MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB51

Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB51 Compare Versions

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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5- Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6- Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7-amendment.
85 *sb0051*
96
107 SENATE BILL 51
118 C3 5lr1466
12- (PRE–FILED) CF HB 887
9+ (PRE–FILED)
1310 By: Senator Ellis
1411 Requested: October 29, 2024
1512 Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
1613 Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
17-Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
18-Senate action: Adopted
19-Read second time: February 2, 2025
2014
21-CHAPTER ______
15+A BILL ENTITLED
2216
2317 AN ACT concerning 1
2418
25-Accountants – Reciprocal Licenses Licensed Out–of–State Practice Privileges – 2
26-Qualifications 3
19+Accountants – Reciprocal Licenses – Qualifications 2
2720
28-FOR the purpose of altering the qualifications for an individual licensed as a certified public 4
29-accountant in another state to practice certified public accountancy in the State; and 5
30-generally relating to reciprocal licensure requirements for the practice of certified 6
31-public accountancy. 7
21+FOR the purpose of altering the qualifications for an individual licensed as a certified public 3
22+accountant in another state to practice certified public accountancy in the State; and 4
23+generally relating to reciprocal licensure requirements for the practice of certified 5
24+public accountancy. 6
3225
33-BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
34- Article – Business Occupations and Professions 9
35-Section 2–301 10
36- Annotated Code of Maryland 11
37- (2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
26+BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
27+ Article – Business Occupations and Professions 8
28+Section 2–301 9
29+ Annotated Code of Maryland 10
30+ (2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
3831
39-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
40- Article – Business Occupations and Professions 14
41-Section 2–321 15
42- Annotated Code of Maryland 16
43- (2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
32+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
33+ Article – Business Occupations and Professions 13
34+Section 2–321 14
35+ Annotated Code of Maryland 15
36+ (2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
4437
45- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
46-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
38+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
39+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
4740
48-Article – Business Occupations and Professions 20 2 SENATE BILL 51
41+Article – Business Occupations and Professions 19
42+
43+2–301. 20
44+
45+ Except as provided in § 2–321 of this subtitle, an individual shall be licensed by the 21
46+Board before the individual may practice certified public accountancy in the State. 22
47+
48+2–321. 23 2 SENATE BILL 51
4949
5050
5151
52-2–301. 1
52+ (a) In this section, “practice certified public accountancy” includes the practice of 1
53+public accountancy. 2
5354
54- Except as provided in § 2–321 of this subtitle, an individual shall be licensed by the 2
55-Board before the individual may practice certified public accountancy in the State. 3
55+ (b) (1) An individual whose principal place of business is outside the State is 3
56+exempt from the licensing requirement under § 2–301 of this subtitle and shall be 4
57+considered to have qualifications that are substantially equivalent to a licensee if THE 5
58+INDIVIDUAL: 6
5659
57-2–321. 4
60+ (i) [the individual] holds a valid license as a certified public 7
61+accountant from another state; and 8
5862
59- (a) In this section, “practice certified public accountancy” includes the practice of 5
60-public accountancy. 6
63+ (ii) [the requirements of that state have been verified by NASBA as 9
64+substantially equivalent with the licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act] 10
65+WAS REQUIRED TO PASS THE UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION TO QUALIFY FOR THE 11
66+LICENSE IN THE OTHER STATE. 12
6167
62- (b) (1) An individual whose principal place of business is outside the State is 7
63-exempt from the licensing requirement under § 2–301 of this subtitle and shall be 8
64-considered to have qualifications that are substantially equivalent to a licensee if THE 9
65-INDIVIDUAL: 10
68+ (2) An individual who qualifies for an exemption under paragraph (1) of 13
69+this subsection may exercise all of the privileges of a licensed certified public accountant. 14
6670
67- (i) [the individual] holds a valid license as a certified public 11
68-accountant from another state; and 12
71+ (c) [(1) An individual who is licensed by a state that the NASBA National 15
72+Qualification Appraisal Service has not verified to be in substantial equivalence with the 16
73+CPA licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act may exercise all of the 17
74+privileges of a licensed certified public accountant if the individual: 18
6975
70- (ii) [the requirements of that state have been verified by NASBA as 13
71-substantially equivalent with the licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act] 14
72-WAS REQUIRED TO PASS THE UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION TO QUALIF Y FOR THE 15
73-LICENSE IN THE OTHER STATE. 16
76+ (i) retains a principal place of business outside of the State; 19
7477
75- (2) An individual who qualifies for an exemption under paragraph (1) of 17
76-this subsection may exercise all of the privileges of a licensed certified public accountant. 18
78+ (ii) holds a valid license as a certified public accountant; and 20
7779
78- (c) [(1) An individual who is licensed by a state that the NASBA National 19
