Which course meets the requirements for me to register as a BAS Agent with the TPB?

Do I need to undertake a course with an Australian institution or will my overseas qualifications suffice? What level of education do I need? Will my qualification be accepted? There are many accounting and bookkeeping courses out there on the market, but how do you know which course is accepted by the Taxation Practitioners Board for registration as a BAS Agent?

What qualification is accepted by the Taxation Practitioners Board?

According to the Taxation Practitioners Board’s website, an applicant must hold at least a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping (or any of the Certificate IV in Accounting or the Certificate IV in Bookkeeping – both of which have now been superseded) to meet the primary qualification requirement if you want to register as a BAS Agent. Visit website here – www.edna.edu.au/online-courses/certificate-iv-in-bookkeeping/ 

Who offers the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping course?

The institutions approved to deliver the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping program include registered training organisations and TAFEs offer these courses and you can look them up here. Generally, the courses cost more at TAFE than they do at a private registered training organization. You will find that the core units are all the same – as they have been set by the Department of Education and Training, but the elective units will vary from institution to institution.

These education institutions are registered and regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority or its relevant state authority such as the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority or the Department of Training and Workforce Development Apprenticeship Office. If you want to learn more about accounting and bookkeeping you can find out more about studying a diploma of accounting.

The courses they offer are nationally recognised and the outcomes of these qualifications are reported to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research in an effort to monitor quality and data on student satisfaction.

What are the requirements for me to register as a BAS Agent?

To register as a BAS Agent as an individual, you must be able to meet the following requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a fit and proper
• You must satisfy the qualification and experience
• You must maintain, or will be able to maintain, professional indemnity insurance cover that meets the TPB’s requirements.
• You must complete an online application, provide the required supporting documents and pay the required application fee of $135.

Important: This information is correct as of the 19th of September 2018 and as available on the TPB website. You can also visit this post about Accounting principles for more general information.