North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 21 - OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Chapter 08 - CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT EXAMINERS
Subchapter N - PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND CONDUCT
Section .0300 - RULES APPLICABLE TO ALL CPAS WHO USE THE CPA TITLE IN OFFERING OR RENDERING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES TO CLIENTS
Section 08N .0305 - RETENTION OF CLIENT RECORDS

(a) A CPA shall return client-provided records in the CPA's custody or control to the client at the client's request. Client-provided records are accounting or other records, including hardcopy and electronic reproductions of such records, belonging to the client that were provided to the CPA by, or on behalf of, the client.

(b) Unless a CPA and the client have agreed to the contrary, when a client makes a request for CPA prepared records or a CPA's work products that are in the CPA's custody or control that have not previously been provided to the client, the CPA shall respond to the client's request as follows:

(c) CPA prepared records are accounting or other records that the CPA was not specifically engaged to prepare and that are not in the client's books and records or are otherwise not available to the client, thus rendering the client's financial information incomplete. Examples include adjusting, closing, combining, or consolidating journal entries including computations supporting such entries and supporting schedules and documents that the CPA proposed or prepared as part of an engagement, an audit being an example. CPA's work products are deliverables set forth in the terms of the engagement, such as tax returns.

(d) Once a CPA has complied with the requirements described in Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule, he or she shall not be under any further ethical obligation to:

(e) A CPA who has provided records to an individual designated or held out as the client's representative, such as the general partner, or majority shareholder, shall not be obligated to provide such records to other individuals associated with the client. However, in the case of joint individual tax returns, each named taxpayer on that return shall be entitled to a copy of the tax returns and supporting schedules from the CPA.

(f) Work papers shall be the CPA's property, and the CPA is not required to provide such information to the client. However, state and federal statutes and regulations and contractual agreements may impose additional requirements on the CPA.

(g) In fulfilling a request for client provided records, CPA prepared records, or a CPA's work products, the CPA may:

(h) A CPA who is required to return or provide records to the client shall comply with the client's request as soon as practicable, but no later than 45 days after the request is made.