Shove over, will you? Someone else is climbing aboard the CPA mobility bandwagon.

Kari Bedell, executive director of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs, sent notice recently that Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has signed the Accountant Mobility Act of 2011, making the District of Columbia the 49th U.S. jurisdiction to enact mobility legislation. Pending a 30-day congressional review period, Bedell is confident that “mobility will be effective in the District of Columbia in advance of the Jan. 1, 2013 licensing renewal date.”

That's great news for CPAs. Mobility permits a licensed CPA in good standing to practice outside of his or her principal place of buiness without having to obtain another license. One less thing to worry about, right?

Still, six jurisdictions have not yet embraced mobility, and that means we need some direction. Which states are mobility friendly? Which aren't?

The AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy have the answers.

In July 2011 they launched CPAmobility.org, a site that breaks down the new practice privilege rules in detail. They've also released a video that teaches CPAs how to use the site and what they can expect when they visit.

“The video demonstrates that in four simple clicks online, CPAs can learn whether their existing home state registration is mobile and allows them to work in other jurisdictions without additional notice, or whether further paperwork is required,” the AICPA states.

As more jurisdictions adopt mobility, that becomes less of an issue. Still, until CPAs everywhere are mobile, better safe than sorry.

Watch the AICPA / NASBA video here: