Peer Review

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Recognizing the public’s interest in reliable financial statements and the importance the public attaches to reports by CPAs on those statements, the AICPA requires its member firms, engaged in the practice of public accounting, to undergo a peer review (a periodic outside review of a firm’s quality control system in accounting and auditing).

The WV Board of Accountancy (WV BOA) requires that all firms (including sole practitioners) who wish to retain their authorization to perform attest services provide them with proof of enrollment in an approved peer review program. Attest services include issuing audits, reviews or compilations.

The West Virginia Society of CPAs administers the peer reviews in the state of West Virginia, under the AICPA Standards for Performing and Reporting on Peer Reviews, regardless of whether or not a firm is a member of the AICPA or WVSCPA.

Peer Review Alliance

The AICPA administers the overall peer review program with the help of local administering entities like the Peer Review Alliance (formerly Illinois CPA Society Peer Review Program). The Peer Review Alliance administers reviews for firms licensed in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin not covered by the AICPA. The program helps individuals and firms find qualified peer reviewers, schedules reviews, and assists firms and reviewers with the peer review process. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section below includes more information about peer review.

Access The Illinois CPA Society Peer Review Pages 

Recognizing the public’s interest in reliable financial statements and the importance the public attaches to reports by CPAs on those statements, the AICPA requires its member firms, engaged in the practice of public accounting, to undergo a peer review (a periodic outside review of a firm’s quality control system in accounting and auditing).

The WV Board of Accountancy (WV BOA) requires that all firms (including sole practitioners) who wish to retain their authorization to perform attest services provide them with proof of enrollment in an approved peer review program. Attest services include issuing audits, reviews or compilations.

The program is designed to be educational for firms and sole practitioners engaged in public accounting to further enhance the quality in their performance of accounting and auditing work. The program also allows for firms and sole practitioners to communicate with their fellow peers on the objectives of the accounting profession.

Peer Review Alliance Administration

Effective June 1, 2017, the WVSCPA Board of Directors has outsourced the administration of the peer review program for WV firms to the Illinois CPA Society.

Effective July 1, 2018, we are changing the name of our program to Peer Review Alliance and the name of our peer review committee to Peer Review Alliance Report Acceptance Committee.

Mandatory Peer Review

West Virginia Code Section 30-9-19 requires that all firms and sole practitioners who provide attest services or compilation services or both must undergo a peer review program that conforms with applicable rules.

The WV BOA accepts the peer review program offered by the AICPA or any other peer review program that the Board deems comparable in terms of quality, thoroughness and reliability to the AICPA peer review program.

We’re Here to Help, Contact Us

Our goal is to help the reviewed firm and the reviewers, therefore for questions, comments, and/or feedback: 

General Email: peerreview@icpas.org
General Phone:800-993-0407, then dial 6

If you have general questions regarding the peer review program, please contact Paul Pierson at 312-517-7610 or piersonp@icpas.org.

You may also contact the AICPA at 919-402-4502 or prsupport@aicpa.org, or the WV Board of Accountancy at 304-558-3557 or via email at https://www.boa.wv.gov/contact.

For more information regarding the Peer Review Program, please visit the Illinois CPA Society website at http://www.icpas.org/advocacy/peer-review.

Illinois Society of CPAs Contacts