1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to state government; modifying standards for required education and
1.3 experience for certified public accountants; establishing mobility for licensed
1.4 public accountants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 326A.03,
1.5 subdivision 6, by adding subdivisions; 326A.14; repealing Minnesota Rules, part
1.6 1105.7900, item D.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 326A.03, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.9 Subd. 6.Certificate; required education and experience until July 1, 2030.(a) On
1.10or after July 1, 2006, and before July 1, 2030, a person who has passed the examination
1.11required in this section must be granted a certificate as a certified public accountant provided:
1.12(1) the person certifies to the board that the person has completed at least 150 semester or
1.13225 quarter hours at a college or university that is fully accredited by a recognized accrediting
1.14agency listed with the United States Department of Education, or an equivalent accrediting
1.15association, and has completed at least one year of experience of the type specified in
1.16paragraph (b); (2) the board verifies the certifications; and (3) the person complies with
1.17requirements for initial issuance of the certificate as a certified public accountant as
1.18prescribed by the board by rule.
1.19 (b) An applicant for initial issuance of a certificate under this subdivision shall show
1.20that the applicant has had one year of experience. Acceptable experience includes providing
1.21any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, compilation,
1.22management advisory, financial advisory, tax, or consulting skills, as verified by a licensee
1.23and meeting requirements prescribed by the board by rule. Acceptable experience may be
1.24gained through employment in government, industry, academia, or public practice.
1Section 1.
REVISOR BD H1458-1HF1458 FIRST ENGROSSMENT
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1458
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Van Binsbergen, Huot, Virnig, Elkins, Davids and others02/24/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy
Adoption of Report: Amended and re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means03/24/2025 2.1Experience as an auditor in the Office of the Legislative Auditor or State Auditor, as verified
2.2by a licensee, shall be acceptable experience.
2.3 (c) This section expires July 1, 2030.
2.4 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 326A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.5read:
2.6 Subd. 6a.Certificate; required education and experience after June 30, 2030.(a)
2.7On and after July 1, 2030, or during the transitional period as provided in subdivision 6b,
2.8the board must grant a certificate as a certified public accountant to a person who has not
2.9previously been certified and who has passed the examination required in this section if:
2.10 (1) the person certifies to the board that the person has:
2.11 (i) completed a master's degree at a college or university that is fully accredited by a
2.12recognized accrediting agency listed with the United States Department of Education and
2.13has completed at least one year of acceptable experience described in paragraph (b); or
2.14 (ii) earned a bachelor's or graduate degree from a college or university that is fully
2.15accredited by a recognized accrediting agency listed with the United States Department of
2.16Education and has completed at least two years of acceptable experience described in
2.17paragraph (b);
2.18 (2) the board verifies the certification under clause (1); and
2.19 (3) the person complies with requirements as prescribed by the board for an initial
2.20certificate.
2.21 (b) Acceptable experience includes providing any type of service or advice that involves
2.22accounting, attest, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax, or consulting
2.23skills, as verified by a licensee and meeting requirements prescribed by the board by rule.
2.24Acceptable experience may be gained through employment in government, industry,
2.25academia, or public practice. Experience as an auditor in the Office of the Legislative Auditor
2.26or the Office of the State Auditor, as verified by a licensee, is acceptable experience.
2.27 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 326A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.28read:
2.29 Subd. 6b.Transitional period.(a) Until July 1, 2030, a person must be granted an initial
2.30certificate as a certified public accountant if the person meets either:
2.31 (1) all requirements under subdivision 6; or
2Sec. 3.
REVISOR BD H1458-1HF1458 FIRST ENGROSSMENT 3.1 (2) all requirements under subdivision 6a.
3.2 (b) This section expires July 1, 2030.
3.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2026.
3.4 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 326A.14, is amended to read:
3.5 326A.14 SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY MOBILITY.
