N.M. Admin. Code § 16.60.3.9

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 21, November 5, 2024

Section 16.60.3.9 - INITIAL CERTIFICATE/LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

A. An applicant for initial certification/licensure shall demonstrate to the board's satisfaction that he:

(1) lacks a history of dishonest or felonious acts;

(2) meets the education, experience and examination requirements of the board; and

(3) passes the American institute of certified public accountants ethics examination with a score of ninety percent or higher.

B. Integrity requirement: The board may assess integrity based upon applicant-provided references and background checks to determine an applicant's history of dishonest or felonious acts. The board may request the presence at a board meeting of an applicant for whom it has unanswered questions.

C. Criminal history background check: Pursuant to Section 61-28B-8.1 of the act, all applicants for initial issuance or reinstatement of a certificate and license in New Mexico shall be required to be fingerprinted to establish positive identification for a state and federal criminal history background check. Applicants can submit fingerprints through the board approved live scan location prescribed by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS).

(1) The applicant will register online, through the approved live scan website, with the board's Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number and make payment with registration. After the process is complete, the applicant will receive a registration confirmation.

(2) The applicant shall take their registration confirmation to an approved live scan facility and conduct the electronic fingerprinting process.

(3) Results will be sent to the board electronically. The board shall not issue a certificate or license until the applicant's background check has been successfully completed.

(4) Out-of-State applicants, who are unable to visit an approved live scan fingerprinting facility, may follow the same registration process and submit a hardcopy fingerprint card to the approved live scan facility. The results will be sent to the board electronically. The board shall not issue a certificate or license until the applicant's background check has been successfully completed.

D. Education and examination requirements: Education and examination requirements are specified in Section 8 of the act and are further delineated in Part 2 of board rules. An applicant who has passed the uniform CPA examination prior to July 1, 2004, is exempt from the 150-semester-hour requirement.

E. Experience required: Applicants documenting their required experience for issuance of an initial certificate pursuant to Subsection H of Section 7 of the act, and after July 1, 2004 Subsection H of Section 8 of the act shall:

(1) provide documentation of experience in providing any type of services or advice using accounting, attest, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills; acceptable experience shall include experience gained through employment in industry, government, academia or public practice;

(2) have their experience verified by an active, licensed CPA as defined in the act or by an active, licensed CPA from another state; the board shall consider and evaluate factors such as complexity and diversity of the work in determining acceptability of experience submitted:

(a) one year of experience or it's 2,000 hour equivalent shall consist of full or part-time employment that extends over a period of no more than three years and includes no fewer than 2,000 hours of performance of services described above;

(b) the CPA verifying an applicant's experience must be employed by, or a consultant to, or provide professional services to, the same organization as the applicant;

(c) experience documented in support of an initial application must be obtained within the seven years immediately preceding passing of the examination or within seven years of having passed the examination upon which the application is based; this does not apply to applicants who qualified and sat for the examination during or prior to the November 2001 administration;

(d) any licensee requested by an applicant to submit evidence of the applicant's experience and who has refused to do so shall, upon request of the board, explain in writing or in person the basis for such refusal; the board may require any licensee who has furnished evidence of an applicant's experience to substantiate the information;

(e) the board may inspect documentation relating to an applicant's claimed experience; any applicant may be required to appear before the board or its representative to supplement or verify evidence of experience.

F. Certificate and license issuance: upon receipt of a complete application packet and successful completion of a fingerprint background check, board staff are authorized to approve and issue a certificate and license to an applicant for whom no licensing issues are present. Pursuant to Section I of 16.60.2.13 NMAC, uniform CPA examination scores must be approved by the board's administrative staff prior to the issuance of a certificate and license to an applicant who sat for the uniform CPA examination as a New Mexico candidate.

G. Swearing in ceremony: Every new licensee must participate in a swearing in ceremony before the board within one year from the date of the issuance of the initial license. Swearing in ceremonies may be held two times per year in locations to be determined by the board or the board's administrative staff. Upon good cause presented in writing prior to the expiration of the one-year period of initial licensure, the board may extend the period for being sworn in or arrange an alternate method for the licensee to be sworn in. If an extension for good cause is granted, the licensee shall arrange with the board's administrative staff to present him or herself for swearing in before the board within the time prescribed by the board. Failure to appear at a swearing in ceremony before the board may result in the imposition of a fine or other disciplinary action, as deemed appropriate by the board.

