(a) Each person who intends to be or is engaged in the practice of public accountancy in this State, whether as a principal of a firm or an employee of a firm, shall be required to obtain and maintain a valid permit to practice public accountancy. The Board shall grant and/or renew permits to persons who make application and demonstrate their qualifications in accordance with this section.
(b) Permits shall be issued and renewed for periods of 2 years.
(c) An applicant for initial issuance of a permit under this section shall show that the applicant:
(1) Has not been convicted of a crime that is substantially related to the practice of accountancy; however, after a hearing or review of documentation demonstrating that the applicant meets the specified criteria for a waiver, the Board, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum, may waive this paragraph (c)(1) of this section, if it finds all of the following:
a. For waiver of a felony conviction, more than 5 years have elapsed since the date of the conviction. At the time of the application the applicant may not be incarcerated, on work release, on probation, on parole or serving any part of a suspended sentence and must be in substantial compliance with all court orders pertaining to fines, restitution and community service.
b. For waiver of a misdemeanor conviction or violation, at the time of the application the applicant may not be incarcerated, on work release, on probation, on parole or serving any part of a suspended sentence and must be in substantial compliance with all court orders pertaining to fines, restitution and community service.
c. The applicant is capable of practicing accountancy in a competent and professional manner.
d. The granting of the waiver will not endanger the public health, safety or welfare;
(2) Holds, at a minimum, an associate degree, conferred by an accredited college or university, or a degree from an accredited 2-year college with a concentration in accounting, or what the Board determines to be substantially the equivalent of such concentration;
(3) Has passed either all parts of the examination recognized by the National Society of Public Accountants or both the Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) and Auditing and Attestation (AUD) portions of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination;
(4) Has successfully passed the AICPA self-study course and examination in professional ethics; and
(5) Has not engaged in any acts or offenses that would be grounds for disciplinary action under this chapter and has no disciplinary proceedings or unresolved complaints pending against the applicant in any jurisdiction where the individual has been or currently holds a permit to practice. Each holder of or applicant for a permit under this section shall notify the Board in writing, within 30 days after its occurrence, of any issuance, denial, revocation or suspension of a permit by another state.
(d) An applicant for renewal of a permit under this section shall show that the applicant has completed no less than 80 hours of continuing professional education as determined by Board rule during the 2-year renewal period that has elapsed since the last biennial renewal date. If an applicant's initial permit to practice was issued less than 2 years prior to the renewal date, the applicant must fulfill the following continuing professional education requirements:
(1) No continuing education requirement if initial permit was issued less than 1 year prior to the renewal date; or
(2) A prorated continuing professional education requirement as determined by Board rule if initial permit was issued 1 year or more, but less than 2 years, prior to the renewal date.
(e) No new permits to practice public accountancy shall be issued after December 31, 2016. Applications for reciprocal public accountant permits to practice will be accepted from public accountants who hold an active public accountant permit in good standing in another jurisdiction and who relocate to Delaware and identify Delaware as their primary residence. The Board may, by rule, require continuing education as a condition to issuance of the reciprocal permit.