Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0020 - Accountancy
Chapter 0020-01 - Licensing and Registration Requirements
Section 0020-01-.08 - RENEWAL OF LICENSES

Current through September 24, 2024

(1) Each holder of a certificate as a certified public accountant or a registration as a public accountant shall be required to renew such certificate or registration biennially.

(2) An individual or firm choosing not to renew his, her, or its license shall notify the Board of his, her, or its intention prior to the expiration of that license.

(3) Applications for the renewal of certificates and registrations pursuant to the Act shall be made on a form provided by the Board and shall be filed no later than the expiration date set by these rules. Applications will not be considered filed until the applicable fee prescribed in these rules is received.

(4) Applications for renewal of certificates or registrations shall be accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has complied with the continuing professional education requirements under T.C.A. § 62-1-107(d) and Chapter 0020-05 of the Board's rules.

(5) The Board may request additional evidence from licensees for continuing professional education requirements including continuing professional education audits (which require CPE course completion documentation).

(6) Licenses which are between one day and six (6) months past the expiration date shall be considered delinquent. Licenses which are renewed between thirty-one (31) days and six (6) months following their expiration date will be assessed a late fee in the amount of one-hundred dollars ($100.00).

(7) Licenses which are more than six (6) months past the expiration date shall be deemed to have expired. Any individual wishing to reinstate an expired license shall comply with paragraph (4) of this rule and paragraph (6) of rule 0020-05-.03. The CPE hours required to be completed to reinstate an expired license are considered penalty hours and may not be used to offset the CPE hours required for the renewal of a license.

(8) An applicant for licensure meeting the requirements of T.C.A. § 4-3-1304(d)(1) may:

(a) Be issued a license under this chapter upon application and payment of all fees required for issuance of a regular license of the same type if, in the opinion of the Board, the requirements for certification or licensure in the state where the applicant is licensed are substantially equivalent to that required in Tennessee; or

(b) Be issued a temporary permit as described herein if the Board determines that the applicant's license does not meet the requirements for substantial equivalency, but that the applicant could perform additional acts, including - but not limited to - education, training, or experience, in order to meet the requirements for the license to be substantially equivalent. The Board may issue a temporary permit upon application and payment of all fees required for issuance of a regular license of the same type, which shall allow such person to perform services as if fully licensed for a set period of time that is determined to be sufficient for the applicant to complete such requirements.
1. After completing those additional requirements and providing the Board with sufficient proof thereof as may be required, a full license shall be issued to the applicant with an issuance date of the date of the original issuance of the temporary permit and an expiration date as if the full license had been issued at that time.

2. A temporary permit shall be issued for a period of less than the length of a renewal cycle for a full license.

3. A temporary permit shall expire upon the date set by the Board and shall not be subject to renewal except through the completion of the requirements for substantial equivalency as required by the Board or by an extension of time granted for good cause by the Board.

4. Should an extension to a temporary permit cause the permit to be in effect longer than the renewal cycle of a full license, the holder of the temporary permit shall file a renewal application with such documentation and fees, including completion of continuing education, as are required by the Board for all other renewals of a full license of the same type.

(9) Military education, training, or experience completed by a person described at T.C.A. § 4-3-1304(d)(1)(B)(ii)(a)-(c) shall be accepted toward the qualifications, in whole or in part, to receive any license issued by the Board if such military education, training, or experience is determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent to the education, training, or experience required for the issuance of such license.

(10) Any licensee who is a member of the National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States called to active duty whose license expires during the period of activation shall be eligible for renewal for a period of six (6) months after the licensee is released from active duty without:

(a) Payment of late fees or other penalties;

(b) Obtaining continuing education credits when:
1. Circumstances associated with the person's military duty prevented the obtaining of continuing education credits and a waiver request has been submitted to the Board; or

2. The person performs the licensed or certified occupation as part of such person's military duties and provides documentation sufficient to demonstrate such to the Board, or;

(c) Performing any other similar act typically required for the renewal of a license or certification.

(11) Any person renewing under paragraph (10) shall provide the Board such supporting documentation evidencing activation as may be required by the Board prior to renewal of any license pursuant to that paragraph.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-1304, 62-1-105, 62-1-107, 62-1-108, 62-1-109, 62-1-111, and 56-1-302.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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