37-50-335. Registration of firms -- exemptions. - Montana Statutes

     37-50-335. Registration of firms -- exemptions. (1) The following firms shall register annually with the department:
     (a) those with an office in this state performing attest services and compilations;
     (b) those with an office in this state that use the title "CPA" or "CPA firm"; and
     (c) those that do not have an office in this state but perform attest services and compilations for a client having its home office in this state.
     (d) A fee may not be charged for the annual registration required in subsection (1)(c).
     (2) A firm that undergoes a board-sanctioned compliance or peer review process and receives an acceptable, a pass, or a pass with deficiencies rating for these services and completes all remediation in its principal place of business is exempt from registration.
     (3) A firm that is not subject to the requirements of subsection (1) may perform other professional services while using the title "CPA" or "CPA firm" in this state without registering with the department only if:
     (a) it performs the services through a person with practice privileges under 37-50-325; and
     (b) it can lawfully perform the services in the state where persons with practice privileges have their principal place of business.
     (4) Each office established or maintained in this state for the practice of public accounting in this state by a certified public accountant, by a firm of certified public accountants, by a licensed public accountant, by a firm of licensed public accountants, or by a foreign accountant recognized under 37-50-313 shall register annually with the department. A fee may not be charged for this registration.

     History: En. Sec. 20, Ch. 118, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 207, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 173, Ch. 350, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 101, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 66-1832; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 684, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 18, Ch. 335, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 375, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 47, Ch. 109, L. 2009.