The California Board of Accountancy has mailed its first peer review letters to all California CPAs with license numbers ending in 01-33, reminding them that they must complete peer review, if required, and report it to the Board no later than July 1, 2011.

The reporting dates for other license numbers will be:

• 34-66: July 1, 2012
• 67-00: July 1, 2013

The first peer review will apply to engagements performed after January 1, 2010, regardless of reporting date.

Although the requirement to undergo peer review applies only to firms, including sole proprietorships, all licensees are required to respond even if only to inform the Board that they are not operating as a sole proprietor and, therefore not subject to peer review. In addition, all licensees must respond if only to inform the Board that they don’t perform services subject to peer review.

All firms performing auditing and accounting work are subject to peer review except those whose only accounting work is subject to inspection by the PCAOB and those whose highest level of accounting work is “management only” reports under SSARS 8. Those whose highest level of work is compilations are subject.

Licensees will be able to sign up online using a user name and password supplied in the letter.