The Montana Department of Labor & Industry and Professional and Occupational Licensing Boards are charged with taking appropriate action for unprofessional, incompetent, or unlawful practice. To learn more about the complaint process or to file a complaint, please visit our Complaint Information page.
Department of Labor & Industry - Business Standards Division
PO Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620-0513
For more information, contact DLI Business Standards Division at 406-841-2300
This process is used for the Boards that are administered in the Business Standards Division.
The various Programs administered in the Division use a similar process.
IMPORTANT
When filing or responding to a complaint, be as thorough as possible. You may attach additional documents to the complaint form to ensure that all pertinent information has been included. The Screening Panel meeting is NOT a hearing, but is a time for the panel to consider the complaint and response. Attendance is your choice. If you attend the panel may ask additional questions. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend.
The Compliance Office will send a letter of acknowledgment to the person who filed the complaint (Complainant), and a letter requesting a response (with a copy of the complaint) to the licensee against whom the complaint was filed.
The Licensee may submit a written response addressing the complaint to the Compliance Office. The process continues whether or not a response is submitted. The Complainant is not entitled to a copy of the response.
The Compliance Office will notify the Licensee and Complainant regarding the date and time of any meeting during which the case will be discussed.
Complaints remain confidential unless a Notice of Proposed Board Action is issued, which is a public document along with all subsequent legal filings.
Closed Meeting - During a Closed Meeting only the Licensee, the Complainant, and/or attorneys for either can be in attendance. Minutes of Closed Meetings are not public documents.
Open Meeting - A public meeting which anyone can attend. The minutes of Open meetings are public documents and made available online via the specific Board’s webpage.
(Adjudication Panel meetings are usually open.)
Individuals may attend a meeting in person or by telephone. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend the meeting.
A committee comprised of members of the Board. The Screening Panel’s function is to determine the preliminary action(s) to take on a complaint. Possible preliminary actions include dismissal, investigation, or a finding of Reasonable Cause.
The complaint and response (if any) are submitted to the Screening Panel members. The Screening Panel meeting is not a hearing, but rather a committee meeting to review and discuss the complaint and response to determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
If the Screening Panel dismisses a complaint, the complaint can be dismissed with or without prejudice (see definitions below).
Dismissal With Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed and cannot be considered by the Screening Panel in the future.
Dismissal Without Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed but may be considered by the Screening Panel in the future if there are ever allegations of a similar nature.
A finding by the Screening Panel that evidence exists that a violation of statutes and rules has occurred which warrants proceeding with disciplinary action.
If Reasonable Cause is found, the Department Counsel issues a Notice of Proposed Board Action (Notice) to the Licensee. Once a Notice is issued, it is public information. A proposed Stipulation may be included with the Notice.
Notice - A legal document from the Department’s Legal Counsel which sets forth the Department’s factual assertions, the statutes or rules relied upon, and advising the licensee of the right to a hearing.
Stipulation - A tentative agreement for settlement of the case. A Stipulation is not finalized until approved by the Adjudication Panel.
The Licensee may either sign the Stipulation or contest the proposed action by requesting an administrativeHearing (a legal process before a Hearing Examiner). If the Licensee wishes to request a hearing, written request must be received within twenty (20) days from receipt of the Notice. Failure to either sign a Stipulation or request a hearing within twenty (20) days may result in the issuing of a Final Order of Default against the licensee.
Default - the licensee’s acceptance of the disciplinary action demonstrated by failing to participate in the process
A committee comprised of members of the Board who are NOT on the Screening Panel. The Adjudication Panel determines the final outcome of a case.
The Adjudication Panel reviews the record to determine appropriate sanctions. A Final Order is issued by the Adjudication Panel, completing the complaint process.
This process is used for the Boards that are administered in the Business Standards Division.
The various Programs administered in the Division use a similar process.
IMPORTANT
When filing or responding to a complaint, be as thorough as possible. You may attach additional documents to the complaint form to ensure that all pertinent information has been included. The Screening Panel meeting is NOT a hearing, but is a time for the panel to consider the complaint and response. Attendance is your choice. If you attend the panel may ask additional questions. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend.
The Compliance Office will send a letter of acknowledgment to the person who filed the complaint (Complainant), and a letter requesting a response (with a copy of the complaint) to the licensee against whom the complaint was filed.
The Licensee may submit a written response addressing the complaint to the Compliance Office. The process continues whether or not a response is submitted. The Complainant is not entitled to a copy of the response.
The Compliance Office will notify the Licensee and Complainant regarding the date and time of any meeting during which the case will be discussed.
Complaints remain confidential unless a Notice of Proposed Board Action is issued, which is a public document along with all subsequent legal filings.
Closed Meeting - During a Closed Meeting only the Licensee, the Complainant, and/or attorneys for either can be in attendance. Minutes of Closed Meetings are not public documents.
Open Meeting - A public meeting which anyone can attend. The minutes of Open meetings are public documents and made available online via the specific Board’s webpage.
(Adjudication Panel meetings are usually open.)
Individuals may attend a meeting in person or by telephone. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend the meeting.
A committee comprised of members of the Board. The Screening Panel’s function is to determine the preliminary action(s) to take on a complaint. Possible preliminary actions include dismissal, investigation, or a finding of Reasonable Cause.
The complaint and response (if any) are submitted to the Screening Panel members. The Screening Panel meeting is not a hearing, but rather a committee meeting to review and discuss the complaint and response to determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
If the Screening Panel dismisses a complaint, the complaint can be dismissed with or without prejudice (see definitions below).
Dismissal With Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed and cannot be considered by the Screening Panel in the future.
Dismissal Without Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed but may be considered by the Screening Panel in the future if there are ever allegations of a similar nature.
A finding by the Screening Panel that evidence exists that a violation of statutes and rules has occurred which warrants proceeding with disciplinary action.
If Reasonable Cause is found, the Department Counsel issues a Notice of Proposed Board Action (Notice) to the Licensee. Once a Notice is issued, it is public information. A proposed Stipulation may be included with the Notice.
Notice - A legal document from the Department’s Legal Counsel which sets forth the Department’s factual assertions, the statutes or rules relied upon, and advising the licensee of the right to a hearing.
Stipulation - A tentative agreement for settlement of the case. A Stipulation is not finalized until approved by the Adjudication Panel.
The Licensee may either sign the Stipulation or contest the proposed action by requesting an administrativeHearing (a legal process before a Hearing Examiner). If the Licensee wishes to request a hearing, written request must be received within twenty (20) days from receipt of the Notice. Failure to either sign a Stipulation or request a hearing within twenty (20) days may result in the issuing of a Final Order of Default against the licensee.
Default - the licensee’s acceptance of the disciplinary action demonstrated by failing to participate in the process
A committee comprised of members of the Board who are NOT on the Screening Panel. The Adjudication Panel determines the final outcome of a case.
The Adjudication Panel reviews the record to determine appropriate sanctions. A Final Order is issued by the Adjudication Panel, completing the complaint process.
There are THREE Types of Licensure Verification Requests:
1). Licensees for any profession can be verified by using LicenseLookup.mt.gov
This website provides real-time connectivity to the Business Standards Licensing Database. There is no charge for this service.
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2). An individual may request licensure information directly from the board or program email link. The email should include first and last name, address, city, state, license number and any other type of identifying information. There is no charge for this service.
A response should occur within 3 days of receipt.
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IMPORTANT
When filing or responding to a complaint, be as thorough as possible. You may attach additional documents to the complaint form to ensure that all pertinent information has been included. The Screening Panel meeting is NOT a hearing, but is a time for the panel to consider the complaint and response. Attendance is your choice. If you attend the panel may ask additional questions. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend.
The Compliance Office will send a letter of acknowledgment to the person who filed the complaint (Complainant), and a letter requesting a response (with a copy of the complaint) to the licensee against whom the complaint was filed.
The Licensee may submit a written response addressing the complaint to the Compliance Office. The process continues whether or not a response is submitted. The Complainant is not entitled to a copy of the response.
The Compliance Office will notify the Licensee and Complainant regarding the date and time of any meeting during which the case will be discussed.
Complaints remain confidential unless a Notice of Proposed Board Action is issued, which is a public document along with all subsequent legal filings.
Closed Meeting - During a Closed Meeting only the Licensee, the Complainant, and/or attorneys for either can be in attendance. Minutes of Closed Meetings are not public documents.
Open Meeting - A public meeting which anyone can attend. The minutes of Open meetings are public documents and made available online via the specific Board’s webpage.
(Adjudication Panel meetings are usually open.)
Individuals may attend a meeting in person or by telephone. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend the meeting.
A committee comprised of members of the Board. The Screening Panel’s function is to determine the preliminary action(s) to take on a complaint. Possible preliminary actions include dismissal, investigation, or a finding of Reasonable Cause.
The complaint and response (if any) are submitted to the Screening Panel members. The Screening Panel meeting is not a hearing, but rather a committee meeting to review and discuss the complaint and response to determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
If the Screening Panel dismisses a complaint, the complaint can be dismissed with or without prejudice (see definitions below).
Dismissal With Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed and cannot be considered by the Screening Panel in the future.
Dismissal Without Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed but may be considered by the Screening Panel in the future if there are ever allegations of a similar nature.
