PERMANENT RULES
Date of Adoption: July 30, 1999.
Purpose: To prescribe the procedure applicants must follow to register and maintain offices established for the practice of public accounting in the state of Washington; to conform the rule to the amendments to chapter 18.04 RCW by the 1999 legislature.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 4-25-750.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.04.055(8), 18.04.205(3).
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 99-13-065 on June 11, 1999.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2000.
August 23, 1999
Dana M. McInturff, CPA
Executive Director
OTS-3153.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 96-12-061, filed 5/31/96,
effective 7/1/96)
WAC 4-25-750
Firm license.
(1) A licensee may only practice public accountancy in a CPA firm organized as:
(a) A proprietorship;
(b) A partnership;
(c) A professional corporation;
(d) A limited liability company;
(e) A limited liability partnership; or
(f) Some other form of legal entity authorized by statute for use by a CPA firm.
(2) A CPA firm shall apply to the board for a license to practice public accountancy within ninety days of formation. A CPA firm shall apply for renewal of its license no later than sixty days prior to expiration of the firm's current license. The board will not accept a firm license renewal application unless it is accompanied by all applicable renewal and late filing fees.
(3) An application for a firm license shall include the:
(a) Firm name;
(b) Addresses and telephone numbers of the main office and any branch offices of the firm;
(c) Name of the manager of each branch office;
(d) Owners' names and the states in which they hold CPA licenses;
(e) Names of corporate directors, limited liability company managers, and all firm officers; and
(f) Type of legal organization under which the firm operates (such as, general partnership or limited liability company).
(4) Firm licenses expire on June 30 of the ((second)) third
year after the board issues a firm's initial license and on June
30 of each ((second)) third year after the initial license
expires.
(5) A CPA firm shall file with the board a written notification of any of the following events within ninety days after its occurrence:
(a) Formation or dissolution of a CPA firm;
(b) Admission of an owner;
(c) Retirement or death of an owner;
(d) Any change in the name of the firm;
(e) Change in the management of any branch office;
(f) Opening, closing, or relocating of a branch office; and
(g) The occurrence of any event that would cause the firm to be in violation of the provisions of the act or these rules.
A change in the legal form of a firm constitutes a new firm. Accordingly the new firm shall within ninety days of the change file an application for a firm license and pay the applicable fee.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.04.055(3), 18.04.205(3) and 18.04.195. 96-12-061, § 4-25-750, filed 5/31/96, effective 7/1/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.04.055. 93-22-089, § 4-25-750, filed 11/2/93, effective 12/3/93.]