442.02(1m) (1m) A person shall be considered to be in practice as a certified public accountant, within the meaning and intent of this chapter, if any of the following conditions is met:

442.02(1m)(a) (a) The person holds himself or herself out to the public in any manner as one skilled in the knowledge, science, and practice of accounting, and as qualified and ready to render professional service therein as a certified public accountant for compensation.

442.02(1m)(b) (b) The person maintains an office for the transaction of business as a certified public accountant or, except as an employee of a certified public accountant, practices accounting, as distinguished from bookkeeping, for more than one employer.

442.02(1m)(c) (c) The person offers to prospective clients to perform for compensation, or performs on behalf of clients for compensation, professional services that involve or require an audit of financial transactions and accounting records.

442.02(1m)(d) (d) The person prepares for clients reports of audits, balance sheets, and other financial, accounting and related schedules, exhibits, statements or reports that are to be used for publication or for credit purposes, or are to be filed with a court of law or with any other governmental agency, or for any other purpose.

442.02(1m)(dm) (dm) The person provides or offers to provide an attest service.

442.02(1m)(e) (e) The person, in general or as an incident to such work, renders professional assistance to clients for compensation in any or all matters relating to accounting procedure and the recording and presentation of financial facts.

442.02(1m)(f) (f) The person signs or affixes his or her name or any trade or assumed name used by the person in his or her business or profession to an opinion or certificate attesting to the reliability of any representation or estimate in regard to any person or organization embracing financial information, financial transactions or accounting records.

442.02(5m) (5m) Subsection (1m) (f) does not prohibit any officer, employee, partner, or principal of any organization from affixing his or her signature to any statement or report in reference to the affairs of that organization with any wording designating the position, title, or office that he or she holds in that organization.

442.02(6) (6) Every member of a firm who, as a member of the firm, does any of the things enumerated in sub. (1m) (a) to (f), shall be considered to be in practice as a certified public accountant.

442.02 History History: 1979 c. 162 ss. 7, 38 (7), (9); 1999 a. 85; 2001 a. 16.

442.025 442.025 Applicability. This chapter does not require a certificate or license under this chapter for any of the following:

442.025(1) (1) Persons employed by a certified public accountant or firm licensed under this chapter to serve as accountants in various capacities, as needed, if all of the following conditions are met:

442.025(1)(a) (a) The employees serving as accountants work under the control and supervision of certified public accountants.

442.025(1)(b) (b) The employees serving as accountants do not issue any statements or reports over their own names except office reports to their employer that are customary.

442.025(1)(c) (c) The employees serving as accountants are not in any manner held out to the public as certified public accountants.

442.025(2) (2) A practicing attorney, who, in connection with his or her professional work renders any accounting service.

442.025(3) (3) A person employed by more than one person for the purpose of keeping books, making trial balances, or statements, and preparing reports, if all of the following requirements are met:

442.025(3)(a) (a) The reports described in this subsection are not used or issued by the employers as having been prepared by a certified public accountant.

442.025(3)(b) (b) The persons employed as described in this subsection do not do any of the things enumerated in s. 442.02 (1m) (f) except as authorized under s. 442.02 (5m).

442.025(4) (4) 

442.025(4)(a) (a) A person who meets all of the following conditions:

442.025(4)(a)1. 1. The person’s principal place of business or residence is not in this state.

442.025(4)(a)2. 2. The person holds a valid certified public accountant certificate or license from another state that the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy National Qualification Appraisal Service has verified to be in substantial equivalence with the certified public accountant licensure requirements of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/ National Association of State Boards of Accountancy Uniform Accountancy Act, or the person obtains verification from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy National Qualification Appraisal Service that his or her individual qualifications are substantially equivalent to the certified public accountant licensure requirements of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/ National Association of State Boards of Accountancy Uniform Accountancy Act.

442.025(4)(b) (b) Any person who enters this state to practice as a certified public accountant under this subsection agrees to all of the following:

442.025(4)(b)1. 1. That he or she is under the personal and subject matter jurisdiction of the examining board and he or she may be disciplined under s. 442.12.

442.025(4)(b)2. 2. That he or she will comply with this chapter and rules promulgated by the examining board.

442.025(4)(b)3. 3. That the examining board of the state that issued his or her license may act as his or her agent for the purpose of receiving process in any legal action or proceeding by the examining board.

442.025(5) (5) A public official or public employee in performing his or her duties.