Ohio Administrative Code

(A) The annual meeting of the board shall be held at such place and time as the board may select in accordance with paragraph (C) of this rule; and at such time the chair, vice chair, and secretary, as defined in rule 4701-1-03 of the Administrative Code, shall be elected for the…

(A) The board may approve policies specifying the documents that may be transmitted to the board's fax numbers or electronic mail addresses.(B) Unauthorized fax transmissions may be disregarded.(C) The board may rely, in good faith, upon information contained in an electronic mai…

(A) The board shall have the following standing committees:(1) The executive committee shall be responsible for overall review of board policy. The committee membership shall consist of three members, and shall include the board chair, the board vice chair, and the board secretar…

(A) An Ohio permit holder shall be independent in the performance of audits of public companies as required by applicable standards issued by the "Securities and Exchange Commission" and published on its website (www.sec.gov).(B) An Ohio permit holder shall be independent in the …

(A) An Ohio permit holder shall not disclose any confidential information obtained in the course of a professional engagement except with the consent of the client.(B) This rule shall not be construed:(1) To relieve an Ohio permit holder of the obligation to comply with Chapter 4…

(A) A contingent fee is a fee established for the performance of any service pursuant to an agreement in which no fee will be charged unless a specified finding or result is attained, or in which the amount of the fee is otherwise dependent upon the finding or result of such serv…

(A) The following words, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings:(1) "Commission" means compensation for recommending or referring any product or service to be supplied by another person or entity.(2) "Engagement" or "engaged" shall have the meaning as define…

(A) An Ohio permit holder may practice public accounting as defined in rule 4701-7-04 of the Administrative Code, whether as an owner or employee, only in the form of a sole proprietorship, a partnership, limited liability company, professional association, corporation, or other …

(A) If a client makes a written request for records from a public accounting firm or Ohio permit holder, firm or permit holder shall comply with the request within forty-five days after receipt of the request. The forty-five day deadline may be extended by the board if the firm o…

(A) For purposes of this rule, "person" shall have the same meaning as in division (T) of section 4701.01 of the Revised Code.(B) All official communications from the board are sent to a person's last physical or electronic address of record as maintained by the board. If the com…

(A) Section 4701.03 of the Revised Code states the board may promulgate rules consistent with the goal of maintaining a high standard of integrity and dignity in the accounting profession.(B) This rule applies to acts by a person holding an Ohio permit, Ohio registration, CPA cer…

(A) Pursuant to division (D)(8) of section 4701.04 of the Revised Code, a person who holds an equity interest in a public accounting firm, but does not hold an Ohio permit or a foreign certificate, shall be subject to either the "Code of Professional Conduct" issued by the "Ameri…

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings:(A) "Acceptance letter" means a letter issued by the peer review sponsoring organization that communicates acceptance of a peer review, and contains the name and address of the firm under …

(A) All public accounting firms shall pay an initial registration fee based on the number of certified public accountants employed by the firm:(1) A public accounting firm that employs up to four Ohio permit holders shall pay an initial registration fee of thirty dollars.(2) A pu…

Each public accounting firm in Ohio not organized as a proprietorship or general partnership shall provide written evidence satisfactory in form and substance to the board and shall provide a certification satisfactory in form and substance to the board as part of its triennial r…

A peer review firm may change its registration status to tax/consulting or non-attest if at least one of the following criteria have been met:(A) The firm submits an affidavit to the board confirming the firm has not performed any engagement(s) subject to peer review standards si…

(A) A public accounting firm that changes its name or ownership shall notify the board within thirty days of the effective date of the change.(B) If two or more public accounting firms subject to peer review requirements are merged by any legal means, then the surviving public ac…

(A) The board hereby adopts "Standards for Performing and Reporting on Peer Reviews" promulgated by the "American Institute of Certified Public Accountants" and published on that organization's website (www.aicpa.org) as its minimum standards for peer review of public accounting …

(A) Each public accounting firm that completes a peer review must submit to the board prior to the firm's October thirty-first registration deadline, an acceptance letter regarding the most recent peer review and all applicable attachments. Applicable attachments may include:(1) …

(A) Each public accounting firm subject to peer review shall maintain in its records all documentation necessary to establish that each peer review performed by a qualified peer reviewing firm conformed to the peer review standards defined in paragraph (A) of rule 4701-13-06 of t…

(A) The board may rely on the peer review acceptance letter issued by the peer review committee, defined in rule 4701-13-01 of the Administrative Code, and related peer review supporting documentation as prima facie evidence in any disciplinary hearing involving a public accounti…

A licensee seeking renewal of an Ohio permit shall demonstrate participation in learning activities that maintain and/or improve professional competence as guided by the "Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education Programs," jointly issued by the "National Assoc…

(A) Measurement of continuing education is in terms of credits. The continuing education requirement for certified public accountants and public accountants holding an Ohio permit, as defined in division (A) of section 4701.10 of the Revised Code, is one hundred twenty credits fo…

