Modifies experience and education requirements to take the certified public accountant examination and qualify for a certificate of certified public accountant.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 103
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the President of the Senate in conformance with pre-
session filing rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part of the President (at the request
of Senate Interim Committee on Finance and Revenue)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act modifies the experience and education required to take the CPA exam and to
be a CPA. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.6).
Modifies experience and education requirements to take the certified public accountant exam-
ination and qualify for a certificate of certified public accountant.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to requirements to become a certified public accountant; creating new provisions; and
amending ORS 673.010, 673.040 and 673.050.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 673.040 is amended to read:
673.040. [(1) A certificate of certified public accountant shall be issued to any applicant who meets
the requirements of this section and ORS 673.060 and who passes an examination on the code of pro-
fessional ethics adopted by the Oregon Board of Accountancy. ]
[(2) An applicant for a certificate shall show that after meeting the eligibility requirements for the
examination required by ORS 673.050, the applicant has had at least one year of experience, meeting
requirements prescribed by the board by rule, that is verified by a public accountant, certified public
accountant or chartered accountant who: ]
[(a) Is licensed and in good standing in this state or another jurisdiction; and ]
[(b) Has been licensed for a minimum period of time set by the board by rule. ]
[(3) The board may issue a certificate to a holder in good standing of a license of certified public
accountant issued by another state or of a chartered accountant certificate issued by a foreign country
recognized by the board upon a showing that the holder meets requirements that are substantially
equivalent to the education, experience and other requirements that must be satisfied for the issuance
of a certificate of certified public accountant under ORS 673.010 to 673.465. ]
[(4) The board shall charge a fee for each application for issuance of a certificate under this section
in an amount prescribed by the board by rule. ]
[(5) An applicant for a certificate shall have completed 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours
of college education as prescribed by the board by rule. ]
(1) The Oregon Board of Accountancy may issue a certificate of certified public ac-
countant to a person who:
(a) Submits an application in a form prescribed by the board;
(b) Provides evidence satisfactory to the board of graduation from a college or university
that is accredited by a regional accrediting association or by another accrediting body that
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1160
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is recognized by the board;
(c) Provides evidence satisfactory to the board of experience, as follows:
(A) If the applicant has obtained a baccalaureate degree, two years or more of experience
that meets requirements prescribed by the board by rule;
(B) If the applicant has obtained a master’s degree, one year or more of experience that
meets requirements prescribed by the board by rule; or
(C) If the applicant has obtained a baccalaureate degree or higher and has completed at
least 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours of college education, one year or more of ex-
perience that meets requirements prescribed by the board by rule; and
(d) Pays the application fee required by the board by rule.
(2) All experience obtained by an applicant as described in subsection (1) of this section
must be verified by a certified public accountant, public accountant or chartered accountant
who:
(a) Is licensed and in good standing with the professional licensing board that issued the
person’s license; and
(b) Has been licensed for a minimum period of time set by the board by rule.
(3) In addition to the requirements provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the
applicant shall provide evidence satisfactory to the board of the following:
(a) Passing an examination on the code of professional ethics adopted by the board;
(b) Meeting the requirements of ORS 673.050 for admission to the certified public ac-
countant examination; and
(c) Passing all sections of the certified public accountant examination.
(4) A certificate issued under this section is valid for two years. To renew, a person shall
comply with the requirements described in ORS 673.150.
SECTION 2.