A finding by the Screening Panel that evidence exists that a violation of statutes and rules has occurred which warrants proceeding with disciplinary action.
If Reasonable Cause is found, the Department Counsel issues a Notice of Proposed Board Action (Notice) to the Licensee. Once a Notice is issued, it is public information. A proposed Stipulation may be included with the Notice.
Notice - A legal document from the Department’s Legal Counsel which sets forth the Department’s factual assertions, the statutes or rules relied upon, and advising the licensee of the right to a hearing.
Stipulation - A tentative agreement for settlement of the case. A Stipulation is not finalized until approved by the Adjudication Panel.
The Licensee may either sign the Stipulation or contest the proposed action by requesting an administrativeHearing (a legal process before a Hearing Examiner). If the Licensee wishes to request a hearing, written request must be received within twenty (20) days from receipt of the Notice. Failure to either sign a Stipulation or request a hearing within twenty (20) days may result in the issuing of a Final Order of Default against the licensee.
Default - the licensee’s acceptance of the disciplinary action demonstrated by failing to participate in the process
A committee comprised of members of the Board who are NOT on the Screening Panel. The Adjudication Panel determines the final outcome of a case.
The Adjudication Panel reviews the record to determine appropriate sanctions. A Final Order is issued by the Adjudication Panel, completing the complaint process.
This site is a primary source for verification of license credentials.
The Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division, presents Licensee Lookup information as a service to the public. The Division relies upon information provided by licensees to be true and correct, as required by statute. It is an act of unprofessional conduct for a licensee knowingly to provide erroneous information to the Division.
The Department of Labor and Industry makes no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content of this website. Assessing the accuracy and reliability of information obtained from this website is solely the responsibility of the user. If you have questions regarding information found within this Licensee Lookup website, please contact the specific licensing board directly.
Please note that some disciplinary actions against licensees may not appear immediately on the website. Appeals, effective dates of orders and other administrative processes may delay posting on the website. Please contact the specific licensing board directly if you require discipline information that occurred prior to July 1, 1996.
IMPORTANT
When filing or responding to a complaint, be as thorough as possible. You may attach additional documents to the complaint form to ensure that all pertinent information has been included. The Screening Panel meeting is NOT a hearing, but is a time for the panel to consider the complaint and response. Attendance is your choice. If you attend the panel may ask additional questions. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend.
The Compliance Office will send a letter of acknowledgment to the person who filed the complaint (Complainant), and a letter requesting a response (with a copy of the complaint) to the licensee against whom the complaint was filed.
The Licensee may submit a written response addressing the complaint to the Compliance Office. The process continues whether or not a response is submitted. The Complainant is not entitled to a copy of the response.
The Compliance Office will notify the Licensee and Complainant regarding the date and time of any meeting during which the case will be discussed.
Complaints remain confidential unless a Notice of Proposed Board Action is issued, which is a public document along with all subsequent legal filings.
Closed Meeting - During a Closed Meeting only the Licensee, the Complainant, and/or attorneys for either can be in attendance. Minutes of Closed Meetings are not public documents.
Open Meeting - A public meeting which anyone can attend. The minutes of Open meetings are public documents and made available online via the specific Board’s webpage.
(Adjudication Panel meetings are usually open.)
Individuals may attend a meeting in person or by telephone. Please notify this office prior to the meeting if you plan to attend the meeting.
A committee comprised of members of the Board. The Screening Panel’s function is to determine the preliminary action(s) to take on a complaint. Possible preliminary actions include dismissal, investigation, or a finding of Reasonable Cause.
The complaint and response (if any) are submitted to the Screening Panel members. The Screening Panel meeting is not a hearing, but rather a committee meeting to review and discuss the complaint and response to determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
If the Screening Panel dismisses a complaint, the complaint can be dismissed with or without prejudice (see definitions below).
Dismissal With Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed and cannot be considered by the Screening Panel in the future.
Dismissal Without Prejudice - The complaint is dismissed but may be considered by the Screening Panel in the future if there are ever allegations of a similar nature.
A finding by the Screening Panel that evidence exists that a violation of statutes and rules has occurred which warrants proceeding with disciplinary action.
If Reasonable Cause is found, the Department Counsel issues a Notice of Proposed Board Action (Notice) to the Licensee. Once a Notice is issued, it is public information. A proposed Stipulation may be included with the Notice.
Notice - A legal document from the Department’s Legal Counsel which sets forth the Department’s factual assertions, the statutes or rules relied upon, and advising the licensee of the right to a hearing.
Stipulation - A tentative agreement for settlement of the case. A Stipulation is not finalized until approved by the Adjudication Panel.
