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A certified professional bookkeeper, or CPB, is a bookkeeper who holds a designation from Certified Professional Bookkeepers of Canada, a private association. It isn’t a government licence, and we found nothing showing the CRA requires it. Think of it as one way to judge a bookkeeper, next to references and a sample of their work.
What does the CPB designation say about a bookkeeper?
We couldn’t open the association’s own pages, so what follows comes from search summaries of its site. Read the current details on cpbcan.ca before you rely on any of it.
According to those summaries, the association sets a national standard and awards its CPB designation to bookkeepers who have at least three years of experience, two reference letters and an exam score of 80% or better. Holders also have to keep learning and follow a code of conduct. The summaries describe lower steps too, for people still building experience.
The designation covers the daily work: payables, receivables, payroll, sales taxes and inventory. That’s a sensible list, because it’s the work that sits behind your tax returns.
Is a bookkeeper the same as an accountant?
No, and mixing them up leads to bad hiring. A bookkeeper records and sorts your transactions, pays bills, runs payroll and keeps the sales tax numbers straight. An accountant usually takes those records and prepares the year-end statements and the tax returns, and advises on structure.
Many small businesses use both. The bookkeeper keeps the books current each month, and the accountant does the T2 or the personal return once a year. The cleaner the books, the less the accountant has to do.
What should you ask a bookkeeper?
A credential opens the conversation, and it shouldn’t close it. Ask these questions whether the person holds a designation or not.
Which software do you use, and will I own my file? What’s your experience with businesses like mine? Who does payroll remittances, and who signs off on GST/HST returns? How do I send you receipts? What happens when you’re away?
Ask for a reference you can actually call. And ask what they will not do. A good bookkeeper knows where the work stops and the accountant’s begins.
What does a bookkeeper’s work look like in numbers?
Payroll is the easiest place to see it. Say you pay one Ontario employee $2,500 a month. The payroll remittance calculator shows you owe the CRA $564.93 for that month. Of that, $376.49 is held back from the employee and $188.45 is your share.
For the employee’s side of the pay stub, the payroll deductions calculator is handy. It shows net pay of $2,189.46 on a gross pay of $2,884.62 in Ontario. Real payroll software works in steps through the year, so a pay stub can differ by a few dollars.
Sales tax is the other regular job. The HST reverse calculator shows that a $113.00 receipt in Ontario holds $100.00 of price and $13.00 of HST. Multiply that by hundreds of receipts and you can see why people hire help.
Records and deadlines your bookkeeper should know
The CRA generally wants you to keep records for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to. Some, such as papers on property and the share register, can need keeping indefinitely. GST/HST returns run on a schedule set by your revenue: annual up to $1,500,000, quarterly up to $6,000,000 and monthly above that. If a bookkeeper can’t tell you these basics, keep looking.
Mistakes to avoid
Don’t treat a designation as a guarantee. It says someone passed a test at some point, and it can’t tell you whether they’re careful with your file.
Don’t hand over your only copy of the books either. Keep your own access to the software and the bank feeds.
And check the name spelling before you search. Several groups use similar words, so confirm you’ve reached the right association.
Where do these numbers come from?
The CPB details come from summaries of the association’s own website, which we couldn’t read directly, so they’re unconfirmed. Record keeping and GST/HST reporting rules come from the Canada Revenue Agency’s business pages, checked for 2026, and payroll and HST amounts from our calculators. This site has no connection with the CRA, any government or CPB Canada.
Frequently asked questions
What is a certified professional bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper who holds the CPB designation from Certified Professional Bookkeepers of Canada, a private association. It's not a government licence.
What does it take to earn the CPB?
The association's material describes three years of experience, two references and an exam score of 80% or more. We couldn't open its pages, so check the current rules on its site.
Does the CRA require a bookkeeper to be certified?
We found no CRA rule saying so. Ask for references and a sample of work as well.
Is a bookkeeper the same as an accountant?
No. A bookkeeper keeps the day-to-day records, and an accountant usually prepares the statements and tax returns.
How long should I keep business records?
Generally six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to. Some records need to be kept longer.
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Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.