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Regulation of Accountants – Nevada

According to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.002, the purpose of the chapter “Accountants” is:

1)      To provide for the dependability of information which is used for guidance in financial transactions or for accounting for and assessing the status or performance of public and private entities; and

2)      To protect public interest by requiring that persons who are engaged in the practice of public accounting be qualified, so that the auditing, examining, reviewing and compiling of financial statements and the issuing of reports, opinions and assurances relating to those statements are reserved to persons who have demonstrated ability and fitness to observe and apply the standards of the profession of accounting.

Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.190 requires that a certificate of certified public accountant must be granted by the Board to any person who:

  • Is a resident of Nevada  or, if not a resident, has designated to the Board an agent who is a resident for notification and service of process;
  • Is a person who is without any history of acts involving dishonesty or moral turpitude;
  • Complies with the requirements of education and experience as provided in NRS 628.200;
  • Has submitted to the Board a complete set of his fingerprints and written permission authorizing the Board to forward the fingerprints to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History for submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its report; and
  • Has passed the examination prescribed by the Board.

However, the Board may refuse to grant a certificate of certified public accountant to an applicant if he has been convicted of a felony relating to the practice of a certified public accountant under the laws of any state or of the United States.   A license as a public accountant may be issued only to persons who have met the above requirements.

Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.290, any person who has received from the board a certificate as a certified public accountant and who holds a permit shall be styled and known as a certified public accountant and may also use the abbreviation “C.P.A.”  The board shall maintain a list of certified public accountants.  Any certified public accountant may also be known as a public accountant.

According to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.390, after giving notice and conducting a hearing, the Board may revoke, or may suspend for a period of not more than five years, certificate, registration or license granted to a registered public accountant or any registration of a partnership, corporation, limited-liability company or office, or may revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any permit, or may publicly censure the holder of any permit, for any one or any combination of the following causes:

  • Fraud or deceit in obtaining a certificate as a certified public accountant, or registration or a license as a public accountant, or a permit to practice public accounting.
  • Dishonesty, fraud or gross negligence by a certified or registered public accountant in the practice of public accounting.
  • Violation of regulation or rule of professional conduct adopted by the Board.
  • Conviction of a felony or any crime, an element of which is dishonesty or fraud, under the laws of any state or of the United States relating to the practice of public accounting.
  • Cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew authority to practice as a certified public accountant or a registered public accountant by any other state, for any cause other than failure to pay an annual registration fee or to comply with requirements for continuing education or review of his or her practice in the other state.
  • Suspension or revocation of the right to practice before any state or federal agency.
  • Unless the person has been placed on inactive or retired status, failure to obtain an annual permit within:
    1) Sixty days after the expiration date of the permit to practice last obtained or renewed by the holder of a certificate or registrant; or
    2) Sixty days after the date upon which the holder of a certificate or registrant was granted his certificate or registration, if no permit was ever issued to him, unless the failure has been excused by the Board.
  • Conduct discreditable to the profession of public accounting or which reflects adversely upon the fitness of the person to engage in the practice of public accounting.
  • Making a false or misleading statement in support of an application for a certificate, registration or permit of another person.

After giving notice and conducting a hearing, the Board may deny an application to take the examination prescribed by the Board, deny a person admission to such an examination, invalidate a grade received for such an examination or deny an application for a certificate, to a person who has made any false or fraudulent statement in an application to take the examination prescribed by the Board for a certificate, including cheated on an examination prescribed by the Board or any such examination taken in another state or jurisdiction of the United States or aided, abetted or conspired with any person.  In addition to other penalties, the Board may impose a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each violation of § 628.390.

According to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.410, board may initiate disciplinary proceedings either on its own motion or on the complaint of any person.  A written notice of the hearing must be served on the respondent not less than 30 days before the date of the hearing.  A hearing may be conducted by the board or by a member of the board appointed by the board as a hearing officer. The decision of the board must be by majority vote thereof.

Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.420 , the board may upon application in writing and after a hearing:

  • Issue a new certificate to a certified public accountant whose certificate has been revoked;
  • Permit the re-registration of a public accountant whose registration has been revoked;
  • Reissue or modify the suspension of any permit to practice public accounting which has been revoked or suspended, unless the permit was suspended; or
  • Modify any action taken against any person or any order which it has issued.

Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.450 states that a natural person shall not assume or use the title or designation “certified public accountant” or the abbreviation “C.P.A.” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device tending to indicate that he is a certified public accountant, unless s/he has received a certificate as a certified public accountant, inclusive, holds a live permit, and all of his offices in Nevada for the practice of public accounting are maintained and registered.  Likewise, the title or designation “certified public accountant” shall not be anyone, unless s/he has received a certificate as a certified public accountant.

According to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.570, the Board may make application to an appropriate court for an order enjoining the violation of 628.435 or 628.450 to 628.550, and upon a showing by the Board that the person has engaged, or is about to engage, in any of such violation, and an injunction or any such order as may be appropriate must be granted by the court without a bond.  Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 628.580, any person who violates any provision of NRS 628.435 or 628.450 to 628.550, is guilty of a misdemeanor.


Inside Regulation of Accountants – Nevada