(A) All Ohio permit holders must provide a statement to the board under penalty of perjury attesting to the continuing education credits completed as of the date the Ohio permit is renewed.(B) All Ohio permit holders are required to maintain all records of continuing education cr…

(A) Measurement of continuing education is in terms of credits. The overriding consideration in determining whether a specific program qualifies for continuing education credit is that it should be a formal program of learning that contributes directly to the professional compete…

(A) Formal continuing education programs shall be acceptable if the licensee retains the appropriate supporting documentation and if:(1) An outline is prepared and preserved by the program sponsor.(2) The program is at least fifty minutes in length, except as provided in paragrap…

(A) The executive director, subject to board approval, may grant a reduction of continuing education requirements to an Ohio permit holder who presents appropriate documentation for health reasons, active military duty in the armed forces of the United States, or other just cause…

(A) The executive director, subject to board approval, may grant an Ohio permit holder who is deficient in the required continuing education at the renewal date an extension of time, not to exceed ninety days, to correct the deficiency. The Ohio permit holder shall provide the bo…

(A) An applicant whose status is expired, suspended or revoked, or the holder of a CPA certificate or PA registration who holds an Ohio registration defined in division (B) of section 4701.10 of the Revised Code, and who wishes to obtain the Ohio permit defined in division (A) of…

(A) A provider of continuing education programs not specifically listed in paragraphs (B)(1) to (B)(6) of rule 4701-15-05 of the Administrative Code may apply for registration with the board. Sponsor registration shall be on a form provided by the board, and shall include the fol…

(A) An Ohio permit holder who performs accounting, auditing, assurance or attestation engagements, prepares any financial report, or signs any financial report in accordance with the professional standards defined in rule 4701-9-03, 4701-9-04, 4701-9-05, or 4701-9-06 of the Admin…

(A) The board annually conducts a verification of continuing education programs claimed for continuing education credit by selected Ohio permit holders. Consequently, an Ohio permit holder must retain evidence to support fulfillment of the continuing education requirement until t…

Any individual who does not hold an Ohio permit or a foreign certificate, or a professional license, registration, or certification issued by this state, or another state and who holds an equity interest in a public accounting firm, shall comply with the continuing education requ…

The following terms are used with the same meanings throughout this chapter:(A) "Contract" is defined in relation to the education assistance program as a fully-executed, single-source contract made between the board and an Ohio-based statewide membership organization representin…

(A) The contract required by division (B) of section 4701.26 of the Revised Code shall comport with Ohio department of administrative services contract policies and procedures. The contract shall be made between the board and the contractor and shall commence upon the issuance by…

(A) The objectives of the education assistance program are:(1) To increase engagement with high school and college students, non-traditional students, and members of economically disadvantaged groups to increase awareness of public accounting as a career option;(2) To create and …

(A) The board's contractor shall develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan to promote the education assistance fund and its programming. This plan may include, but is not limited to:(1) Disseminating information through the board's or contractor's social media, websites…

(A) The board, in accordance with the provisions of division (H)(1) of section 4701.10 of the Revised Code, shall assess an education assistance surcharge in addition to the triennial Ohio permit and Ohio registration fee imposed pursuant to divisions (A) and (B) of section 4701.…

(A) Any person who desires a formal hearing before the board must request the same in writing. Each formal hearing must have a stenographic record, defined in section 119.09 of the Revised Code, taken of the proceedings.(B) Unless a person specifically requests a hearing before t…

(A) Complaints against a person holding a CPA certificate, PA registration, foreign certificate, Ohio permit, Ohio registration, or public accounting firm registration, or against any other person whose activities are regulated by the board, must be in writing and must set forth …

(A) "Access" as a noun means an instance of copying, viewing, or otherwise perceiving whereas "access" as a verb means to copy, view, or otherwise perceive.(B) "Acquisition of a new computer system" means the purchase of a "computer system," as defined in this rule, which is not …

(A) The executive director of the board shall be responsible for any personal information system maintained by the board.(B) The board shall discipline any employee who initiates or otherwise contributes to any disciplinary or other punitive action taken against another individua…

(A) The following personal information maintained by the board shall be confidential:(1) Social security numbers unless the individual is informed of the disclosure.(2) "Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation" and "Federal Bureau of Investigation" criminal recor…

(A) Personal information systems of the board are managed on a "need to know" basis whereby the information owner determines the level of access required for an employee of the board to fulfill their job duties. The determination of access to confidential personal information con…

(A) Pursuant to the requirements of division (B)(2) of section 1347.15 of the Revised Code, this rule contains a list of valid reasons directly related to the board's exercise of its powers or duties by which authorized employees of the board may access confidential personal info…

(A) Access to confidential personal information that is kept electronically shall require a password or other authentication measure.(B) When the board acquires a system that stores, manages or contains confidential personal information, the board shall include a mechanism for re…

(A) For the purpose of qualifying for admission to the certified public accountant examination defined in division (A)(5) of section 4701.06 of the Revised Code, the board will accept academic credits received from or accepted as transfer credits by colleges and universities accr…