H. Replacement wall certificates and licenses to practice: Replacement wall certificates and licenses to practice may be issued by the board in appropriate cases and upon payment by the CPA or RPA of the fee as set by the board. A certificate/license holder is specifically prohibited from possessing more than one wall certificate and more than one license to practice as a CPA or RPA. When a replacement wall certificate or license to practice is requested, the certificate/license holder must return the original certificate/license or submit a statement describing the occurrence that necessitated the replacement certificate or license.

I. Renewal requirements: Certificates/licenses for individuals will have staggered expiration dates based on the individual's birth month. Deadline for receipt of certificate/license renewal applications and supporting continuing professional education affidavits or reports is no later than the last day of the CPA or RPA certificate/license holder's birth month or the next business day if the deadline date falls on a weekend or holiday.

(1) The board may accept a sworn affidavit as evidence of certificate/license holder compliance with CPE requirements in support of renewal applications.

(2) Renewal applications and CPE reports received after prescribed deadlines shall include prescribed delinquency fees.

(3) Applications will not be considered complete without satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has complied with the continuing professional education requirements of Subsection E of Sections 9 and Subsection A of Section12 of the act and of these rules.

(4) The board shall send renewal application notices no less than 30 days prior to the renewal deadline.

J. The purpose of this part is to expedite licensure for military service members, their spouses, their dependent children and for veterans pursuant to Section 61-1-34 NMSA 1978.

(1) Applications for registration shall be completed on a form provided by the board.

(2) The applicant shall provide a complete application that includes the following information:

(a) applicant's full name;

(b) current mailing address;

(c) current electronic mail address, if any;

(d) date of birth;

(e) background check, if required; and

(f) proof as described in subsection (3) below.

(3) The applicant shall provide the following satisfactory evidence as follows:

(a) applicant is currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction, including a branch of the United States armed forces;

(b) applicant has met the minimal licensing requirements in that jurisdiction and the minimal licensing requirements in that jurisdiction are substantially equivalent to the licensing requirements for New Mexico; and

(c) the following documentation:

(i) for military service member: copy of military orders;

(ii) for spouse of military service members: copy of military service member's military orders, and copy of marriage license;

(iii) for spouses of deceased military service members: copy of decedent's DD 214 and copy of marriage license;

(iv) for dependent children of military service members: copy of military service member's orders listing dependent child, or a copy of military orders and one of the following: copy of birth certificate, military service member's federal tax return or other governmental or judicial documentation establishing dependency;

(v) for veterans (retired or separated): copy of DD 214 showing proof of honorable discharge.

(4) The license or registration shall be issued by the board as soon as practicable but no later than thirty days after a qualified military service member, spouse, dependent child, or veteran files a complete application and provides a background check if required for a license, and any required fees.

(5) Military service members and veterans shall not pay and the board shall not charge a licensing fee for the first three years for a license issued pursuant to this rule.

(6) A license issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for the time period that is specified in the Act.

(7) A license issued pursuant to this section shall not be renewed automatically, and shall be renewed only if the licensee satisfies all requirements for the issuance and renewal of a license pursuant to the 1999 Public Accountancy Act, including Section 61-28B-9 NMSA 1978 and Subsection I of 16.60.3.9 NMAC.

(8) As a courtesy, the board, will send via electronic mail license renewal notifications to licensees or registrants before the license expiration date to the last known email address on file with the board. Failure to receive the renewal notification shall not relieve the licensee or registrant of the responsibility of timely renewal on or before the expiration date.

N.M. Admin. Code § 16.60.3.9

16.60.3.9 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 60.4.8.2 & 16 NMAC 60.4.8.3, 02-14-2002; A, 01-15-2004; A, 06-15-2004; A, 12-30-2004; A, 04-29-2005; A, 07-29-2005; A, 11-30-2007; A, 06-30-2008; A, 02-27-2009; A, 01-17-2013; Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXV, Issue 21, November 13, 2014, eff. 12/1/2014; Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVI, Issue 17, September 15, 2015, eff. 9/15/2015, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 18, September 29, 2020, eff. 10/1/2020, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXII, Issue 22, November 30, 2021, eff. 12/12/2021