The Licensee may either sign the Stipulation or contest the proposed action by requesting an administrativeHearing (a legal process before a Hearing Examiner). If the Licensee wishes to request a hearing, written request must be received within twenty (20) days from receipt of the Notice. Failure to either sign a Stipulation or request a hearing within twenty (20) days may result in the issuing of a Final Order of Default against the licensee.
Default - the licensee’s acceptance of the disciplinary action demonstrated by failing to participate in the process
A committee comprised of members of the Board who are NOT on the Screening Panel. The Adjudication Panel determines the final outcome of a case.
The Adjudication Panel reviews the record to determine appropriate sanctions. A Final Order is issued by the Adjudication Panel, completing the complaint process.
Per page | $0.35. (Staff time spent on copying is included in the per-page charge.) |
Records recalled from offsite storage | Actual cost |
Staff time to prepare materials for copying | $17.83 per hour1 |
If the request is for an extraordinarily large volume of printed material, the Department may have copies made by Print and Mail Services. | Actual cost |
1Based on mid-point 2016 salary survey for Band 3 Administrative Assistant
Staff time for copying electronic files | $17.83 per hour after first half hour1 |
Electronic media | Actual cost |
Mainframe and mid-tier processing charges, including processing time, transmission time, and report writing charges | Actual cost |
1Based on mid-point 2016 salary survey for Band 3 Administrative Assistant
Legal review and/or redaction of information | $66.26 per hour after first half hour2 |
2Based on mid-point 2016 salary survey for Band 8 Attorney
Custom computer programming by non-SITSD employee | $31.95 per hour after first half hour3 |
Research and/or analysis whether involving paper or electronic records | $30.38 per hour after first half hour4 |
E-mail export | $127.78/hour |
Other State Information Technology Services Division services | At cost per rate schedule. See http://sitsdservicecatalog.mt.gov/Services |
3Based on mid-point 2016 salary survey for Band 6 Computer Programmer
4Based on mid-point 2016 salary survey for Band 6 Management Analyst
Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation in Montana, all Montana Department of Labor & Industry offices are closed to the public to protect the health and safety of our clients and staff. Our services are available through remote delivery. We are available to assist customers through our online public portal at EBIZ.MT.GOV/POL (Professional and Occupational Licenses) and EBIZ.MT.GOV (for Permits). For other services, please contact us via email at DLIBSDWEBHELP@MT.GOV or by phone (406) 841-2300.
NTS Extensions - All candidates with NTS expirations between April 1 – December 30, 2020 will be extended until December 31, 2020.
Conditional Exam Credit expiring between April 1 - December 30, 2020 will be extended until December 31, 2020. If you require an extension beyond December 31, 2020, you will need to make a request and the Board will consider those requrests on a case by case basis.
The Montana Board of Public Accountants, in cooperation with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) is offering the CPE Audit Service platform for all Montana CPAs. The CPE Audit Service is available for your use to track and store all of your CPE records in one location, review your ongoing compliance with the CPE requirements of the Board as you complete CPE, and submit CPE records and documentation in response to a CPE Audit by the Board.
Once you have accessed the account for the first time, please visit the “Help” menu for video tutorials that focus on commonly used functionality within the site.
All active permit holders are required to maintain 120 hours of CPE, including 50% technical subjects including two hours of ethics, to maintain an active license. The basic requirement must be completed between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020. If you are selected for random audit you must report your CPE and attach acceptable documentation using the CPE tracking system.
Basic CPE requirements are 120 hours of CPE and must include a minimum of 50% (60 hours) of technical subjects as defined by board rule. The mandatory 2 hours of ethics are included in the technical subjects.
New licensees must meet the basic CPE requirement by December 31 of the third year following their initial year of licensing. As an example, if an individual receives their initial Montana CPA license in 2020, they must meet the basic CPE requirement between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023.
All firms must enroll in a board-approved peer review program if they perform any of the following services:
The initial peer review is due 18 months from the date of enrollment, or the date the firm should have been enrolled (date began providing services).
A board-approved peer review program is a program the where the administering entity administers the AICPA peer review program. Currently the Nevada Society of CPAs administers the peer review program for Montana firms.
As a sole practitioner do you have a plan in place to ensure that your clients’ services and your employees’ salaries will continue if you becoming incapacitated or die? What about safeguarding your client records?
NASBA and AICPA have recently completed the document Practice Continuation Agreements: A Practice Survival Kit to help practitioners develop a succession plan. A practice continuation agreement is a contract that ensures your practice is transferred to another CPA firm or individual in the event of your disability to death.
While there is no requirement for such an agreement, the Board of Public Accountants recommends you consider addressing the issues surrounding the continuation of your practice or who will handle its closure.