The numbers
These come from regulation 9A.04 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations, and ASIC repeats them in its guidance for auditors.
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| All development, every 3 years | At least 120 hours |
| About superannuation | 30 hours |
| Of those, about auditing SMSFs | At least 8 hours |
| Written record kept after the financial year ends | At least 3 years |
Facts and sources for this part
- An approved SMSF auditor must undertake at least 120 hours of continuing professional development every 3 years. [S4]
- The development must include 30 hours about superannuation, at least 8 hours of which is about auditing self managed superannuation funds. [S4]
- The auditor must keep a written record of the development for at least 3 years after the end of the financial year in which it occurred. [S4]
- The ATO says that under section 128F of the SIS Act, auditors must complete the CPD requirements prescribed in regulation 9A.04 of the SIS Regulations. [S3]
Who checks
- The ATO monitors SMSF auditor compliance.
- ASIC can impose conditions, cancel, disqualify or suspend.
- In the first half of 2025-26 ASIC cancelled, conditioned or disqualified 28 SMSF auditors; CPD failures were among the breaches found.
Facts and sources for this part
- ASIC lists completing the prescribed ongoing professional development among an SMSF auditor’s statutory obligations, and says the ATO monitors SMSF auditor compliance. [S2]
- If an auditor is non-compliant, ASIC may impose or vary conditions, accept an enforceable undertaking, cancel the registration, or disqualify or suspend the auditor. [S2]
- In the first half of the 2025-26 financial year ASIC cancelled, conditioned or disqualified 28 SMSF auditors, after finding breaches that included failing to meet continuing professional development requirements. [S12]
Common mistakes
A simple running tally with the date, the provider, the subject and the hours avoids all four.
- Leaving the 120 hours until the last year of the 3 years.
- Counting activity that does not meet the test in the regulation.
- Forgetting to split out the 30 hours about superannuation and the 8 about SMSF auditing.
- Not writing the record at the time, then trying to rebuild it later.
Facts and sources for this part
- An approved SMSF auditor must undertake at least 120 hours of continuing professional development every 3 years. [S4]
- The development must include 30 hours about superannuation, at least 8 hours of which is about auditing self managed superannuation funds. [S4]
- The auditor must keep a written record of the development for at least 3 years after the end of the financial year in which it occurred. [S4]
What to do next
Count your hours against the 3-year total now rather than at the end, keep each record as you finish an activity, and check which of your hours fall under the 30 about superannuation. This course is free to study, with a test that explains each answer.