WAC 4-25-631   With which rules, regulations and professional standards must a CPA, CPA-Inactive certificateholder, CPA firm, and firm owner comply?  CPAs, CPA-Inactive certificateholders, CPA firms, and firm owners must comply with rules, regulations, and professional standards promulgated by the appropriate bodies for each service undertaken. However, if the requirements found in the professional standards listed in this section differs from the requirements found in specific board rules, board rules prevail.

     Such appropriate bodies include, but are not limited to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB); the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB); the Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB); the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB); the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office (GAO); the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB); the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and federal, state, and local audit, regulatory and tax agencies.

     Such standards include:

     (1) Statements on Auditing Standards and related Auditing Interpretations issued by the AICPA;

     (2) Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services and related Accounting and Review Services Interpretations issued by the AICPA;

     (3) Statements on Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards issued by GASB;

     (4) Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements and related Attestation Engagements Interpretations issued by AICPA;

     (5) Statements of Financial Accounting Standards and Interpretations, and Staff Positions issued by FASB, together with those Accounting Research Bulletins and Accounting Principles Board Opinions which are not superseded by action of the FASB;

     (6) Statement on Standards for Consulting Services issued by the AICPA;

     (7) Statements on Quality Control Standards issued by the AICPA;

     (8) Statements on Standards for Tax Services and Interpretation of Statements on Standards for Tax Services issued by the AICPA;

     (9) Statements on Responsibilities in Personal Financial Planning Practice issued by the AICPA;

     (10) Statements on Standards for Litigation Services issued by the AICPA;

     (11) Professional Code of Conduct issued by the AICPA including interpretations and ethics rulings;

     (12) Governmental Auditing Standards issued by the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office;

     (13) AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides;

     (14) SEC Rules, Concept Releases, Interpretative Releases, and Policy Statements;

     (15) Standards issued by the PCAOB; and

     (16) IRS Circular 230.

     If the professional services are governed by standards not included in subsections (1) through (16) of this section, you must:

     • Justify the departure from the standards listed in subsections (1) through (16) of this section;

     • Determine what standards are applicable; and

     • Comply with the applicable standards.

     Copies of the above standards may be inspected at the board's office.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.04.055(2). 05-01-137, § 4-25-631, filed 12/16/04, effective 1/31/05; 02-04-064, § 4-25-631, filed 1/31/02, effective 3/15/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.04.055 (2) and (6). 00-11-071, § 4-25-631, filed 5/15/00, effective 6/30/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.04.055(6). 98-12-050, § 4-25-631, filed 5/29/98, effective 6/29/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.40.055 [18.04.055]. 93-22-046, § 4-25-631, filed 10/28/93, effective 11/28/93.]