58-26a-305.  Exemptions from licensure.

(1)  In addition to the exemptions from licensure in Section 58-1-307, the following may engage in acts included within the definition of the practice of public accountancy, subject to the stated circumstances and limitations, without being licensed under this chapter:

Terms Used In Utah Code 58-26a-305

  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Board: means the Utah Board of Accountancy created in Section 58-26a-201. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • CPA: means an individual currently licensed by this state or any other state, district, or territory of the United States of America to practice public accountancy or who has been granted a license as a certified public accountant under prior law or this chapter. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • CPA firm: means a qualified business entity holding a valid registration as a Certified Public Accountant firm under this chapter. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Licensee: means the holder of a current valid license issued under this chapter. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • NASBA: means the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • Person: means :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Principal place of business: means the office location designated by the licensee for purposes of substantial equivalency and licensure by endorsement. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Report: when used with reference to financial statements, means:
(i) an opinion, report, or other form of language that:
(A) states or implies assurance as to the reliability of the attested information or compiled financial statements; or
(B) implies that the person or firm issuing the report has special knowledge or competence in accounting or auditing and specifically includes compilations and reviews; such an implication of special knowledge or competence may arise from use by the issuer of the report of names or titles indicating that the person or firm is a public accountant or auditor, or from the language of the report itself; or
(ii) any disclaimer of opinion when it is conventionally understood to imply any positive assurance as to the reliability of the attested information or compiled financial statements referred to or language suggesting special competence on the part of the person or firm issuing such language; and the report includes any other form of language that is conventionally understood to imply such assurance or such special knowledge or competence. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Uniform Accountancy Act: means the model public accountancy legislation developed and promulgated by national accounting and regulatory associations that contains standardized definitions and regulations for the practice of public accounting as recognized by the division in collaboration with the board. See Utah Code 58-26a-102
  • United States: includes each state, district, and territory of the United States of America. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • (a)  a person licensed by any other state, district, or territory of the United States as a certified public accountant or its equivalent under any other title while practicing in this state if:

    (i)  the person’s principal place of business is not in this state; and

    (A)  the person’s license as a certified public accountant is from any state which the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) National Qualification Appraisal Service has verified to be substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act; or

    (B)  the person’s license as a certified public accountant is from a state which the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal Service has not verified to be substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act and the person obtains from the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal Service verification that the person’s CPA qualifications are substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act and Subsection 58-26a-302(1)(c)(i); and

    (ii)  the person consents, as a condition of the grant of this privilege:

    (A)  to personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority of the division;

    (B)  to comply with this chapter and the rules made under this chapter;

    (C)  that in the event the license from the state of the person’s principal place of business becomes invalid, the person shall cease offering or rendering professional services in this state both individually and on behalf of the firm; and

    (D)  to the appointment of the state board which issued the person’s license as the person’s agent upon whom process may be served in an action or proceeding brought by the division against the licensee;

    (b)  through December 31, 2012, a person licensed by any other state, district, or territory of the United States as a certified public accountant or its equivalent under another title while practicing in this state if:

    (i)  the person does not qualify for a practice privilege under Subsection (1)(a);

    (ii)  the practice is incidental to the person’s regular practice outside of this state; and

    (iii)  the person’s temporary practice within the state is in conformity with this chapter and the rules established under this chapter;

    (c)  an officer, member, partner, or employee of any entity or organization who signs any statement or report in reference to the financial affairs of the entity or organization with a designation of that person’s position within the entity or organization;

    (d)  a public official or employee while performing his official duties;

    (e)  a person using accounting or auditing skills, including the preparation of tax returns, management advisory services, and the preparation of financial statements without the issuance of reports; or

    (f)  an employee of a CPA firm registered under this chapter or an assistant to a person licensed under this chapter, working under the supervision of a licensee, if:

    (i)  neither the employee or assistant nor the licensed employer or registered CPA firm represents that the unlicensed person is a certified public accountant; and

    (ii)  no accounting or financial statements are issued over the unlicensed person’s name.

    (2) 

    (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who qualifies under Subsection (1)(a) has all the privileges of a licensee of this state and may engage in acts included within the definition of the practice of public accountancy, whether in person or by mail, telephone, or electronic means, based on a practice privilege in this state, and no notice, fee, or other submission shall be provided by that person.

    (b)  The division may revoke, suspend, or restrict an exemption granted under Subsection (1)(a) or (b), or place on probation or issue a public or private reprimand to a person exempted under those subsections for the reasons set forth in Subsection 58-1-401(2).

    Amended by Chapter 339, 2020 General Session