Florida Statutes 473.3101 – Licensure of firms or public accounting firms
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(1) The following must hold a license issued under this section:
(a) Any firm with an office in this state which performs services as defined in s. 473.302(8)(a);
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 473.3101
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Board: means the Board of Accountancy. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- Certified public accountant: means an individual who holds a license to practice public accounting in this state or an individual who is practicing public accounting in this state pursuant to the practice privilege granted in…. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- Department: means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- Firm: means any legal entity that is engaged in the practice of public accounting. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- Home office: means the principal headquarters of an entity. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- public accounting: means :(a) Offering to perform or performing for the public one or more types of services involving the expression of an opinion on financial statements, the attestation as an expert in accountancy to the reliability or fairness of presentation of financial information, the utilization of any form of opinion or financial statements that provide a level of assurance, the utilization of any form of disclaimer of opinion which conveys an assurance of reliability as to matters not specifically disclaimed, or the expression of an opinion on the reliability of an assertion by one party for the use by a third party;(b) Offering to perform or performing for the public one or more types of services involving the use of accounting skills, or one or more types of tax, management advisory, or consulting services, by any person who is a certified public accountant who holds an active license, issued pursuant to this chapter, or who is authorized to practice public accounting pursuant to the practice privileges granted in…. See Florida Statutes 473.302
- public accounting firm: means a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, firm, or any other legal entity licensed under…. See Florida Statutes 473.302
(b) Any firm with an office in this state which uses the title “CPA,” “CPA firm,” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviations, or device tending to indicate that it is a CPA firm. The board shall define by rule what constitutes a CPA firm; or(c)1. Any firm that does not have an office in this state but performs the services described in s. 473.3141(4) for a client having its home office in this state, unless it:a. Complies with the qualifications described in s. 473.309.b. Is enrolled in a peer review program pursuant to s. 473.3125(4).c. Performs services through an individual with practice privileges under s. 473.3141.d. Lawfully performs services in a state where an individual with practice privileges granted under s. 473.3141 has his or her principal place of business.2. The board shall define by rule what constitutes an office.
(2) An applicant for licensure under this section must file an application for licensure with the department and supply the information that the board requires. An application must be made upon the affidavit of a sole proprietor, general partner, shareholder, or member who is a certified public accountant.
(3) A firm that is not subject to the requirements of paragraph (1)(c) may perform other professional services while using the title “CPA,” “CPA firm,” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviations, or device tending to indicate that the firm practices public accounting in this state without a license issued under this section only if:
(a) It performs such services through an individual with practice privileges granted under s. 473.3141; and
(b) It can lawfully do so in the state where the individual with practice privileges has his or her principal place of business.
(4) The board shall determine whether the firm or public accounting firm meets the requirements for practice and, pending that determination, may certify to the department the firm or public accounting firm for provisional licensure.
(5) Each license must be renewed every 2 years. Each firm or public accounting firm licensed under this section must notify the department within 1 month after any change in the information contained in the application on which its license is based.