Client onboarding checklist for UK accountants
Every step a UK practice needs to take a new client from first enquiry to the first piece of work. Copy it, adapt it and tick it off for every client.
Free to copy and adapt. Last updated October 2026.
Onboarding checklist · Hartley & Co Ltd
What is a client onboarding checklist?
A client onboarding checklist lists every step a practice takes to bring on a new client: checking they're a good fit, agreeing scope and fees, signing an engagement letter, completing AML checks, getting professional clearance and HMRC authorisation, collecting information and setting up payment. Using the same checklist for every client keeps onboarding consistent and compliant.
The checklist
Grouped by stage. Items marked "strively automates this" are handled for you if you use strively.
1. Before you take the client on
- Check the enquiry fits the services, client types and fee levels you take onstrively automates this
- Book a discovery call to understand their needsstrively automates this
- Agree the scope of work and the services they need
- Send a proposal setting out services and feesstrively automates this
- Follow up if the proposal hasn't been acceptedstrively automates this
2. Engagement and compliance
- Engagement letter and terms of business signedstrively automates this
- Privacy notice provided to the clientstrively automates this
- Client due diligence: identify and verify the client and any beneficial ownersstrively automates this
- AML risk assessment recorded for the clientstrively automates this
- Professional clearance requested from the previous accountant
- Professional clearance received and any issues reviewed
3. Information and authorisations
- Collect UTRs, National Insurance numbers and VAT and PAYE referencesstrively automates this
- Collect prior-year accounts and tax returnsstrively automates this
- Collect bank statements and access to bookkeeping softwarestrively automates this
- Request HMRC agent authorisation through your agent services account
- Get the Companies House authentication code, if you'll file for the companystrively automates this
- Collect any bespoke records, such as details for overseas businessesstrively automates this
4. Set up
- Set up the direct debit for your feesstrively automates this
- Add the client and their deadlines to your practice management software
- Assign the client to the right team member
- Send a welcome email explaining what happens next and who to contact
5. After onboarding
- Check in after the first month
- Diarise a review of the client's fees and services each year
- Review conversion and where prospects dropped offstrively automates this
How to use it
Use it for every client
The same steps every time make onboarding faster and mean nothing compliance-critical is missed.
Don't start work early
Hold back work until the engagement letter is signed and AML checks are complete.
Adapt it to your services
Payroll bureaux and tax advisers will need extra items, such as pension details or the facts of a specialist case.
Automate most of this checklist
strively handles the steps marked on the checklist, so new clients move from enquiry to onboarded without the admin.
Frequently asked questions
What should a client onboarding checklist include?
A good checklist covers checking the client is a good fit, agreeing scope and fees, a signed engagement letter, AML checks, professional clearance, HMRC agent authorisation, collecting the client's information and documents, and setting up payment.
Do accountants need to do AML checks before starting work?
Yes. UK accountants must carry out customer due diligence under the Money Laundering Regulations before establishing a business relationship, which means identifying and verifying the client and any beneficial owners.
What is professional clearance?
Professional clearance is when a new accountant contacts the client's previous accountant to ask whether there's any professional reason not to take the client on, and to request the information needed to take over the work.
How long should client onboarding take?
It depends on how quickly the client returns information, but with the engagement letter, AML checks and information requests sent automatically, most of the steps can be done in days rather than weeks.
Can client onboarding be automated?
Much of it can. strively automates enquiry screening, meeting booking, proposals, engagement letters, document collection, AML checks in AML HQ and direct debit set-up through Adfin.
More free templates
Tick off onboarding automatically
A 30-minute demo, tailored to your practice, using the kind of enquiries you get every week.
Book a demo