing. We’ll also send you a certificate and welcome pack. Once you are elected to full membership you can join our scheme for members in practice. 

If you are already providing self-employed services to the public, we are unable to elect you to full membership until your application to join the scheme for members in practice has been provisionally approved.

Find out more about our scheme for members in practice.

Step one - personal and employer details

We'll need:

  • your personal details and contact information
  • your employer's details and full address
  • your line manager's details and contact information.

Step two - professional reference

We require a professional reference to confirm your suitability for full membership and commitment to AAT.

Your referee should:

  • have knowledge of your work within your current or most recent job
  • work in a position senior to you
  • have worked with you for at least six months.

If you work for yourself your referee should be a qualified accountant who knows your work in a professional capacity. We can only accept a reference from a friend or relative if they are a qualified accountant (an AAT licensed member in practice or a member of one of the chartered or certified accountancy bodies).

Alternatively, we can accept a reference from your course tutor if they have had direct knowledge of your work in an office environment. Your referee will need to sign Part 2 of the work experience and reference form.

Step three - work experience

Relevant work experience demonstrates that you have used the knowledge and skills you’ve developed during your AAT training.

  • You will need a minimum of one year's full-time experience - or the equivalent part-time - gained since you registered as an AAT student member.
  • At least 50% of your time should be spent on relevant accounting or financial tasks.
  • If you spend between 33 - 49% of your time on accounting or financial tasks you must provide evidence of two years' work experience or the equivalent part-time since you registered as a student member.

You and your employer should complete Part 1 of the Work experience and reference form (in addition we will accept a detailed job description verified by your employer).

Other types of work experience we accept

Teaching work

  • We accept evidence of teaching accounting or financial subjects at NVQ/SVQ level or above (or equivalent).
  • Your employer will need to confirm your dates of employment, type and level of course taught and number of hours involved on the Experience and Reference form.

Temporary/voluntary work

  • We will accept relevant temporary and voluntary work assignments (minimum of one month per assignment).
  • You must provide a verified Work experience and reference form for each position held.

Self-employed work

  • We will accept self-employed work experience if you have your own business offering accounting, taxation or related consultancy services to the public in the UK.
  • You need to have your work independently verified by a qualified accountant (an AAT licensed member in practice or a member of one of the chartered or certified accountancy bodies). They will need to confirm your experience on the Experience and Reference form.

Step four - pay your fees

To maintain your AAT membership you need to pay an annual subscription. The amount you pay depends on your level of membership and the year in which your subscription is due. An official renewal notice is automatically sent to you each year which you can also view online.

The 2012 membership subscription fee for members is £128.

Start your application for full membership