MACPA Executive Director Tom Hood posted the following update recently on our sister blog, Legislative Insider. Subscribe to the blog and stay up to date on legislative activity that impacts CPAs.

More great news: With the passage of Oregon, New Hampshire and Alabama, 44 states have passed “mobility” legislation to make it much easier for CPAs to hold out and practice across state lines, especially in the tax preparation area.

In our town hall / professional issues updates, the most popular topic is, without a doubt, CPA licensing and mobility in particular.

Mobility is the right to practice temporarily across state borders, with three important principles:

1. No notification or forms to file.

2. No fee or other requirements.

3. No escape — automatic consent to abide by the laws of the state in which you practice.

We covered mobility in depth in earlier posts titled, What is this mobility stuff all about? and Mobility questions? Get your answers here.

This is important for three reasons:

1. Mobility is significantly valuable to every licensed CPA as it reduces or eliminates the need for costly licenses in multiple states to use the title “CPA” or to prepare taxes and other multi-state services.
   
2. It demonstrates the power of advocacy and value of being represented by your state CPA Society
   
3. It shows the power of collaboration – this effort involved the major national organizations for the CPA profession –the AICPA, NASBA, CPA SEA (State Executives Association) and the Accountants Coalition (representing the five largest firms).

More resources:

• Maryland State Board of Accountancy guidance on Mobility
• CPA Success post on our mobility bill
• Lots of work to do on the final day of the General Assembly