Arkansas Administrative Code

17 CAR § 236-1011. Publication of disciplinary sanctions. (a)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may cause to be published in the board’s and NASBA’s official publications (printed and electronic), and may publish in newspapers of general circulation in the state, …

17 CAR § 236-1101. Required fees. (a) The fees for various services of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy must be paid in United States dollars. (b)(1) CPA examination fees. (2) Exam application fees (nontransferable). First-time application fee $50 Applying for one s…

17 CAR § 236-1102. Waiver of initial licensing fees. (a)(1) Pursuant to Acts 2021, No. 725, an applicant may receive a waiver of the initial licensure fee, if eligible. (2) Eligible applicants are applicants who: (A) Are receiving assistance through the: (i) Arkansas, or current …

17 CAR § 236-1201. Purpose. Pursuant to the provisions of the Public Accountancy Act of 1975, Arkansas Code § 17-12-101 et seq., the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy prescribes the following rules amending requirements of continuing education to be met from time to time…

17 CAR § 236-1202. Definitions. As used in this subpart: (1)(A) “Authorship” means an education process designed to permit a participant to increase professional competence through research and writing: (i) Articles; (ii) Books; or (iii) CPE programs. (B) For the writer to receiv…

17 CAR § 236-1203. Basic requirements. (a) An applicant for renewal of a license must have completed acceptable CPE, except as otherwise provided in subsection (f) of this section, in the amount of one hundred twenty (120) hours within thirty-six (36) months or forty (40) hours w…

17 CAR § 236-1204. Programs that qualify. (a)(1) A program qualifies as acceptable continuing education if it is a formal program of learning that contributes directly to the professional competence of an individual licensed to practice as a certified public accountant. (2) The r…

17 CAR § 236-1205. Approved sponsors. (a)(1) The sponsor of any continuing education program or programs which are not exempt under subsection (f) of this section must, prior to offering such program or programs, register with the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, administered b…

17 CAR § 236-1206. CPE reporting requirements. (a)(1) Applicants for renewal of a license must submit with their annual registration a certification that the applicant has met the CPE requirement for issuance of a license together with a CPE statement, in a form prescribed by the…

17 CAR § 236-1207. Noncompliance and sanctions. (a)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may institute a proceeding to impose disciplinary action against a licensee who fails to comply with any provision under Subpart 12 of this part. (2) Disciplinary actions may inc…

17 CAR § 236-1208. Inactive status. (a)(1) Except as provided in Arkansas Code § 17-12-505(c), a licensee on inactive status shall not perform for the public any of the services set forth in Arkansas Code § 17-12-505(a). (2) If the licensee performs any such services, he or she s…

17 CAR § 236-1209. Retired and disabled status. (a) Retired status. (1) A licensee who is at least fifty-five (55) years old and has filed a request on a form prescribed by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy stating that he or she has no association with accounting wo…

17 CAR § 236-1210. Activation of suspended, revoked, or voided licenses. A person whose license is suspended, revoked, or void and who applies for active status will be subject to the same CPE requirements as those who wish to activate inactive licenses, see 17 CAR § 236-1208.…

17 CAR § 236-1301. Purpose. (a) There is hereby established a Practice Review Program (the “program”). (b) The purpose of the program is to improve the quality of financial reporting and to ensure that the public can rely on the fairness of presentation of financial information o…

17 CAR § 236-1302. Notification. (a)(1) A practice review is to be conducted annually on one third (1/3) of the licensees on a rotating basis. (2) A practice review may be required more frequently as provided herein. (b)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy will send…

17 CAR § 236-1303. Quality review team qualifications. (a) QR reviewers shall have the following qualifications: (1) Licensed by and in good standing with the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy; (2) The licensee or firm in which he or she is associated has completed: (A) …

17 CAR § 236-1309. Preissuance review procedures. (a)(1) The preissuance reviewer (reviewer) shall be a CPA currently holding an active Arkansas license, who has undergone a quality review pursuant to 17 CAR § 236-1310 or a peer review pursuant to Subpart 19 within the past three…

17 CAR § 236-1310. Quality review process. (a) Licensees who issued compilation reports as their highest level of report issuance shall submit a Practice Review survey form along with their most recent compilation reports issued since their last Practice Review or initial licensu…

17 CAR § 236-1311. Sanctions. (a) First fail classification. (1) The licensee shall respond in writing by the date identified on the fail notification correspondence stating whether the licensee agrees or disagrees with the classification. (2)(A) If the licensee agrees with the f…

17 CAR § 236-1401. Nonlicensees – Issuance of compilation reports. Arkansas Code § 17-12-107(b) provides that nonlicensees are not prohibited from issuing any compilation report prescribed by the Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARS) on any services t…

17 CAR § 236-1402. Nonlicensees disclaimer language — Compilations. (a) Nonlicensees must use the following disclaimer language in reports issued in connection with compiled financial statements to not be in violation of the Public Accountancy Act of 1975, Arkansas Code § 17-12-1…