ORS 673.050 is amended to read:
673.050. [(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a candidate for admission to the
examination for a certified public accountant certificate shall present satisfactory evidence of gradu-
ation with a baccalaureate or higher degree from a college or university that is accredited by one of
the six regional accrediting associations or by another accrediting body that is recognized by the
Oregon Board of Accountancy, and shall have completed 120 or more semester hours or 180 or more
quarter hours or the equivalent thereof, including courses in the study of accounting, business, eco-
nomics, finance, written and oral communications and other subjects as determined by the board as
appropriate for the accountancy profession. ]
[(2) A person may apply to take the examination for the certificate of certified public accountant for
the purpose of obtaining a license as a public accountant under ORS 673.100 if the person presents
satisfactory evidence of graduation from a high school with a four-year course or of having acquired
an equivalent education, and has completed two years of public accountancy experience or the equiv-
alent that meets the experience requirements established by the board by rule. ]
(1) A person seeking admission to take the certified public accountant examination to
obtain a certificate of certified public accountant under ORS 673.040 or a license as a public
accountant under ORS 673.100 shall:
(a) Submit an application in a form prescribed by the Oregon Board of Accountancy;
(b) Furnish evidence satisfactory to the board of the applicant’s good moral character;
(c) Pay an examination fee as prescribed by the board; and
(d) Provide one of the following:
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(A) For a person applying for admission to take the certified public accountant exam-
ination to obtain a certificate of certified public accountant, present evidence satisfactory
to the board of:
(i) Graduation with a baccalaureate or higher degree from a college or university that is
accredited by a regional accrediting association or by another accrediting body that is re-
cognized by the board; and
(ii) Completed courses in the study of accounting, business, economics, finance, written
and oral communications and other subjects as prescribed by the board by rule as appropri-
ate for the accountancy profession; or
(B) For a person applying for admission to take the certified public accountant exam-
ination to obtain a license as a public accountant, present evidence satisfactory to the board
of:
(i) Graduation from a high school with a diploma or of having acquired an equivalent
education; and
(ii) Two years of public accountancy experience or the equivalent that meets the experi-
ence requirements established by the board by rule.
(2) The board shall adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section.
SECTION 3.
ORS 673.010 is amended to read:
673.010. As used in ORS 673.010 to 673.465:
(1) “Attestation services” means the following professional services required to be performed
under rules adopted by the Oregon Board of Accountancy:
(a) Any audit or other engagement for which performance standards are included in the State-
ments on Auditing Standards (SAS);
(b) Any review of a financial statement for which performance standards are included in the
Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARS);
(c) Any examination of prospective financial information for which performance standards are
included in the Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE);
(d) Any examination, review or agreed upon procedures engagement other than an examination
described in paragraph (c) of this subsection for which performance standards are included in the
Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE); and
(e) Any engagement for which performance standards are included in the Auditing Standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(2) “Business organization” means any form of business organization authorized by law, includ-
ing but not limited to a proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, limited
liability partnership or professional corporation.
(3) “Certificate” means a certificate of certified public accountant issued under ORS 673.040.
(4) “Client” means a person who agrees with a licensee or employer of a licensee to receive any
professional service from the licensee or employer of a licensee.
(5) “Commission” means money or other consideration recognized by the Oregon Board of
Accountancy as a commission by rule.
(6) “Compilation services” means professional services required to be performed in accordance
with the Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARS) under rules adopted
by the board in which the person performing the services presents a financial statement that:
(a) Is based on the representation of the owner or management of the company for which the
statement is presented; and
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(b) Does not include assurances by the person that the representations in the financial statement
conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
(7) “Contingent fee” means a fee established for the performance of any professional service and
directly or indirectly paid to a licensee pursuant to an arrangement in which no fee will be charged
unless a specified finding or result is attained, or in which the amount of the fee is otherwise de-
pendent upon the finding or result of such service. A fee is not contingent if the fee:
(a) Is fixed by courts or other public authorities; or
(b) In tax matters, is determined based on the results of judicial proceedings or the findings of
governmental agencies.
(8) “License” means:
(a) A certificate, permit or registration, or a license issued under ORS 673.100, enabling the
holder thereof to practice public accountancy in this state; or
(b) A certificate, permit, registration or other authorization issued by a jurisdiction outside this
state enabling the holder thereof to practice public accountancy in that jurisdiction.
(9) “Licensee” means the holder of a license as defined in subsection (8)(a) of this section.
(10) “Manager” means a manager of a limited liability company.
(11) “Member” means a member of a limited liability company.
(12) “Peer review” means a study, appraisal or review of one or more aspects of the public
accountancy work of a holder of a permit under ORS 673.150, or of a registered business organiza-
tion that performs attestation services or compilation services, that is conducted by:
(a) A certified public accountant who holds an active permit issued under ORS 673.150 or an
active license issued by the licensing authority for the practice of public accountancy in another
state and who is independent of the permit holder or registered business organization being re-
viewed; or
(b) A public accountant who holds an active permit issued under ORS 673.150 and who is inde-
pendent of the permit holder or registered business organization being reviewed.
(13) “Permit” means a permit to practice public accountancy issued under ORS 673.150.
