Title 17, Professions, Occupations, and Businesses

No person, firm, or corporation shall engage in the business of abstracting in this state until a certificate of authority has been issued to the person, firm, or corporation by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors.

(a) Any person, firm, or corporation desiring to engage in the business of abstracting in this state shall make application to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors for a certificate of authority. (b) The application shall:(1) Be in a form prepared by th…

(a) (1) All certificates of authority issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall expire on the same date, irrespective of when issued.(2) Expiration dates of the certificates, either renewal or original, shall be the July 1 following the year from the preceding expir…

(a) (1) Holders of certificates of authority and their employees in the conduct of the business of abstracting shall have access to the public records in any office of any city or county or of the state.(2) They shall be permitted to make memoranda or notations therefrom or copie…

(a) (1) (A) Before the certificate of authority is issued, the applicant shall file with the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors a bond approved by the board conditioned upon the payment by the applicant of any and all damages that may be sustained by or m…

(a) The State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors is authorized, after a hearing as provided in § 17-11-341, to cancel and revoke any certificate of registration issued to any person under the provisions of this chapter:(1) For a violation of any of the provisio…

(a) (1) Upon a verified complaint's being filed with the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors or upon the board's own motion filing a complaint charging the holder of a certificate of registration with a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, o…

(a) (1) The State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors shall keep a register and shall record the following information in the register:(A) The name and the place of business of each applicant for registration and certification;(B) A notation of the action taken …

This chapter may be cited as the “Public Accountancy Act of 1975”.

(1) It is the policy of this state, and the purpose of this chapter, 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 …

(a) As used in this chapter:(1) “AICPA” means the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, or its successor;(2) “Attest” means providing the following services:(A) An audit or other engagement to be performed in accordance with the AICPA Statements on Auditing Standard…

(a) (1) A person who violates any provision of § 17-12-106 is guilty of a misdemeanor.(2) A person convicted of violating any provision of § 17-12-106 is subject to:(A) A fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000);(B) A judgment in favor of the Arkansas State Board of Pu…

Whenever in the judgment of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy any person has engaged, or is about to engage, in any acts or practices which constitute, or will constitute, a violation of § 17-12-106, the board may make application to the appropriate court for an orde…

(a) (1) No person shall assume or use the title or designation “certified public accountant” or the abbreviation “CPA” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign, card, or device tending to indicate that he or she is a certified public accountant, unless …

(a) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit any person not a certified public accountant or public accountant from serving as an employee of, or an assistant to, a certified public accountant or public accountant licensed under § 17-12-301 et seq., a firm registered unde…

Whenever any statute or rule requires that reports, financial statements, and other documents for submission to any department, board, or agency of this state be prepared by CPAs, the requirements shall be construed to mean registered public accountants or certified public accoun…

(a) All statements, records, schedules, working papers, and memoranda made by a certified public accountant or public accountant incident to or in the course of professional service to clients by the accountant, except reports submitted by a certified public accountant or public …

The display or uttering by a person of a card, sign, advertisement, or other printed, engraved, electronic transmission, or written instrument or device bearing a person's name in conjunction with the words “certified public accountant” or any abbreviation thereof, or “public acc…

(a) There is created the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy. (b) (1) The board shall consist of seven (7) members, appointed by the Governor for terms of five (5) years.(2) Five (5) members of the board shall be residents of this state who are certified public accountants…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall elect annually a president, a secretary, and a treasurer from its members. (b) A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. (c) The board shall have a seal which shall be judicially not…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may adopt, and amend from time to time, rules for the orderly conduct of its affairs and for the administration of this chapter. (b) (1) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall prepare periodically and make available…

(a) All fees and other moneys received by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be kept in a separate fund and expended solely for the purposes of this chapter. No part of this special fund shall revert to the general fund…

(a) A certificate as a certified public accountant shall be granted by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy to any person:(1) Who has met the education and experience requirements set forth in this chapter and by the board; and(2) Who has passed an examination in accoun…

(a) In general, the applicable education requirements shall be those in effect on the date on which the applicant successfully applies for his or her examination under § 17-12-301(a)(2). However, the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may provide by rule for exceptions to…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may require each applicant for a new or reinstated license as a certified public accountant, including reciprocity applicants, or public accountant to apply for or authorize the board to obtain state and national criminal backgro…

(a) The examination required by § 17-12-301(a)(2) shall be held by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy and shall take place as often as the board shall determine to be desirable. However, the examination required by § 17-12-301(a)(2) shall be held not less frequently t…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may by rule prescribe the terms and conditions under which an applicant who passes the examination in one (1) or more of the subjects indicated in § 17-12-301(a)(2) may be reexamined in only the remaining subjects, with credit fo…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall charge a fee to each applicant applying to sit for the examination. In the board's discretion, the fee for a first-time applicant may be greater than the fee charged for reexamination. (b) The board shall also charge a fee …

The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may by rule provide for granting a credit to an applicant for his or her satisfactory completion of an examination in any one (1) or more of the subjects specified in § 17-12-301(a)(2) given by the licensing authority in any other st…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall issue a certificate as a certified public accountant to a holder of a certificate, license, or permit issued by another state upon a showing that:(1) The applicant passed the examination required for issuance of the applica…

(a) An applicant for initial issuance of a certificate under this subchapter shall show that the applicant has had at least one (1) year of experience. (b) The experience shall include providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, management adv…

Persons who on July 9, 1975, held certified public accountant certificates theretofore issued under the laws of this state shall not be required to obtain additional certificates under this chapter, but shall otherwise be subject to all provisions of this chapter. The certificate…

(1) To promote the professional practice of accountancy within and outside the State of Arkansas, the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may:(1) Determine substantial equivalency requirements and provide the parameters encompassing substantial equivalency; and(2) Promulga…

Any person who qualified to register as a public accountant on July 1, 1975, may at any time register with the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy to be licensed as a public accountant.

An applicant shall obtain an initial license within three (3) years of successful completion of the examination under this subchapter or shall be considered as having a void license under § 17-12-504(h).

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall grant or renew a registration as a CPA firm to an applicant that meets the qualifications of this section. (b) (1) A firm shall hold a registration under this section if the firm:(A) Has an office in this state:(i) Engaged …

(a) A partnership engaged in this state in the practice of public accounting shall register with the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy as a partnership of public accountants, provided it meets the following requirements:(1) At least one (1) general partner shall be a cer…

(a) Each office established or maintained in this state for the practice of public accounting in this state by a certified public accountant, public accountant, or firm shall be registered annually with the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy under this chapter. (b) No fee…

(a) A licensee shall not perform attest services in any partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other entity which is not registered under this subchapter. (b) Any licensee who performs or offers to perform professional services other than attest services while em…

The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall renew licenses to persons who make application and demonstrate that their qualifications are in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(a) Every application for renewal of a license by any person who holds a certificate as a certified public accountant or registration as a public accountant shall be accompanied or supported by such evidence as the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall prescribe, docum…

(a) (1) Individual certified public accountants and public accountants shall pay an annual fee in an amount to be determined by Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy rule.(2) Unless otherwise provided by board rule, all licenses shall expire on December 31 of each year and m…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may by rule create an exception to the continuing education requirement of § 17-12-502 for licensees who do not perform or offer to perform for the public:(1) One (1) or more kinds of services involving the use of accounting or a…

(a) The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy may by rule require as a condition for the renewal of a license a practice review of every certified public accountant and firm licensed in this state. (b) The practice review shall identify any type of report issued by a license…

(a) (1) Beginning January 1, 2019, the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy shall by rule require licensees who perform attest services to enroll in an approved peer review program and have a peer review one (1) time every three (3) years.(2) Licensees who perform compilati…

(a) The following acts, conduct, or practices are prohibited, and any licensee or holder of a practice privilege found guilty by the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy of the acts, conducts, or practices shall be subject to disciplinary action as provided in § 17-12-602 a…