Full membership

Full Membership is open to anyone who can demonstrate that they have an appropriate level of experience to conduct independent examinations to a high standard.

The Benefits of Full Membership

If you do not hold an accountancy qualification, full membership is the only way you can undertake IE at the higher level. (i.e. above £250,000 in England & Wales and Northern Ireland and the examination of accruals accounts in Scotland).


Full membership is a demonstration of your commitment to upholding best practice. In the words of someone who recently achieved full membership:


  • “ ... Compliance for the majority of charities under the audit threshold is really important and that means Independent Examination. Independent Examination is not just “audit light” but the best fit for these charities. As the partner in a firm specialising in the charity sector it is crucial that the appropriate compliance aspect is done well. I chose full membership of ACIE because it would demonstrate this commitment for myself and our charity team.”
  • Full members are registered on the ACIE website in the ‘Find an Independent Examiner’ facility. Potential clients can contact you directly to discuss their requirements and fees.


To become a Full Member, you must first join as an Affiliate Member.

Full Members receive all the benefits of Affiliate Members, and additionally receive:


  1. Access to ACIE's low-cost Professional Indemnity Insurance policies underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance plc (for the year ending 31 March 2026: £109.00 for Affiliate Members [2024/2025: £105.00], £59.00 for Full Members [2024/2025: £57.00]);
  2. Inclusion in ACIE's online directory of Independent Examiners;
  3. Individual referrals via ACIE from charities seeking an independent examiner; and
  4. A professional designation (see Notes below) as evidence of experience and competence.

NOTES

-   In England and Wales, Fellows are on the prescribed list of qualifications required for undertaking an independent examination where the charity's gross income exceeds £250,000 [section 145(3) of the Charities Act 2011 (c. 25)].


  • -   In Northern Ireland, Full Members (at the relevant category/licence) are on the prescribed list of qualifications required for undertaking an independent examination where the charity's gross income for the year exceeds £250,000 [section 65(4) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (c. 12)].

  • -   In Scotland, Full Members (at the relevant category/licence) are on the prescribed list of qualifications required for undertaking an independent examination where the charity prepares accruals accounts [Regulation 11(2) of The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No. 218)].
  • Full Membership is awarded in one of two categories along with a Licence to carry out independent examinations:

Associate (ACIE) – is awarded to independent examiners who work with smaller charities.   The Licence for an Associate is at one of five levels depending on experience and competence:


  1. All charity accounts - income up to £100,000 per annum
  2. Accruals accounts - income up to £100,000 and Receipts & Payments Accounts income up to £250,000 per annum
  3. Receipts & Payments Accounts only - income up to £250,000 per annum.
  4. Receipts & Payments Accounts only - income up to £100,000 per annum.
  5. Fellow (FCIE) – the Licence for Fellows is up to the legal limit for IE (currently £500,000 in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and £1m in England and Wales) including any charity accounts with a higher income for which a dispensation from audit has been granted by the relevant Charity Regulator.


To build a thriving and robust independent examination community together, there are various opportunities available for Full Members of ACIE:

--Appointment as an ACIE Trustee (the Board of Trustees usually has three or four meetings a year, some in person --and some remotely);
--Mentoring applicants for Full Membership (usually in the first few years after admission as a Full Member, and only a small number of hours per year);
--Being a member of, or assisting, ACIE’s Membership Committee (eg reviewing applications for Full Membership, reviewing complaints made by third parties about Full Members);
--Delivering webinars on specialist areas of practice;
--Training workshops in specialist areas of IE (paid);
--Writing technical updates for members
--Other roles that may emerge for which Full Membership is desirable.

Training and support are available for all of these positions.



If you are interested in making an application for Full Membership, contact admin@acie.org.uk for further details.


  • You are required take  a number of ACIE courses before submitting an application, as the assessment process is stringent.
  • The application requires a form, and the submission of accounts that you have prepared and examined.
  • The examination of the submission is stringent and may take six months or more.



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