ACCA Mutual Recognition: Which Accountancy Bodies Have Agreements
ACCA's mutual recognition page names agreements with CA ANZ, the Bulgarian institute, HKICPA, the Malaysian institute and CA Sri Lanka. Each gives a different route and conditions.
Many ACCA members work abroad and want to know whether another body will recognise their qualification. ACCA publishes a mutual memberships page that names five bodies. According to that page, ACCA has agreements with CA ANZ, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Bulgaria, the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs, the Malaysian Institute of CPAs and Chartered Accountants Sri Lanka, and the conditions differ for each. This guide sets out what ACCA says about each agreement and what we could not confirm. It does not cover bodies that are not on ACCA's page, and it is not an assurance that any one route will be open to you. For ACCA's own membership steps see our ACCA membership requirements and FCCA guide.
At a glance
| Item | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| CA ANZ | A reciprocal agreement; eligibility criteria for ACCA members not confirmed |
| ICPAB (Bulgaria) | Accelerated route: ACCA's Advanced Audit and Assurance exam plus a Bulgarian aptitude test |
| HKICPA | Agreement listed as running until 30 June 2028 |
| MICPA (Malaysia) | Five years' post-admission experience plus an interview |
| CA Sri Lanka | Five years' post-admission experience and seven years of clean discipline |
| Other bodies | CPA Australia and ICAEW do not appear on the ACCA page we read |
What mutual recognition means
A mutual recognition agreement lets members of one body join another body, often with credit for exams or experience. It is not an automatic transfer. Each body sets its own conditions, and the ACCA page summarises them. Rules change when agreements are renewed, so read the live page and the partner body's own page before you plan.
CA ANZ
ACCA describes its agreement with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand as reciprocal, allowing members of each organisation to join and benefit from the other. The ACCA page does not set out the criteria in the text we could read, so we cannot give you the conditions. Contact either body for the current eligibility rules.
Bulgaria (ICPAB)
For the Bulgarian institute, ACCA's page describes an accelerated route. ACCA members need to pass the Advanced Audit and Assurance exam and a Bulgarian aptitude test. The detail of the test and any language requirement are not on the page we read, so check with the institute.
Hong Kong (HKICPA)
ACCA's page lists the HKICPA agreement as running until 30 June 2028. We could not confirm the conditions for ACCA members from the page, and the end date suggests the agreement will be reviewed, so check the current position if you plan to move after that date.
Malaysia (MICPA)
The Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants requires five years of post-admission experience and an interview for ACCA members, according to ACCA's page. Five years of post-admission experience means five years after you become an ACCA member, so a newly admitted member would not yet qualify.
Sri Lanka
Chartered Accountants Sri Lanka also asks for five years of post-admission experience, according to ACCA, together with seven years of clean discipline. The page does not define clean discipline further, so confirm with the institute what it checks.
What is not on the page
We looked for agreements with CPA Australia and ICAEW, which members often ask about. They do not appear on the ACCA page we read, and we found no ACCA statement of an agreement with either, so we do not claim one. Bodies may have their own entry routes for ACCA members that ACCA does not list, so ask the body directly.
How to check the current rules
Agreements are renewed and amended, so the page we summarise may have changed by the time you read this. Use ACCA's mutual memberships page as your starting point, then open the partner body's own membership page and look for the route that names ACCA members. Write down the date you checked, because rules and end dates matter when you plan a move that is a year or more away. If a body's page and ACCA's page differ, treat the partner body's page as the authority on its own entry rules and ask both bodies to confirm in writing.
Before you apply
Keep your ACCA membership in good standing, including CPD and subscription, because partner bodies usually check this. Our ACCA affiliate status guide explains the difference between affiliate and member, and the FCCA guide explains fellowship, which some partner bodies may ask about.
Frequently asked questions
Which bodies have mutual recognition with ACCA?
ACCA's page lists CA ANZ, ICPAB in Bulgaria, HKICPA, MICPA in Malaysia and CA Sri Lanka.
Does ACCA have an agreement with CPA Australia?
We found no such agreement on ACCA's mutual memberships page.
How long does the HKICPA agreement run?
ACCA's page lists it as running until 30 June 2028.
What experience does MICPA need?
Five years of post-admission experience and an interview, according to ACCA's page.
Is the transfer automatic?
No. Each body sets its own conditions, so contact the body you want to join.
Next steps
Read our ACCA membership requirements and FCCA guide next. If you are comparing study options, see our Learnsignal pricing page.
Source: ACCA mutual memberships page and ACCA CA ANZ agreement page. Checked October 2026.
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Learnsignal Education Team
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