3.6 Subdivision 1.Requirements.(a) An individual whose principal place of business is
3.7not in this state and who holds a valid license in good standing as a certified public accountant
3.8from any state which, upon verification, is in substantial equivalence with the certified
3.9public accountant licensure requirements of section 326A.03, subdivisions 3, 4, and 6, shall
3.10be presumed to have qualifications substantially equivalent to this state's requirements and
3.11shall have all the privileges of licensees of this state without the need to obtain a license.,
3.12if the person:
3.13 (1) holds a valid certificate, license, or permit to practice as a certified public accountant
3.14that was issued in another state and is in good standing to practice as a certified public
3.15accountant in that state;
3.16 (2) has a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited postsecondary school with an
3.17accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by the board by rule; and
3.18 (3) has passed the Uniform CPA Examination.
3.19 (b) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this chapter, an individual who offers or
3.20renders professional services, whether in person, by mail, telephone, or electronic means,
3.21under this paragraph (a): (1) shall be granted practice privileges in this state; (2) is subject
3.22to the requirements in paragraph (c); and (3) is not required to provide any notice or other
3.23submission.
3.24 (b) An individual whose principal place of business is not in this state and who holds a
3.25valid license in good standing as a certified public accountant from any state whose certified
3.26public accountant licensure qualifications, upon verification, are not substantially equivalent
3.27with the licensure requirements of section 326A.03, subdivisions 3, 4, and 6, shall be
3.28presumed to have qualifications substantially equivalent to this state's requirements and
3.29shall have all the privileges of licensees of this state without the need to obtain a license if
3.30the individual obtains verification, as specified in board rule, that the individual's
3.31qualifications are substantially equivalent to the licensure requirements of section 326A.03,
3.32subdivisions 3, 4, and 6. For purposes of this paragraph, any individual who passed the
3Sec. 4.
REVISOR BD H1458-1HF1458 FIRST ENGROSSMENT 4.1Uniform CPA Examination and holds a valid license issued by any other state prior to
4.2January 1, 2009, is exempt from the education requirement in section 326A.03, subdivision
4.36, paragraph (a), provided the individual meets the education requirement in section 326A.03,
4.4subdivision 3. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this chapter, an individual who
4.5offers or renders professional services, whether in person, by mail, telephone, or electronic
4.6means, under this paragraph: (1) shall, after the verification specified by adopted rules, be
4.7granted practice privileges in this state; (2) is subject to the requirements in paragraph (c);
4.8and (3) is not required to provide any notice or other submission.
4.9 (c) An individual licensee of another state exercising the privilege afforded under this
4.10section and the firm which employs that licensee are deemed to have consented, as a condition
4.11of the grant of this privilege:
4.12 (1) to the personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority of the board;
4.13 (2) to comply with this chapter and the board's rules;
4.14 (3) to the appointment of the state board that issued the license as the licensee's agent
4.15upon whom process may be served in any action or proceeding by this board against the
4.16licensee; and
4.17 (4) to cease offering or rendering professional services in this state individually and on
4.18behalf of a firm in the event the license issued by the state of the individual's principal place
4.19of business is no longer valid or in good standing.
4.20 (d) An individual who has been granted practice privileges under this section who
4.21performs attest services as defined in section 326A.01, subdivision 2, clause (1), (4), or (5),
4.22for any entity with its headquarters in this state, may only do so through a firm which has
4.23obtained a permit under section 326A.05.
4.24 Subd. 2.Use of title in another state.A licensee of this state offering or rendering
4.25services or using the CPA title in another state is subject to the same disciplinary action in
4.26this state for which the licensee would be subject to discipline for an act committed in the
4.27other state. The board shall investigate any complaint made by the board of accountancy
4.28of another state.
4.29 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
4.30 Sec. 5. REPEALER; SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE.
4.31 Minnesota Rules, part 1105.7900, item D, is repealed.
4.32 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
4Sec. 5.
REVISOR BD H1458-1HF1458 FIRST ENGROSSMENT 1105.7900SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY.
D.Individuals required by Minnesota Statutes, section 326A.14, subdivision 1,
paragraph (b), to obtain a verification that their individual qualifications are substantially
equivalent to the licensure requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 326A.03, subdivisions
3, 4, and 6, shall obtain the verification from the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal
Service prior to rendering professional services in this state. Documentation supporting this
verification must be maintained by the individual for a minimum period of six years and
must be submitted to the board upon request.
1R
APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Rules: H1458-1