Explainer · Australia · sources checked 05 Oct 2026
CPD accreditation in Australia: who approves what, what it costs, and a free checkable alternative
There is no single CPD accreditation in Australia. Some regulators approve providers or activities for their own profession. Private bodies sell per-activity accreditation under their own criteria. CPD Council offers a third route: free verification against a public standard, with the reviewer named on a public record anyone can check.
Photo: UnsplashThree things people mean by "CPD accreditation"
| What it is | Example | Who it is for | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulator or college approval | OMARA approves CPD providers for registered migration agents. RACGP runs its own CPD program and rules for use of its logos. | One profession's registration scheme | That the approval is current and covers the activity, on the regulator's own page |
| Private per-activity accreditation | Australian Institute of CPD Standards: fee per activity for verification or accreditation, plus re-review fees | Any provider willing to pay per activity | Who did the accrediting, what criteria, when it expires |
| Process verification with a public record | CPD Council: an independent reviewer checks the provider's process and a sample against eight published standards | Any CPD or PD provider in Australia or New Zealand | The record: reviewer, date, results per standard, valid-until date |
Sources: OMARA, completing CPD to re-register; RACGP, use of CPD program logos; AICPDS fee schedule. Checked 05 October 2026.
What regulators actually require
Most Australian regulators do not approve individual commercial CPD courses. They set a quantity and a relevance test and leave the quality check to the professional.
At least 20 hours a year per registration, relevant to context of practice. No course approval. Detail.
No hours target. PD must keep training, assessment and industry skills current under the 2025 Standards for RTOs. Detail.
Points from OMARA-approved activities. OMARA approves the providers. Detail.
Full table with sources: CPD by profession.
What per-activity accreditation costs
At the published rates of the Australian Institute of CPD Standards (checked 05 October 2026): verification A$195 to A$395 + GST per activity, accreditation A$495 to A$1,685 + GST per activity, re-review A$245 + GST.
| Provider with 20 one-hour activities | Cost |
|---|---|
| Per-activity verification at A$195 | A$3,900 + GST |
| Per-activity accreditation at A$495 | A$9,900 + GST |
| CPD Council, founding period | A$0 |
| CPD Council, after 100 providers | A$1,000 + GST a year |
CPD Council verifies process and a sample rather than every activity, which is why one flat fee can cover them all. How verification runs.
Which words a provider may use
Approved
Only where a regulator or body acting under law has approved the provider or activity. Name the regulator.
Accredited
Only where a body has accredited the activity under stated criteria. Name the body and the expiry. In formal education the word has a legal meaning; in CPD it is loose.
Endorsed
An association or college has put its name beside the activity for its members, usually one profession, often one event.
Verified
The word CPD Council uses. An independent reviewer checked how the activity was made against a published standard. Not a claim of regulator approval. The full explainer.
Questions
Is there a national CPD accreditation body in Australia?
No. CPD in Australia is set profession by profession. Some regulators approve providers or activities for their own scheme, such as OMARA for registered migration agents. Others, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Board, set hours and relevance rules but do not approve individual courses. Private bodies offer paid accreditation with their own criteria.
How much does CPD accreditation cost in Australia?
At the published rates of one private body, the Australian Institute of CPD Standards, verification is A$195 to A$395 + GST per activity, accreditation A$495 to A$1,685 + GST per activity, and re-review A$245 + GST. A provider with 20 one-hour activities would pay A$3,900 + GST for verification or A$9,900 + GST for accreditation. CPD Council verification is free during its founding period, then A$1,000 + GST a year for all activities.
Can a CPD provider call itself accredited?
Only if a body has actually accredited it, and the claim should name that body and what was checked. In formal education, accreditation has a legal meaning tied to recognised qualifications. In CPD the word is used loosely. CPD Council members say "verified against the CPD Council Standard", never "accredited" or "government approved".
What is the difference between CPD verification and CPD accreditation?
Accreditation usually means a body has assessed activities against its own criteria for a fee per activity. CPD Council verification means an independent named reviewer has checked the provider's process and a sample of activities against a public eight-point standard, with the result, reviewer and expiry date on a public record anyone can check.
The free route
Verified against a public standard, with your reviewer named. Free during founding.