States Seek Improved CPA Interstate Mobility

Several states are seeking to change state law to allow for individual CPAs licensed in other states with substantially equivalent licensing requirements to provide client services in person, by mail or electronically without securing an additional license or temporary registration, reports the Ohio e-CPA Weekly.

Following Ohio’s lead, a total of six states have already introduced “no notification/no fee” legislation and six others are planning do to so this year. Virginia, Wisconsin and Missouri have previously adopted mobility laws similar to Ohio’s.

Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Tennessee have introduced legislation in 2007, and Illinois, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Texas are in the process of drafting legislation.

The goal of the AICPA, NASBA and The Ohio Society is to encourage all states to adopt the mobility provisions in the model language contained in the Uniform Accountancy Act. The mobility model allows CPAs to provide services across borders.

Some also may include a provision that would require firms to register if that firm is performing a financial audit of a company headquartered in that state.

None of these bills have become law yet, and some face difficult challenges from either accountancy regulators, legislators, consumer groups or other interested parties and may not be successful.