How To Register To Be A Tax Preparer

How to Become a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP)

It's important for professional person revenue enhancement preparers in California to follow the land guidelines, which include the requirement that tax preparers register with the California Tax Educational activity Council (CTEC). If you want to become a revenue enhancement professional in the State of California, you will need to consummate a CTEC Qualifying Education tax grade and then register with CTEC to become a CTEC-Registered Revenue enhancement Preparer (CRTP).

In this article, nosotros talk over the steps required to register with CTEC, who is required and who is not required to register with CTEC, the substantial penalties for tax preparers who practice not annals with CTEC, and finally how to have your CTEC Qualifying Education (QE) class and go a CTEC-Registered Revenue enhancement Preparer.

4 Steps to Becoming a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP)

If you are seeking to register for the first time as a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer (CTRP), there are a few steps yous will need to take. We've summarized what you lot need to practise to register with CTEC and becoming a professional tax preparer in California with the following 4 steps:

Consummate a sixty-hour CTEC Qualifying Education (QE) course inside eighteen months of when yous register with CTEC.
Buy a $five,000 tax preparer bail.
Obtain a Preparer Taxation Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS.
Annals with CTEC and submit the $33 registration fee to CTEC online.

In order to register with CTEC, potential tax preparers must also at present 1) pass a criminal background cheque; and 2) submit fingerprint images to CTEC for submission to the Department of Justice. After everything has been verified and finalized, CTEC volition issue yous a Certificate of Completion forth with an identification card that will take your name, CTEC number, and the electric current year. After that, you volition exist a CTEC-Registered Taxation Preparer (CRTP).

Who Needs to Register With CTEC?

What types of tax preparers need to register with CTEC? The answer is anyone who assists with or prepares state or federal income tax returns, in exchange for a fee, and isn't an exempt preparer. All of the following individuals in California would demand to register with CTEC:

Tax preparers who take income revenue enhancement information and are not on the exempt list (run across below)
Individuals who work for an exempt tax preparer but are not exempt themselves and who sign the income tax return
If the individual does non sign the revenue enhancement return, they are not required to annals
Individuals who work for a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP) and who take income tax data from a client
Individuals who work for a CRTP and who enter taxation information into a computer but who accept no contact with clients are non required to register with CTEC
Inactive CPAs or non-California CPAs who prepare taxation returns in California

If you want to be a professional revenue enhancement preparer in California and don't fall in any of the exempt categories listed below, information technology's time to accept the steps to go a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer!

Who Is Exempt from Registering With CTEC?

California law requires individuals who prepares tax returns in exchange for payment to register as a professional revenue enhancement preparer with CTEC. Some professionals are exempt from this requirement. Exempt taxation preparers who practice non demand to register with CTEC include:

California CPAs (Certified Public Accountants)
Enrolled Agents (EAs)
Attorneys who are members of the California State Bar
Certain specified cyberbanking or trust officials

What Are the Penalties for Not Registering With CTEC?

If yous are non on this list of exempt tax preparers, you lot are required to annals with CTEC in order to prepare tax returns in California in exchange for fees. The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has authority to penalize tax preparers who are not CTEC-Registered Revenue enhancement Preparers. The penalties for non registering with CTEC include:

First failure to register: $2,500 fine
Continued failure to register: $5,000 fine

Clients likewise have the ability to confidentially study not-compliant taxation preparers in California. If you are required to register with CTEC in California, it is in your all-time interest to consummate your registration.

CTEC License, Certification or Registration?

Many people search online for how to obtain a CTEC license — merely the term "CTEC license" is non technically correct. The term "CTEC certification" is non right either. CTEC actually doesn't issue any licenses or certifications. Technically, tax preparers are registered with CTEC. The misuse of these iii terms is mutual but understandable.

If y'all are looking for how to get your CTEC "license", you really desire to learn how to register with CTEC and become a CRTP (CTEC-Registered Taxation Preparer).

Where Practice I Take My CTEC Qualifying Education (QE) Course?

WebCE is a CTEC-approved education provider, and we are proud to offer the CTEC Qualifying Instruction (QE) Grade online! WebCE is consistently the tiptop online resource for online professional certification and continuing educational activity courses. With WebCE's CTEC QE course and written report aids, you tin can quickly go a CTEC-Registered Tax Preparer in California, even with no prior revenue enhancement experience. Afterward you've registered with CTEC, you tin can also utilise WebCE's convenient platform to consummate your CTEC Continuing Education (CE) besides!

Why Choose WebCE for CTEC Qualifying Education?

Why choose WebCE over other pedagogy providers? WebCE has been in the business for over 20 years, and we continually offering higher quality education at more affordable prices on a more than convenient platform. WebCE'south CTEC Qualifying Education course besides has the following features:

Graphics & Visual Aids
Real Life, Applied Examples
Ability to Save & Go out Exams
Adjustable Fonts to Make Reading Easier
Take the Course at Your Own Pace!

If you want to be a professional tax preparer in California, WebCE makes taking your CTEC course and completing your CTEC registration as easy as possible. Get started today with WebCE's CTEC 60-60 minutes Qualifying Pedagogy Course!

CTEC Qualifying Teaching