Bus. & Prof. Code, § 5051

Except as provided in Sections 5052 and 5053, a person shall be deemed to be engaged in the practice of public accountancy within the meaning and intent of this chapter if they do any of the following:

(a) Hold themselves out to the public in any manner as one skilled in the knowledge, science, and practice of accounting, and as qualified and ready to render professional service as a public accountant for compensation.

(b) Maintain an office for the transaction of business as a public accountant.

(c) Offer to prospective clients to perform for compensation, or does perform on behalf of clients for compensation, professional services that involve or require an audit, examination, verification, investigation, certification, presentation, or review of financial transactions and accounting records.

(d) Prepare or certify for clients reports on audits or examinations of books or records of account, balance sheets, and other financial, accounting and related schedules, exhibits, statements, or reports that are to be used for publication, for the purpose of obtaining credit, for filing with a court of law or with any governmental agency, or for any other purpose.

(e) In general or as an incident to that work, render professional services to clients for compensation in any or all matters relating to accounting procedure and to the recording, presentation, or certification of financial information or data.

(f) Keep books, make trial balances, prepare statements, make audits, or prepare reports, all as a part of bookkeeping operations for clients.

(g) Prepare or sign, as the tax preparer, tax returns for clients.

(h) Prepare personal financial or investment plans or provide to clients products or services of others in implementation of personal financial or investment plans.

(i) Prepare management consulting services to clients.

The activities set forth in subdivisions (f) to (i), inclusive, are “public accountancy” only when performed by a certified public accountant or public accountant, as defined in this chapter.

A person is not engaged in the practice of public accountancy if the only services they engage in are those defined by subdivisions (f) to (i), inclusive, and they do not hold themselves out, solicit, or advertise for clients using the certified public accountant or public accountant designation. A person is not holding themselves out, soliciting, or advertising for clients within the meaning of this section solely by reason of displaying a CPA or PA certificate in their office or identifying themselves as a CPA or PA on other than signs, advertisements, letterhead, business cards, publications directed to clients or potential clients, or financial or tax documents of a client.