(14) “Principal place of business” means the office location designated by a person for purposes
of substantial equivalency and reciprocity.
(15) “Professional” means arising out of or related to the specialized knowledge or skills asso-
ciated with certified public accountants and public accountants.
(16) “Public accountant” means a public accountant licensed under ORS 673.100.
(17) “Referral fee” means a fee recognized by the board as a referral by rule.
(18) “Registration” means the authority issued under ORS 673.160 by the board to a business
organization to practice public accountancy in this state.
(19)(a) “Report,” when used with reference to attestation services or compilation services, means
an opinion or other form of written language that states or implies assurance as to the reliability
of the attested information or the compiled financial statements and that includes or is accompanied
by a statement or implication that the person issuing the report has special knowledge or compe-
tence in public accountancy. Such a statement or implication of special knowledge or competence
may arise from use by the issuer of the report of names or titles indicating that the issuer is a public
accountancy professional or organization or may arise from the language of the report itself.
(b) “Report” includes any form of written language that:
(A) Disclaims an opinion when the form of language implies any positive assurance as to the
reliability of the attested information or the compiled financial statements referred to, or of the
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special knowledge or competence on the part of the person issuing the language;
(B) Implies any positive assurance as to the reliability of the attested information or compiled
financial statements referred to, or of the special knowledge or competence on the part of the person
issuing the language; or
(C) Relates to the affairs of a person and that is conventionally used by licensees in reports or
financial statements.
(c) “Report” does not include:
(A) The following statement signed by a person who does not hold a certificate, license or permit
under ORS 673.010 to 673.465 as long as the statement is not accompanied by any wording indicating
the person is an accountant or auditor or any other language prohibited by ORS 673.310 or 673.320:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The accompanying balance sheet (or
) of XYZ Company as of (date), and the related
statements of income (or retained earnings or cash flow) for the year then ended have been prepared
by me (us).
The information presented in these financial statements is the representation of management
(owners).
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(B) Any other financial statements or reports that are not and do not purport to be in compli-
ance with national standards, including but not limited to Statements on Standards for Accounting
and Review Services (SSARS) and Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE)
adopted by the board by rule, when the statements or reports are issued by persons not otherwise
subject to regulation by the board under ORS 673.010 to 673.465.
(20) “State” means any state, territory or insular possession of the United States, and the Dis-
trict of Columbia.
[(21) “Substantial equivalency” means that: ]
[(a) An individual holds a valid license as a certified public accountant from another state that
requires an individual, as a condition of licensure as a certified public accountant, to: ]
[(A) Complete at least 150 semester hours of college education and obtain a baccalaureate or higher
degree conferred by a college or university; ]
[(B) Achieve a passing grade on the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination; and ]
[(C) Possess at least one year of experience, verified by a licensee, providing any type of service
or advice involving the use of accounting, attestation, compilation, management advisory, financial ad-
visory, tax or related consulting skills, obtained through public practice or government, industry or
academic work; or ]
[(b) An individual has the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection and holds a
valid license as a certified public accountant from another state that does not require an individual to
have the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection as a condition of licensure as a
certified public accountant. ]
(21) “Substantial equivalency” means an individual holds a license from another state
that requires an individual, as a condition of licensure as a certified public accountant, to
achieve a passing grade on the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and:
(a) Complete at least 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours of college education, obtain
a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university and possess at least
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one year of experience, verified by a license holder, in providing any type of service involving
the use of accounting, attestation, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax
or related consulting skills, obtained through public practice or government, industry or ac-
ademic work;
(b) Obtain a baccalaureate degree conferred by a college or university and possess at
least two years of experience:
(A) Verified by a license holder; and
(B) In providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attestation,
compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or related consulting skills, ob-
tained through public practice or government, industry or academic work;
(c) Obtain a master’s degree conferred by a college or university and possess at least one
year of experience:
(A) Verified by a license holder; and
(B) In providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attestation,
compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or related consulting skills, ob-
tained through public practice or government, industry or academic work; or
(d) Meet requirements otherwise prescribed by the board.
SECTION 4.
The amendments to ORS 673.010, 673.040 and 673.050 by sections 1 to 3 of this
2025 Act apply to individuals on and after the effective date of this 2025 Act.
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