Good news from the AICPA: The profession has won a victory of sorts on the PTIN front.
Don't get too excited: You tax-preparing CPAs are still required to have one. But thanks to some new guidance, the IRS now says that non-signing tax preparers who work in a CPA firm and are supervised by a CPA do not have to meet the continuing education and exam requirements found in the PTIN regulations.
The guidance is found in IRS Notice 2011-6.
“The AICPA is pleased that the IRS has issued this notice,” AICPA taxation Vice President Edward Karl told the Journal of Accountancy. “New ramifications of this program come to light every day; the issuance of this notice shows that the (IRS) is willing to make changes that benefit everybody — taxpayers, practitioners and tax administration.”
CPAs themselves had already been exempt from the CPE and exam requirements.
You'll find details about the new IRS guidance in this comprehensive JofA article.
Here are a few other PTIN resources that might be helpful: