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Ethics for Accountants: Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities #593926-2

Course Overview

Credit

Amount

CPA

Course Author: Beacon Hill Financial Educators Field of Study (CPA): Regulatory Ethics

Course Description

This course is approved by the Ohio State Board of Accountancy.
Ohio Sponsor number: CPE.51 PSR

Course publication/revision date: This course was updated on 4/14/2026.
This course meets the 3-hour professional standards and responsibility CPE requirement for the state of Ohio. It covers current ethical issues in the accounting profession, the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, and Chapter 4701 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and ACC 4701 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). Accounting Board laws and rules that were recently amended are covered. Case studies and examples are also included.

This is a self-study (PDF) course and it meets the NASBA QAS standard.

You can take this course each renewal cycle as we update it annually.

Please consult the Accountancy Board of Ohio for specific requirements.

Table of Contents

Section I. Current Ethical Issues in the Accounting Profession1

Understanding Ethics	1
A Definition of Ethics	1
How Do You Act When No One is Looking?	1
Special Topics: Managing Ethics	2
Analytical Model for Ethical Decisions	2
Fiduciary Standard of Care	3
Review Questions	4

Section II. AICPA Code of Professional Conduct5

Preface: Applicability and Principles of Professional Conduct	5
Applicability	5
The AICPA Principles	5
Preamble	5
Responsibilities Principle	6
The Public Interest Principle	6
Integrity Principle	6
Objectivity and Independence Principle	6
Due Care Principle	6
Scope and Nature of Services Principle	6
Using the Principles in Practice	6
Part One of the AICPA Code: Members in Public Practice	9
Rules Are Not Enough	9
Rules of the Code of Professional Conduct	13
Independence, Integrity, and Objectivity: The Core Values of the Accounting Profession	13
The AICPA Rules	13
Contingent Fees Rule	14
Commissions and Referral Fees Rule	14
Review Questions	16

Section III. Accountancy Board of Ohio Professional Standards and Responsibilities17

Accountancy Board Law: Professional Ethics	17
ORC 4701.12 Advertisements	17
From the AICPA Rule on Advertising and Other Forms of Solicitation	17
ORC 4701.14 Unauthorized Practice	17
ORC 4701.15 Employees of Public Accountants; Incidental Practice	22
ORC 4701.16 Disciplinary Actions	22
ORC4701.17 Reissue of revoked certificate	24
ORC 4701.18 Injunctions	24
ORC 4701.19 Records	25
ORC 4701.28 Effect of Child Support Default on Certificate or Permit	25
ORC 4701.29 Conduct of Investigations	25
Professional Ethics: Accountancy Board Rules	27
Rule 4701-7-04 Practice of public accounting and regulated services.	27
Rule 4701-7-09 Internet Practice	28
Rule 4701-9-01 Integrity and objectivity	28
From the AICPA Rule on Integrity and Objectivity	28
AICPA: Conflicts of Interest	29
Rule 4701-9-02 General standards	32
From the AICPA Rules on General Standards	33
Rule 4701-9-03 Generally accepted auditing standards	33
Rule 4701-9-04 Generally accepted accounting principles	34
From the AICPA Rule on Accounting Principles	35
Rule 4701-9-05 Attestation standards	36
Rule 4701-9-06 Accounting and review services standards	36
Rule 4701-9-08 Consulting standards	37
Rule 4701-9-09 Tax services standards	37
Rule 4701-9-10 Quality control standards	37
Rule 4701-11-01 Independence	38
From the AICPA Rule on Independence	38
What Is Independence?	38
When Independence is Required	39
When Independence is not Required	39
When Independence is Impaired	39
Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Threats to Independence	40
Rule 4701-11-02 Confidential client information	43
Rule 4701-11-03 Contingent fees	44
AICPA: Examples of Instances Where a Contingent Fee Would Be Permitted:	44
AICPA: Example of a Circumstance Where a Contingent Fee Would Not Be Permitted:	44
Rule 4701-11-04 Commissions and referral fees	45
Rule 4701-11-05 Form of practice and name	46
AICPA: Form of Organization and Name Rule	47
Rule 4701-11-06 Retention of client records	48
AICPA: Interpretations of Rules Regarding Client Records and Working Papers	50
Rule 4701-11-07 Board communications	52
Rule 4701-11-09 Acts discreditable	53
From the AICPA Rule on Acts Discreditable	54
Acts That Would Be Deemed Discreditable	54
Rule 4701-11-10 Application of ethics rules to non-CPA owners	55
Recently Amended Laws (Ohio Revised Code)	56
Recently Amended or Proposed Amendments to Rules (Ohio Administrative Code)	56
Recently Amended Rules	56
2026 Proposed Amendments to Rules	57
Review Questions	59
Case Studies	60
1. Stop Thief! The Case of the Almost Stolen Clients	60
2. Oops! The Case of the Harmless Mistakes	61

Appendix I. AICPA Glossary64

Appendix II. Answers and Explanations to Review Questions77

Section I. Current Ethical Issues in the Accounting Profession	77
Section II. AICPA Code of Professional Conduct	77
Section III. Ohio Accountancy Board	79

Appendix III Full Text of Selected Laws (ORC) and Board Rules (OAC)82

Ohio Revised Code	82
ORC 4701.01 Accountancy board law definitions	82
ORC 4701.04 Registration	84
ORC 4701.06 Requirements for CPA certificate	88
ORC 4701.08 License Applicant to Comply with RC Chapter 4776	90
ORC 4701.10 Issuing Permits to Practice	90
ORC 4701.11 Continuing Education	92
ORC 4701.12 Advertisements	92
ORC 4701.14 Unauthorized Practice	92
ORC 4701.15 Employees	92
ORC 4701.16 Disciplinary Actions	92
ORC 4701.19 Records	92
ORC 4701.99 Penalty	92
Ohio Administrative Code	93
OAC 4701-1 General Provisions	93
Rule 4701-1-01 Notice for Change of Rule	93
Rule 4701-1-02 Board Addresses	93
Rule 4701-1-03 Board Officers	93
Rule 4701-1-04 Authorized Signature	93
Rule 4701-1-06 Meetings of the Board	93
Rule 4701-1-08 Facsimile or Electronic Mail Transmissions	94
Rule 4701-1-10 Board Committees	94
OAC 4701-7 CPA Certificate and Licenses	96
Rule 4701-7-01 Certificate of certified public accountant.	96
Rule 4701-7-02 Substantial equivalency; comparability.	97
Rule 4701-7-04 Practice of public accounting and regulated services.	97
Rule 4701-7-05 Experience for the CPA certificate.	97
Rule 4701-7-06 Exemptions from the Ohio permit requirement.	98
Rule 4701-7-07 International reciprocity.	99
Rule 4701-7-08 License qualification.	99
Rule 4701-7-09 Internet practice.	100
Rule 4701-7-10 Surrender of a CPA certificate.	100
OAC Chapter 4701-13 Registration of Offices, Partnerships, and Corporations	100
Rule 4701-13-01 Definitions.	100
Rule 4701-13-02 Public accounting firm registration requirements, renewal deadlines.	102
Rule 4701-13-03 Public accounting firm insurance requirement.	104
Rule 4701-13-04 Change of peer review firm registration status.	104
Rule 4701-13-05 Change of firm name or ownership.	104
Rule 4701-13-06 Peer review program standards.	105
Rule 4701-13-07 Required submission of peer review documents.	106
Rule 4701-13-08 Retention of documents relating to peer reviews.	107
Rule 4701-13-09 Peer review deficiencies; hearings.	107
OAC Chapter 4701-15 Continuing Education	108
Rule 4701-15-01 Continuing education standards.	108
Rule 4701-15-02 Continuing education requirement	108
Rule 4701-15-03 Continuing education reporting	108
Rule 4701-15-04 Measurement of continuing education credit; types of programs.	109
Rule 4701-15-05 Requirements for continuing education program acceptance	110
Rule 4701-15-06 Reduction of continuing education requirement.	111
Rule 4701-15-07 Continuing education deficiency; late filing fee.	111
Rule 4701-15-09 Converting to Ohio permit status.	112
Rule 4701-15-10 Continuing education sponsor registration.	112
Rule 4701-15-11 Required continuing education programs.	113
Rule 4701-15-12 Continuing education verification.	114
Rule 4701-15-13 Continuing education requirements of non-CPA owners.	114

Index115

Endnotes116

Course Details

Author: Beacon Hill Financial Educators

Publication/Revision Date: 4/14/2026

Course Exam Questions: 15 (multiple-choice)

Program Delivery Method: Self-Study (NASBA QAS Self-Study)

Available Formats of Course Text: Downloadable PDF, Printed/Mailed

Course Level, Prerequisites, and Advance Preparation Requirements

License	Course Level	Prerequisites	Advance Preparation Requirements
CPA	Overview	None	None

* This program is appropriate for professionals at all organizational levels.

Sponsor ID Numbers

National Registry of CPE Sponsors I.D.: 107615

State CPA Board Sponsor ID Numbers (where applicable)

Florida Division of Certified Public Accounting: 0004761

Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy: 14003

New York State Board for Public Accountancy: 002146

Ohio Accountancy Board: CPE .51 PSR

Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy: PX178025

Texas State Board of Public Accountancy: 009349

Learning Objectives

As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:

Define ethics in the context of being ethical versus acting ethically.
Identify the types of accounting services in which the fiduciary standard applies.
Recognize the circumstances under which conflicts of interest can arise when a variety of accounting services are offered by a CPA or firm.
Understand the importance of planning for the proper continuation of a practice in order to maintain quality services and protect client interests.
Recognize the primary components that serve as the foundation of the AICPA ethical standards.
Differentiate between the AICPA Principles of the Code of Professional Conduct.
Recognize the key Ohio Accounting Board laws.
Recognize the key Ohio Accounting Board rules.

Online Book, Online Exam

Hardcopy Book, Online Exam

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