79-Qualification Appraisal Service has not verified to be in substantial equivalence with the 20
80-CPA licensure requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act may exercise all of the 21
81-privileges of a licensed certified public accountant if the individual: 22
80+ (iii) has qualifications that the NASBA National Qualification 21
81+Appraisal Service has determined to be substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure 22
82+requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act. 23
8283
83- (i) retains a principal place of business outside of the State; 23
84+ (2) An individual who has passed the Uniform CPA Examination and holds 24
85+a valid license issued by another state prior to January 1, 2012, may be exempt from the 25
86+education requirements in the Uniform Accountancy Act for purposes of this subsection. 26
8487
85- (ii) holds a valid license as a certified public accountant; and 24
88+ (3)] Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual who qualifies 27
89+for a practice privilege under this section may practice certified public accountancy in the 28
90+State: 29
8691
87- (iii) has qualifications that the NASBA National Qualification 25
88-Appraisal Service has determined to be substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure 26
89-requirements of the Uniform Accountancy Act. 27
92+ [(i)] (1) by any means, including mail, telephone, or electronic 30
93+communication; and 31
9094
91- (2) An individual who has passed the Uniform CPA Examination and holds 28
92-a valid license issued by another state prior to January 1, 2012, may be exempt from the 29
93-education requirements in the Uniform Accountancy Act for purposes of this subsection. 30
95+ [(ii)] (2) without any notice, fee, or other submission to the Board. 32
9496 SENATE BILL 51 3
9597
9698
97- (3)] Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual who qualifies 1
98-for a practice privilege under this section may practice certified public accountancy in the 2
99-State: 3
99+ (d) As a condition of the practice privilege, an individual who is licensed by 1
100+another state and qualifies for a practice privilege under this subtitle and any firm that 2
101+employs the individual to practice in the State shall both consent to: 3
100102
101- [(i)] (1) by any means, including mail, telephone, or electronic 4
102-communication; and 5
103+ (1) the personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority 4
104+of the Board; 5
103105
104- [(ii)] (2) without any notice, fee, or other submission to the Board. 6
106+ (2) complying with State public accountancy laws and regulations adopted 6
107+by the Board; 7
105108
106- (d) As a condition of the practice privilege, an individual who is licensed by 7
107-another state and qualifies for a practice privilege under this subtitle and any firm that 8
108-employs the individual to practice in the State shall both consent to: 9
109+ (3) the appointment of the State Board of Public Accountancy that issued 8
110+the individual’s license to practice certified public accountancy as the agent upon which 9
111+process may be served in any action or proceeding by the Board against the individual; and 10
109112
110- (1) the personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority 10
111-of the Board; 11
113+ (4) ceasing to offer or provide services in the State that are subject to this 11
114+title if the license issued by the state in which the individual’s principal place of business 12
115+is located is no longer valid. 13
112116
113- (2) complying with State public accountancy laws and regulations adopted 12
114-by the Board; 13
117+ (e) An individual authorized to practice certified public accountancy under this 14
118+section and under the practice privilege may represent to the public, by use of a title, 15
119+including “licensed certified public accountant”, “certified public accountant”, “public 16
120+accountant”, or “auditor”, by use of the abbreviation “CPA”, by description of services, 17
121+methods, or procedures, or otherwise, that the individual is authorized to practice certified 18
122+public accountancy in the State. 19
115123
116- (3) the appointment of the State Board of Public Accountancy that issued 14
117-the individual’s license to practice certified public accountancy as the agent upon which 15
118-process may be served in any action or proceeding by the Board against the individual; and 16
124+ (f) A sole practitioner who is practicing in the State under the practice privilege 20
125+may only perform attest services as defined in § 2–101(c)(1), (4), or (5) of this title, through 21
126+a firm that holds a permit issued under § 2–401 of this title. 22
119127
120- (4) ceasing to offer or provide services in the State that are subject to this 17
121-title if the license issued by the state in which the individual’s principal place of business 18
122-is located is no longer valid. 19
123-
124- (e) An individual authorized to practice certified public accountancy under this 20
125-section and under the practice privilege may represent to the public, by use of a title, 21
126-including “licensed certified public accountant”, “certified public accountant”, “public 22
127-accountant”, or “auditor”, by use of the abbreviation “CPA”, by description of services, 23
128-methods, or procedures, or otherwise, that the individual is authorized to practice certified 24
129-public accountancy in the State. 25
130-
131- (f) A sole practitioner who is practicing in the State under the practice privilege 26
132-may only perform attest services as defined in § 2–101(c)(1), (4), or (5) of this title, through 27
133-a firm that holds a permit issued under § 2–401 of this title. 28
134-
135- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 29
136-October 1, 2025. 30
137-
128+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
129+October 1, 2025. 24