Privacy Policy

Policy Number:
#607

Effective Date:
November 22, 2022

Application:
Applies to all employees, stakeholders, individuals conducting business and all users of the Washington State Board of Accountancy’s (ACB’s) website.

Approved by:
Michael J. Paquette, CPA, Executive Director
Washington State Board of Accountancy

Purpose:

This policy establishes how the Washington State Board of Accountancy (ACB) will handle information received and the information learned about you from your visit to ACB’s website. Please be assured ACB is committed to protecting your privacy when conducting business with our agency and when visiting our website.

Please keep in mind, however, that most official business conducted with our agency is governed by Washington's Public Records Act and is subject to disclosure. Chapter 42.56 RCW

Policy Statement:

Data Collection and Use

We will collect no personal information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to give that information to us through an email message, online form, or survey. If you are conducting business with ACB, we will ask for only the information needed to complete the transaction or required by law.

When you access our website, no information that identifies you personally is automatically collected. To provide the best possible service, ACB uses software that automatically gathers and stores statistical information about how our website is being used. We do not use cookies* to track individual user visits, and the data we collect does not reveal your personal identity.

When you browse through our website, read pages, or download information, we automatically collect and store information about your visit including:

  • The date and time you visited
  • The Network address* (not your e-mail address) of your computer, tablet, or cell phone. From the Network address, it may be possible to learn the domain you use to access the Internet (such as internetserviceprovider.com, aol.com, universityxxx.edu, etc.), and also your geographic location
  • The pages you visited, or attempted to visit, and how long you spend on each page
  • The files you download from our site
  • The type of browser and operating system used to access our website
  • The address of the website you came from if you linked to our website from another website

Information on our website is considered public information. Because the content on our website is considered public information, it may be copied, downloaded, or distributed unless otherwise specified. We request that you give appropriate byline/photo/image credits.

Use of lists of individuals provided on this website for commercial purposes is prohibited under RCW 42.56.070.

If You Send Us Personal Information

You do not have to give us personal information to visit our website. Visitors to ACB’s website may decline participation in any activity that asks for personal (or any) information, such as surveys, online forms or emails. If you send us an email, your email address will normally be included as part of the message. You also may be sending us personal information (for example, your name, street address, or telephone number) in your email signature line.

In all instances, we use the information you send us only to reply to your message or to help us get the information or service you requested. As with written correspondence, we are required to save a copy of all emails sent to this office for a period of time. We do not, however, extract or compile personal information from emails sent to us unless it is needed to complete or respond to your request. We do not create individual profiles from the information you provide, nor do we collect information for commercial marketing.

Users are cautioned that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children online or by email will be treated the same as information given by an adult and may be subject to public disclosure.

Conducting Official Business

When you are conducting official business with ACB, it is important to remember that most of the information you submit is considered public record and is subject to disclosure. Individuals that provide personal information to ACB will have limited control to exclude their personal information due to the Public Disclosure Act.

Our website includes downloadable forms. By sending us these forms, you may be providing personal information. Official business with the agency may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Registration to take the CPA examination
  • Application for a CPA license
  • CPA firm registration, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, and professional service corporations
  • Renewal of a CPA certificate/license
  • Response to Board inquiry
  • Utilizing ACB’s online system through Secure Access Washington (SAW)
  • Filing a complaint in ACB’s online system

Only authorized employees have access to personal information. Access is password protected. Personal data in ACB’s possession is maintained and used in ways that respect individual privacy. ACB has provided training to its employees about the importance of protecting personal information.

For more information about open public records, visit the Washington State Office of the Attorney General’s website. The general statute governing open public records -- Chapter 42.56 RCW -- can be found on the Office of the Code Reviser's website at: http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.56

Correcting Personally Identifiable Information

You may review any personal information we collect about you. If you find factual errors in your personally identifiable information, you may correct them by sending us a written request that credibly shows the error. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.

If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when submitted, please contact us at customerservice@acb.wa.gov.

Links to Other Websites

ACB’s website contains links to other websites outside of our control. These include links to websites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses. Additionally, we link to a private website which provides free software needed to view certain types of files on our website. When you link to another website, you are no longer on ACB’s website, and this Privacy Policy will not apply. When you link to another website, you are subject to the privacy policy of the new website. We encourage you to be aware of and read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information.

Glossary

*A network address is assigned to your computer or mobile device whenever you are using the Internet. Network addresses can be IP address like this: 192.168.0.11 or like this: fc00:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:/7 or Ethernet addresses like this 00:00:00:FF:EE:11

*A Cookie is a small text file placed on your computer's hard drive at the direction of the host server of the website you are visiting. The file contains information about your visit to that site.