<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<chapter num="06" heading="Peer Review" title_num="09" subtitle_num="24">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Scope.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>A firm that provides any of the services described in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-04, Annotated Code of Maryland, shall be required to undergo, at least once every 3 years, a peer review as a condition of permit renewal.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>A licensee who provides any of the services described in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-04, Annotated Code of Maryland, in a firm holding a permit issued by the Board is not required to undergo a separate peer review as a condition for license renewal.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>A licensee who provides any of the services described in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-04, Annotated Code of Maryland, other than in a firm holding a permit issued by the Board, shall be required to undergo, at least once every 3 years, a peer review as a condition of license renewal.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>For purposes of this requirement, firms or licensees that only provide compilation services to clients for management use only, the products of which are not disclosed to third parties, are not required to have a peer review as described in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-02, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Requirements for Peer Reviews.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>In order to qualify for purposes of license or permit renewal, a peer review shall be conducted in an approved peer review program in accordance with:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The Standards for Performing and Reporting on Peer Reviews of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>An equivalent set of standards approved by the Board.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The Board shall maintain on its website a list of all approved peer review programs and standards.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>To the extent that there is any conflict between any peer review standards approved by the Board and Maryland law or regulations, Maryland law and regulations shall prevail.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Requirements for Peer Reviewers.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Approval by the Board.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Before conducting a peer review, an individual shall be approved by the Board.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>An individual seeking Board approval as a peer reviewer shall file an application on a form provided by the Board.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>An individual who is authorized as a peer reviewer by a program approved by the Board shall be provisionally approved by the Board pending verification of the individual's qualifications.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>The Board shall approve an individual it considers qualified to conduct peer reviews.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>In order to receive and maintain approval as a peer reviewer from the Board, an individual shall comply with the requirements set forth in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-05, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>The Board may revoke its approval of a peer reviewer for the reasons set forth in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-05(g), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>A peer reviewer shall conduct a peer review intended to satisfy the requirement set forth in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-02, Annotated Code of Maryland, in accordance with a peer review program approved by the Board.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Peer Review Reporting.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>An approved peer review program shall notify the Board upon completion of a peer review within that program that is intended to satisfy the peer review requirements of the Maryland Public Accountancy Law.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>A peer reviewer shall ensure that a copy of the report of findings is provided to the Board only under the circumstances set forth in Business Occupations and Professions Article, §2-4A-05(e), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Business Occupations and Professions Article, §§2-207 and 2-4A-01—2-4A-06, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: October 9, 2006 (33:20 Md. R. 1615)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>