Washington Code 18.04.015 – Purpose
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(1) It is the policy of this state and the purpose of this chapter:
Terms Used In Washington Code 18.04.015
- Board: means the board of accountancy created by RCW 18. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Certificate: means an alternative license type issued by the board indicating that the certificate holder had passed the CPA examination, but has not verified the certificate holder's experience and was not fully licensed as a certified public accountant to practice public accounting. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Inactive: means the status of a license that is prohibited from practicing public accounting. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Individual: means a living, human being. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Licensee: means the holder of a license to practice public accountancy issued under this chapter. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Report: includes any form of language which disclaims an opinion when such form of language is conventionally understood to imply any positive assurance as to the reliability of the attested information or compiled financial statements referred to and/or special competence on the part of the person or firm issuing such language; and it includes any other form of language that is conventionally understood to imply such assurance and/or such special knowledge or competence. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- Rule: means any rule adopted by the board under authority of this chapter. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- State: includes the states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands at such time as the board determines that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is issuing licenses under the substantially equivalent standards in RCW 18. See Washington Code 18.04.025
- substantially equivalent: means a determination by the board or its designee that the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the statutes and administrative rules of another jurisdiction are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in this chapter or that an individual CPA's education, examination, and experience qualifications are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in this chapter. See Washington Code 18.04.025
(a) To promote the dependability of information which is used for guidance in financial transactions or for accounting for or assessing the status or performance of commercial and noncommercial enterprises, whether public, private or governmental; and
(b) To protect the public interest by requiring that:
(i) Persons who hold themselves out as licensees conduct themselves in a competent, ethical, and professional manner;
(ii) A public authority be established that is competent to prescribe and assess the qualifications of certified public accountants;
(iii) Persons other than licensees refrain from using the words “audit,” “review,” and “compilation” when designating a report customarily prepared by someone knowledgeable in accounting;
(iv) A public authority be established to provide for consumer alerts and public protection information to be published regarding persons or firms who violate the provisions of chapter 294, Laws of 2001 or board rule and to provide general consumer protection information to the public; and
(v) The use of accounting titles likely to confuse the public be prohibited. However as of June 30, 2024, an individual holding a CPA-inactive certificate must be designated as a licensee with an inactive status.
(2) The purpose of chapter 294, Laws of 2001 is to make revisions to chapter 234, Laws of 1983 and chapter 103, Laws of 1992 to: Fortify the public protection provisions of chapter 294, Laws of 2001; establish one set of qualifications to be a licensee; revise the regulations of certified public accountants; make revisions in the ownership of certified public accounting firms; assure to the greatest extent possible that certified public accountants from Washington state are substantially equivalent with certified public accountants in other states and can therefore perform the duties of certified public accountants in as many states and countries as possible; assure certified public accountants from other states and countries have met qualifications that are substantially equivalent to the certified public accountant qualifications of this state; and clarify the authority of the board of accountancy with respect to the activities of persons holding licenses and certificates under this chapter. It is not the intent of chapter 294, Laws of 2001 to in any way restrict or limit the activities of persons not holding licenses or certificates under this chapter except as otherwise specifically restricted or limited by chapter 234, Laws of 1983 and chapter 103, Laws of 1992.
(3) A purpose of chapter 103, Laws of 1992, revising provisions of chapter 234, Laws of 1983, is to clarify the authority of the board of accountancy with respect to the activities of persons holding certificates under this chapter. Furthermore, it is not the intent of chapter 103, Laws of 1992 to in any way restrict or limit the activities of persons not holding certificates under this chapter except as otherwise specifically restricted or limited by chapter 234, Laws of 1983.
NOTES:
Effective date—2001 c 294: “This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2001.” [ 2001 c 294 § 24.]