ORS 673.320: Requirements for providing attestation services or compilation services or issuing report; exceptions; use of terms certified public accountant, public accountant, C.P.A. or P.A.; exceptions.

(1)(a) A person or business organization in this state may not provide attestation services or compilation services for or issue a report on financial statements of any other person, firm, organization or governmental unit unless the person or business organization: (A) Holds a license or registration issued under ORS 673.010 to 673.465; (B) Is authorized to practice public accountancy in this state under ORS 673.153; or (C) Is exempt from the registration requirement under ORS 673.160 (3). (b) The prohibitions of this subsection do not apply to: (A) An officer, partner, employee, shareholder, member, manager or owner of any firm or organization affixing that person’s own signature to any statement or report in reference to the financial affairs of the firm or organization with wording designating the position, title or office that the person holds in the firm or organization; (B) Any act of a public official or employee in the performance of official duties; or (C) The performance by any person, other than a person who holds a license or a registrant, of other services, including the preparation of tax returns, management advisory services and the preparation of financial statements, without the issuance of reports thereon. (2) Any transmission of financial statements or information using language as specified in ORS 673.325 or as recognized by the Oregon Board of Accountancy is not a report. (3) A person may 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 the person is a certified public accountant, unless the person: (a) Holds a certified public accountant license issued under ORS 673.045; or (b) Is authorized to practice public accountancy in this state under ORS 673.153. (4) A business organization may 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 the business organization is composed of certified public accountants unless the business organization: (a) Is registered under ORS 673.160; or (b) Is exempt from the registration requirement under ORS 673.160 (3). (5) A person may not assume or use the title or designation “public accountant,” or the abbreviation “P.A.,” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device tending to indicate that the person is a public accountant unless that person holds a valid public accountant license issued under ORS 673.100. (6) A business organization may not assume or use the title or designation “public accountant,” or the abbreviation “P.A.,” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device tending to indicate that the business organization is composed of public accountants, unless the business organization is registered under ORS 673.160. (7)(a) A person or business organization may not assume or use any title or designation likely to be confused with the titles “certified public accountant” or “public accountant,” or any abbreviations likely to be confused with the abbreviations “C.P.A.” or “P.A.,” unless the person or business organization: (A) Holds a valid license or registration issued under ORS 673.010 to 673.465; (B) Is authorized to practice public accountancy in this state under ORS 673.153; or (C) Is exempt from the registration requirement under ORS 673.160 (3). (b) This subsection does not restrict the use of any title, designation or abbreviation awarded by institutions that are recognized by the board by rule. (8)(a) A person or business organization may not assume or use any title or designation that includes the words “accountant,” “auditor” or “accounting” in connection with any other wording, including that of a report, that implies that the person or business organization holds a license or registration or has special competence as an accountant or auditor, unless the person or business organization: (A) Holds a license or registration issued under ORS 673.010 to 673.465; (B) Is authorized to practice public accountancy in this state under ORS 673.153; or (C) Is exempt from the registration requirement under ORS 673.160 (3). (b) This subsection does not prohibit: (A) A partner, officer, employee, shareholder, member, manager or owner of any firm or organization from affixing that person’s own signature to any statement or report in reference to the financial affairs of the firm or organization with wording designating the position, title or office that the person holds in the firm or organization; (B) Any act of a public official or employee in the performance of official duties; or (C) Use of the words “accountant” or “accounting” by a person or business offering services that are not restricted to a person or business organization holding a license to practice public accountancy. (9) A person or business organization holding a license or registration under ORS 673.010 to 673.465 may not use a professional or business name or designation that is misleading about the legal form of the business organization, about the persons who are partners, officers, shareholders, members, managers or owners of the business organization or about any other matter. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection, the names of one or more former partners, shareholders, members or managers may be included in the name of a registered business organization or its successor. (10) A person holding a license may not perform attestation services or compilation services in any business organization that does not hold a valid registration under ORS 673.160. (11) Subsections (1) to (10) of this section apply to a person or business organization holding a license granted in another state entitling the holder to engage in the practice of public accountancy or its equivalent in the other state unless: (a) The person is authorized to practice public accountancy in this state under ORS 673.153; (b) The business organization is exempt from the registration requirement under ORS 673.160 (3); or (c)(A) The activities of the person or business organization in this state are limited to the provision of professional services to clients in this state, where the clients are residents of, governments of or business entities in the other jurisdiction in which the person holds the entitlement; (B) The person or business organization does not provide attestation services or compilation services or issue reports regarding the financial statements of any other persons, organizations or governmental units in this state; and (C) The person or business organization does not hold out to clients, potential clients or the public in this state that the person or business organization is licensed or registered under ORS 673.010 to 673.465 and does not use any title or designation other than the one under which the person or business organization practices in the other jurisdiction, followed by the name of the other jurisdiction and, if applicable, any translation of the title or designation into the English language. (12) Notwithstanding subsection (11) of this section, a person or business organization holding a license granted in another state that entitles the holder to engage in the practice of public accountancy as a certified public accountant in the other state may prepare, advise or assist in the preparation of tax returns without obtaining a license or registration under ORS 673.010 to 673.465 and may use the title or designation “certified public accountant” or the abbreviation “C.P.A.” in connection with tax services described in this subsection as long as the person or business organization does not have an office in this state. [Amended by 1999 c.322 §18; 2001 c.104 §257; 2001 c.638 §10; 2007 c.178 §2; 2009 c.531 §7; 2015 c.451 §21; 2025 c.132 §19]