MAAT and FMAAT Explained: AAT Membership Requirements and Fees

AAT membership is separate from your AAT qualifications. Passing Level 3 or Level 4 does not make you a member automatically. To use the letters MAAT (full member) or FMAAT (fellow member), you have to apply, meet AAT's conditions and pay an annual fee. This guide explains what each grade means, who can apply, what it costs and what it lets you do. Figures come from AAT's own membership pages and were checked in October 2026, so confirm them on the AAT website before you apply.

What do MAAT and FMAAT stand for?

MAAT stands for Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians. AAT describes it as full membership and a quality mark that shows your experience in key areas of finance. FMAAT is fellow membership, which AAT calls the highest AAT designation you can achieve. You can read more about the body itself in our guide to what AAT is.

You may also see FAAT mentioned in older articles and forums. AAT's current professional membership pages list MAAT and FMAAT as the grades, so treat FAAT as outdated unless AAT tells you otherwise.

MAAT and FMAAT at a glance

Source: AAT membership fees page. The lower annual rates apply to people on a low income or retired, or who are studying, and you must apply for them each year. Life members are not eligible.

How do you become a MAAT?

AAT sets three kinds of requirement: a qualification, proof of competence and a character check.

1. A qualifying qualification

You need to meet at least one of the following, according to AAT's full membership page:

• You have completed the AAT Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians, or you have less than six months to go.
• You hold the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting (Q2022), the AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting (AQ2016) or the older Level 4 Diploma in Accounting.
• You hold a full or part qualification from ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW or ICAS.
• You hold a full qualification from AIA, CAI, IFA, NIAT, ATSA or NZICA, or professional membership of one of those bodies or SCAAK.
• You hold a degree from a partner university.

If you completed an AAT qualification before the 2010 standards, AAT asks you to gain the Level 4 diploma or apply as a professional member without AAT qualifications. If you are still studying, our AAT Level 4 course page shows the units and how Learnsignal covers them.

2. Proof of competence

AAT offers two routes. In the first, you show competence in your application. You need experience in a majority of the tasks for at least one technical skill within the last 12 months, and you must confirm you have gained the listed professional skills, such as communicating and working collaboratively, over the last five years. AAT does not set a minimum number of years in work.

In the second route, if you cannot yet evidence those skills, you commit to the MAAT CPD pathway. It includes eight online learning modules, becomes available once your application is approved, and AAT recommends finishing it within the first three months of membership. You need to complete it to keep your MAAT status.

3. Fit and proper, plus a declaration

You must meet AAT's fit and proper requirements and make a declaration as part of the application.

How much does MAAT cost?

You pay a one-off admission fee of £62 and an annual membership fee of £198. If you are studying, the reduced annual fee is £142. If you are on a low income or retired, it is £122. If your membership lapses, a one-off reinstatement fee of £62 applies. MAAT and FMAAT fees are paid when you apply, and AAT accepts Direct Debit in up to four consecutive monthly instalments, card, bank transfer and employer invoicing. It does not accept cheques.

Many employers pay the fee for staff, and it is worth asking before you apply, especially if your role depends on having the letters.

How do you become an FMAAT?

You must be a current MAAT and have held full membership for five continuous years immediately before you apply. If your membership has lapsed, the years before the lapse do not count, so you would reinstate and build a fresh five years. The fee is a £62 admission charge and £213 a year (£137 or £157 reduced).

AAT lists recognition (the FMAAT letters), events and networking, free helplines on topics such as employment law and ethics, discounts and a wellbeing hub among the benefits. AAT also reports that MAAT members who achieve FMAAT see a 31% average salary increase, a figure that comes from AAT itself rather than from our own research. For wider pay context, see our AAT salary guide.

What does MAAT let you do?

Full members can use the letters MAAT after their name and access technical training, guidance and a professional community. The important legal point is the licence. According to AAT, if you provide self-employed accountancy services to the public as a sole practitioner, or as a partner, director or principal holding at least 5% of the shares, you must apply for an AAT licence and be provisionally approved before your full membership is approved. Check AAT's current licensing guidance if you plan to practise.

Does passing AAT Level 4 make you a member?

No. A qualification and membership are different things. Level 4 can support an application for MAAT, but you still need to show competence, meet the character requirements and pay. The same applies to exam registration, which is a separate process: see how to register for AAT and AAT exam dates for 2026.

What about CPD?

AAT publishes a CPD policy for members, and the MAAT CPD pathway is one route into membership for people who cannot yet evidence their skills. Our guide to AAT CPD requirements explains the annual expectations, and our CPD course library includes courses that produce completion certificates you can keep as evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Is MAAT a professional qualification?

No, it is a membership grade. The qualification is the AAT diploma you pass. Membership then recognises your experience and commits you to AAT's professional standards.

Can I use MAAT after Level 3?

AAT's full membership page lists Level 4 (or specified equivalents) as the route, not Level 3. Check AAT's membership eligibility checker for your own situation.

How long until I can become FMAAT?

Five continuous years as a MAAT member, immediately before you apply.

Do ACCA, CIMA or ICAEW students qualify for MAAT?

AAT's page says a full or part qualification from ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW or ICAS can meet the qualification requirement. You must still meet the competence and character requirements. Read about the AAT route into ACCA if you are going the other way.

Next step

If you are working towards Level 4, plan the membership application for the month you finish, so your experience is fresh. Browse the Learnsignal AAT courses to see how each level fits together, then check AAT's membership eligibility tool before you apply.