No, you are exempt from public practice licensing as long as you apply for the exemption. This requirement is applicable for members employed in a public accounting firm as well.
Apply for the exemption from our website by signing-in to “Online Services”. Once signed in, click on the “Other Services” tab, then select “Volunteer Tax Services”.
No, you are exempt from public practice licensing as long as you apply for the exemption. This requirement is applicable for members employed in industry as well.
Apply for the exemption from our website by signing-in to “Online Services”. Once signed in, click on the “Other Services” tab, then select “Volunteer Tax Services”.
Simply visit the CPABC Volunteer Tax Services page and follow the instructions at the bottom of the page. It is important to note that this licensing exemption application with CPABC is separate from registering to volunteer with the CVITP.
No, this application for exemption is required only for members not already licensed for public practice, or members that hold an “Other Regulated Services – Non-reviewable” licence. Members working as staff in public accounting firms are required to apply for the exemption.
No, you must apply for this exemption annually. The current exemption is for tax clinics conducted during the current calendar year.
Yes, there’s no charge to apply for the exemption from licensing to volunteer for the CRA CVITP.
No, the free insurance coverage is available only to members who register for the licensing exemption. This coverage is valid for volunteer work through the CRA CVITP carried out in BC only.
The exemption and insurance are applicable under the following circumstances only: The preparation of tax returns is in a volunteer capacity where no fee is charged or accepted;
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Covers volunteer services provided at an organized tax clinic through the CRA CVITP held in BC;
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Tax preparation will be for low-income taxpayers only;
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Tax returns will not be prepared for individuals who don’t meet the CRA eligibility criteria.
This is defined by the CRA per the CRA eligibility criteria.
We expect members to prepare simple tax returns at these volunteer tax clinics, thus the taxpayers participating should meet the CRA eligibility criteria.
No, this exemption is applicable only where no fee is charged to or accepted for preparation of tax returns from anyone.
If you are preparing individual T1 tax returns for a fee, no matter how small the fee or how simple the returns, you are required to obtain a public practice licence to do this work. See the Public Practice Licensing area of the website for details on licensing requirements.
It’s up to each member to assess their competence for any work, even when volunteering to prepare free tax returns for low-income taxpayers. Members should take, at their own expense, additional training to upgrade their knowledge, if necessary.
Many community organizations already operate free tax return preparation clinics through the CRA CVITP and we encourage members to volunteer with them. However, if members wish to undertake the effort to organize their own free tax clinic through the CRA CVITP, they are certainly welcome to do so.
Members organizing their own free tax clinics through the CRA CVITP for low-income taxpayers are still required to apply for the exemption.
We are not since many community organizations already operate their own free tax return preparation clinics through the CRA CVITP.
The exemption application is not an application to volunteer with CPABC, nor are we calling for volunteers on behalf of other organizations.
Open on the first business day of the new year until November 30 of that year.