BAS Agent Registration - What Qualifications Do I Need?

With the introduction of the proposed BAS Agent Registration Legislation, many bookkeepers are concerned about their businesses and what the proposed legislation will mean.

If you charge a fee for a BAS related service, you need to comply with certain requirements such as work under the supervision of a registered tax agent, be a member of an approved accounting organisation, or become registered as a BAS Agent.

The minimum qualifications required to be registered as a BAS Agent is a Certificate IV in Financial Services (Accounting) or Certificate IV in Financial Services (Bookkeeping) and have 1400 hours relevant experience.

Once this legislation is finalised, if you do not fit into the first criteria and you don't have the appropriate qualifications, you can not charge a fee for BAS services. This is a concern for some bookkeepers, however it will assist in making bookkeeping a recognised profession.

If you do not have the appropriate qualification, you can always investigate the option of "recognition of prior learning" or RPL. This is where the appropriate educational institution assesses your experience and work examples to meet the outcomes of the subjects in the qualification. You may find you have enough experience to prove you have sufficient knowledge to be awarded the qualification.

Although this post is specifically for people wanting to have their own qualifications, or work towards them, it has been pointed out that it does not go into detail about other options available. There is a wealth of information for bookkeepers at the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, The Australian Bookkeepers Network and The National Institute of Accountants.

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