Key takeaways
- AAT's free licensed member directory lists AAT Licensed Accountants and Licensed Bookkeepers who offer services to the public on a self-employed basis.
- AAT says there are more than 6,000 AAT Licensed Accountants and Bookkeepers across the UK.
- A Licensed Accountant can offer up to 18 services; a Licensed Bookkeeper can offer up to five, including bookkeeping, VAT and payroll.
- AAT does not offer a public lookup for every member, so to confirm someone who is not in practice, contact AAT customer support on +44 (0)20 3735 2468.
- MAAT shows full membership; FMAAT needs five continuous years as a MAAT immediately before applying.
- AAT publishes disciplinary outcomes by year, and lists licence and AML supervision terminations with name, membership number, firm and date.
- Complaints about an AAT member must normally be raised within a year, after trying the member's own complaints process.
To check an AAT accountant, search AAT’s free licensed member directory, which lists AAT Licensed Accountants and Bookkeepers in practice. Then check AAT’s published disciplinary and licensing decisions. If the person is not in practice, or not listed, contact AAT customer support to confirm their status.
What is the AAT member search?
The AAT member search is AAT’s licensed member directory, linked from its find an accountant or bookkeeper page. It lists members of the Association of Accounting Technicians who hold an AAT licence to offer services to the public on a self-employed basis.
AAT says there are more than 6,000 AAT Licensed Accountants and Bookkeepers across the UK. The directory is free to use. AAT warns that using it to compile a mailing list may lead to prosecution.
Who is and is not listed?
The directory covers licensed members in practice, not every AAT member. This matters when you check someone.
| Person | In the directory? | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| AAT Licensed Accountant | Yes | Search the directory |
| AAT Licensed Bookkeeper | Yes | Search the directory |
| Employed MAAT or FMAAT | Not as a licensed member | Contact AAT |
| AAT student | No | Contact AAT |
An AAT member who works only as an employee does not need a licence, so not being listed is normal for them. A self-employed member offering services to the public does need one. Our AAT licence guide explains who needs a licence and the exemptions.
What services can a licensed member offer?
The licence type sets the range of work. AAT says a Licensed Accountant can offer up to 18 services, including payroll, VAT, tax and audit-related work. A Licensed Bookkeeper can offer up to five: bookkeeping, financial accounting for sole traders and partnerships, computerised accountancy systems, and VAT and payroll.
Check the services shown match the work you want. AAT also says it supervises most of its licensed members for compliance with anti-money laundering law.
How to check an AAT accountant
- Get their full name, firm name and town. Ask for their AAT membership number too.
- Search the licensed member directory. Use the accountant or bookkeeper search.
- Check the licence type and services. Make sure they cover your work.
- Read the letters after their name. MAAT is full membership; FMAAT is fellow membership.
- Check AAT’s decisions page. Search for the person’s name and firm.
- Contact AAT if anything does not match. Call customer support on +44 (0)20 3735 2468.
What do MAAT and FMAAT mean?
MAAT means a full professional member of AAT. Full membership normally follows the Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians and meeting AAT’s competence requirements. See AAT levels explained.
FMAAT means a fellow. AAT’s fellow membership page says you must have been a MAAT for five continuous years immediately before applying. Fellowship is a mark of long membership, not a practising licence. A FMAAT in practice still needs an AAT licence.
How to check AAT disciplinary decisions
AAT publishes outcomes on its disciplinary outcomes and licensing decisions page. Disciplinary outcomes are listed by year from 2026 back to 2021, each showing the member’s name, the allegation and the sanction.
A separate table lists licensing and AML decisions, with the name, membership number, firm, action and date. Common reasons include failing to send an AML firm return, failing a Practice Assurance Review, and breaching AAT’s Licensing Regulations or the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. The outcomes page does not say how long decisions stay online, so a missing entry does not prove a clean record.
What if someone is not listed?
Ask for their membership number and the exact name AAT holds, then contact AAT. Its help and support page gives customer support on +44 (0)20 3735 2468, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and customersupport@aat.org.uk.
Remember that “accountant” is not a protected title in the UK. See do you need a licence to be an accountant. For other bodies, use the ACCA member search or the ICAEW member search.
How to complain about an AAT member
Raise the problem with the member first, through their internal complaints process. Licensed members must have one. If that fails, use AAT’s online form on its complaints about members page.
- Send all evidence and correspondence at once; AAT will not consider complaints in stages.
- Complain within a year of the issue, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
- AAT will not deal with fee disputes, breach of contract or other civil disputes.
- AAT cannot award compensation or give legal advice.
What advisers should do
- Check AAT-qualified hires and subcontractors before they work on client files.
- Keep a dated screenshot of each directory entry in your onboarding records.
- Check your own listing shows the right licence type and services.
Frequently asked questions
Is the AAT member search free?
Yes. AAT’s licensed member directory is free to use online.
Does the AAT directory list every AAT member?
No. It lists AAT Licensed Accountants and Licensed Bookkeepers in practice. Employed members and students are not listed as licensed members.
How do I confirm someone is an AAT member?
Search the directory if they are in practice. Otherwise contact AAT customer support on +44 (0)20 3735 2468 or customersupport@aat.org.uk.
What is the difference between MAAT and FMAAT?
MAAT is full membership. FMAAT is fellowship, open to members who have held MAAT for five continuous years immediately before applying.
How long do I have to complain to AAT?
AAT says complaints must be raised within a year of the issue. Later complaints are only considered in exceptional circumstances.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.