Confidential client information.
(1) A licensee in public practice shall not disclose any confidential client information without the specific consent of the client.
(2) This rule does not:
(a) Affect in any way the obligation of those persons to comply with a disclosure required by law or a lawfully issued subpoena or summons;
(b) Prohibit disclosures in the course of a quality review of a licensee's attest, compilation, or other reporting services governed by professional standards;
(c) Preclude those persons from responding to any inquiry made by the board or any investigative or disciplinary body established by local, state, or federal law or recognized by the board as a professional association; or Board AICPA Rules;
(d) Preclude a review of client information in conjunction with a prospective purchase, sale, or merger of all or part of the professional practice of public accounting of any such persons.
(3) It is permissible for the successor in interest of a deceased or incapacitated licensee to contract with a responsible custodian to securely store client records until such time as consent to transfer records has been obtained.
(4) For the purposes of this rule, "licensees" includes licensees, CPA firms, nonlicensee firm owners, employees of such persons, out-of-state individuals with practice privileges under RCW
18.04.350(2), and out-of-state firms permitted to offer or render certain professional services in this state under the conditions prescribed in RCW
18.04.195.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
18.04.055. WSR 23-04-088, § 4-30-050, filed 1/31/23, effective 3/3/23. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.04.055 and 2017 c 304. WSR 18-04-071, § 4-30-050, filed 2/2/18, effective 3/5/18. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.04.055(2),
18.04.405(1). WSR 13-04-011, § 4-30-050, filed 1/25/13, effective 2/25/13. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.04.055(2),
18.04.390 (4)(b), and
18.04.405(1). WSR 11-06-062, amended and recodified as § 4-30-050, filed 3/2/11, effective 4/2/11; WSR 08-18-016, § 4-25-640, filed 8/25/08, effective 9/25/08; WSR 05-01-137, § 4-25-640, filed 12/16/04, effective 1/31/05; WSR 03-24-033, § 4-25-640, filed 11/25/03, effective 12/31/03. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.04.055(2). WSR 02-22-082, § 4-25-640, filed 11/5/02, effective 12/31/02. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.40.055 [
18.04.055]. WSR 93-22-046, § 4-25-640, filed 10/28/93, effective 11/28/93.]