1. Q: What is a public accounting firm?
A: A public accounting firm is any firm located in Ohio that performs attest work (compilations, reviews, audits, or attestation engagements), and that is required to follow the AICPA professional standards for those services, whether or not it uses the designation "certified public accountant(s)," "public accountant(s)," or their abbreviations, in connection with the firm name. Any firm that performs only tax or consulting work as described in the AICPA professional standards for these services is also considered a public accounting firm if the firm uses "certified public accountant(s)," "public accountant(s)," or their abbreviations, in connection with the firm name. A CPA or PA in business as a sole practitioner that meets either of the above criteria must also register with the Board as a public accounting firm.

2. Q: I am planning to start my own CPA firm. What Board requirements must I meet?
A: Send a letter, fax, or e-mail to the Board, and request a firm registration packet. Please give your name, address, and a daytime telephone number and we will mail the packet to you. The fee for initial firm registration is $10.00. If you perform attest work, you need to comply with the peer review requirements.

Forms may be downloaded from our website. If you perform attest work (audits, reviews, compilations, attestation engagements), you need the initial firm registration application. If you do not perform attest work, you need the initial firm registration application and the peer review exemption form.

3. Q: I operate a tax and consulting CPA firm. Why do I need to register with the Board, and why do I now need to pay a fee?
A: Tax firms formerly registered with the Board on a voluntary basis, and did not pay a fee. A new law, effective March 30, 1999, requires that all CPA firms that practice public accounting must register with the Board. Public accounting is now defined as including all services covered by the AICPA professional standards, and this includes tax and consulting services.

4. Q: How do I schedule a peer review?
A: The Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA) is our authorized agent to conduct peer reviews. You may find information concerning the peer review process on the OSCPA Web site. You may also contact the OSCPA in writing at 535 Metro Place South, Dublin, OH 43017 or by telephone at (614) 764-2727 or (800) 686-2727.

5. Q: One of our firm's partners has recently joined (or departed) our firm. Is our new partnership considered a new firm according to the firm registration and peer review requirements?
A: No. Paragraph (F) of rule 4701-13-09 states that a firm that retains substantially similar ownership remains in the same peer review group as the former firm.