17 CAR § 236-1403. Nonlicensee disclaimer language — Use of title “auditor” or “accountant”. (a) Arkansas Code § 17-12-106(i) prohibits unlicensed firms or individuals from holding out to the public as an “accountant” or “auditor” by use of either or both of such words on any sig…

17 CAR § 236-1601. Licensee payment of costs. (a) In the event any licensee is found to be in violation of any statute over which the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy has jurisdiction or of any rule, the board may order the licensee to reimburse the board for any or all…

17 CAR § 236-1701. Issuance of declaratory orders. (a) To the extent any licensee or other interested party has questions concerning the applicability of any rule, statute, or order enforced by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy, the licensee or interested party may s…

17 CAR § 236-1702. Declaratory orders approved by the board. (a) No declaratory orders prepared under this subpart by the Executive Director or by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy’s staff or counsel, whether in draft or final form, shall be valid, official, or of an…

17 CAR § 236-1703. Form of declaratory orders. (a)(1) Declaratory orders shall set forth the assumed facts upon which the orders are based. (2) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall accept the facts presented in the petition and any supplement to the petition as tr…

17 CAR § 236-1704. Records. (a) The Executive Director shall provide a copy of each declaratory order to the requesting party and to each member of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy. (b) The Executive Director shall keep the original order along with a copy of the or…

17 CAR § 236-1705. Effect of orders. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may reconsider, withdraw, or amend prior orders upon request of a licensee or other interested party, or on its own motion, upon approval by the board. (b) Upon receipt of a request for recons…

17 CAR § 236-1801. Definitions. As used in this subpart: (1) “Uniformed service member” means: (A) An active or reserve component member of the: (i) United States Air Force; (ii) United States Army; (iii) United States Coast Guard; (iv) United States Marine Corps; (v) United Stat…

17 CAR § 236-1802. Expedited processing for full licensure. The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy will give preference in the order of processing to applications for full licensure filed by the following individuals: (1) A uniformed service member stationed in the State …

17 CAR § 236-1804. Acceptance of uniformed service education, training, experience, or service-issued credential. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall accept relevant and applicable uniformed service education, training, or service-issued credential toward lic…

17 CAR § 236-1805. Extension of license expiration and CPE exemption. (a) The license of a deployed uniformed service member or spouse of a deployed uniformed service member will not expire until one hundred eighty (180) days following the uniformed service member’s return from d…

17 CAR § 236-1806. Automatic reciprocal licensure. The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall grant automatic reciprocal licensure upon receipt of all of the following: (1) An application showing evidence that the individual holds a license in good standing with a simil…

17 CAR § 236-1807. Expedited initial licensure. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall expedite the process for initial CPA licensure for individuals qualified under 17 CAR § 236-1802. (b) The board shall issue a temporary license upon receipt of an initial CPA …

17 CAR § 236-1901. Purpose. (a) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 17-12-508, licensees who issue attest reports are required to enroll in a board-approved peer review program to monitor licensees’ compliance with applicable accounting and auditing standards adopted by generally recogni…

17 CAR § 236-1902. Definitions. The following words and terms used in this subpart shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (1)(A) “Deficiency in a system review” means one (1) or more findings that the peer reviewer has concluded that du…

17 CAR § 236-1903. Standards for peer reviews and sponsoring organizations. (a)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall approve peer review: (A) Sponsoring organizations; (B) Programs; and (C) Standards. (2) Qualifying sponsoring organizations shall include any or…

17 CAR § 236-1904. Enrollment and participation. (a) Enrollment in the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy-approved peer review program is required of each licensee that performs attest services as provided in Arkansas Code § 17-12-508(a). (b) Enrollment is required as fol…

17 CAR § 236-1905. Effect of consecutive deficient reports. (a) A licensee (including a succeeding firm licensee) which receives two (2) consecutive pass with deficiencies reports and/or one (1) fail report shall be referred to the Compliance Committee of the Arkansas State Board…

17 CAR § 236-1906. Reporting to the board. (a) Licensees enrolled in an Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy-approved peer review program are required to submit a copy of the results of their most recently accepted peer review to the board which includes the following docum…

17 CAR § 236-1907. Peer review oversight committee. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall appoint a Peer Review Oversight Committee (PROC) for the purpose of: (1) Monitoring sponsoring organizations to provide reasonable assurance that peer reviews are being co…

17 CAR § 236-2001. Form and contents of petition. (a) An individual with a criminal record may petition the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy at any time for a determination of whether the individual’s criminal record will disqualify him or her from licensure and whether…

17 CAR § 236-2002. Consideration of petition. (a) A completed petition shall be submitted to the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy’s Executive Director. (b)(1) The Executive Director shall present any properly completed petition to the board’s Compliance Committee at the…

17 CAR § 236-2003. Applicability of determination in license application process. (a)(1) A determination on a prelicensure criminal background petition that is unfavorable to the petitioner does not preclude the petitioner from later applying for licensure. (2) However, the deter…