---
title: "Hiring an Online or Out-of-State Tax Preparer as a Californian: What to Check | TaxPros of CA"
description: "Out-of-state tax preparers generally don't need CTEC registration. How Californians can verify an online or remote preparer before sharing any documents."
image: "https://taxprosofca.com/wp-content/uploads/logo.png"
---

# Hiring an Online or Out-of-State Tax Preparer as a Californian: What to Check

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If you live in California and hire a tax preparer who works from another state, that preparer generally does not need CTEC registration. CTEC’s own FAQ answers the question “If I live outside of California, can I prepare California tax returns without a CTEC registration?” with “Yes,” because California’s law covers people preparing returns for a fee within the state. That changes how you verify them. The CTEC lookup will not find an out-of-state preparer, so the checks shift to IRS records and the regulator in the preparer’s own state. This guide sets out what to confirm before you upload a single document to a remote preparer.

**Scope:** based on CTEC and IRS pages checked in November 2026, ahead of the 2027 filing season for tax year 2026 returns. TaxProsOfCA.com is not a tax firm and gives no tax or legal advice; questions about whether a specific arrangement needs California registration go to CTEC.

## Where California’s rule stops

Inside California, CTEC states that only CPAs and their employees, State Bar attorneys, CTEC-registered tax preparers (CRTPs) and IRS enrolled agents may prepare returns for a fee. CTEC’s [FAQ page](https://ctec.org/faqs/) explains that the law “is limited to overseeing tax preparers who are preparing state and federal tax returns for a fee within the State of California.” A preparer physically located elsewhere falls outside that registration program.

Two consequences follow for you as the client:

- **The CTEC search will come up empty.** CTEC says its Verify a Tax Preparer tool “does not verify tax preparers licensed or registered in other states.”
- **The California surety bond will not be there.** CTEC says CRTPs are the only tax professionals in California required to maintain a $5,000 surety bond. A preparer outside the CTEC program has no CTEC bond for you to claim against.

The situation is less clear when someone advertises as California-based but works remotely, or splits time between states. If the preparer says they are in California, they should be able to show a California credential. If the location is unclear, CTEC is the body to ask.

## What to verify instead

CTEC’s advice for out-of-state preparers is to “contact that state’s appropriate regulatory agency or use applicable IRS verification resources.” In practice, that means three checks.

### 1. The federal baseline: a PTIN and a signature

The IRS says anyone can be a paid preparer as long as they have a Preparer Tax Identification Number, and that a paid preparer must sign the return and include that PTIN. This is the same for a preparer next door or across the country. Ask for the full legal name and PTIN in writing.

### 2. The credential, through the IRS directory

The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications, linked from the IRS page on [choosing a tax professional](https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional), lists preparers who hold IRS-recognized credentials, including CPAs, enrolled agents and attorneys, or who hold an Annual Filing Season Program record of completion. Enrolled agents are licensed federally, so an EA’s status does not depend on any state. The site’s guide to [using the IRS preparer directory](https://taxprosofca.com/using-the-irs-directory-of-federal-tax-return-preparers-to-find-help-in-california/) explains what a listing does and does not tell you.

### 3. The home-state license, for CPAs and attorneys

A CPA’s license is issued by a state board, and an attorney’s by a state bar. For an out-of-state CPA or attorney, check the license with the board or bar in the state they name. For a California CPA, the site’s walkthrough on [verifying a CPA’s licence in California](https://taxprosofca.com/how-to-verify-a-cpas-licence-in-california-step-by-step/) covers the Board of Accountancy lookup.

## What a remote preparer should still provide

Distance does not relax the federal duties. Under [26 U.S.C. § 6107](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6107), the preparer must furnish a completed copy of your return no later than when it is presented for your signature. If they e-file, the Form 8879 instructions say they must receive your signed e-file authorization before transmitting, and must confirm your identity. Remote signing is allowed: the instructions accept electronic signatures where the software supports them and delivery by email, internet website or fax.

Ask how the preparer will handle your California return specifically. A preparer who mostly serves clients in a state without an income tax may have less day-to-day exposure to Franchise Tax Board rules, so it is fair to ask how many California returns they prepare and whether they will sign the California return as well as the federal one.

## Red flags that matter more at a distance

With an online preparer, you lose the visual checks: no office, no certificate on the wall, no handshake. That puts more weight on what can be verified on paper. The IRS and CTEC warning signs apply with extra force:

- No verifiable full name, PTIN or credential, only a business name and a messaging app
- A fee based on a percentage of the refund, which IRS Topic No. 254 tells taxpayers to avoid
- A request to deposit your refund into the preparer’s account
- Pressure to sign the e-file authorization before you have seen the full return
- No physical business address or year-round contact details, which CTEC suggests asking about

Job seekers learn similar habits when an employer claims to be remote; this piece on [testing whether a remote arrangement is what it claims](https://alljobboard.com/remote-job-really-remote/) describes the same instinct to verify location and identity before trusting an online relationship.

## If something goes wrong

For an out-of-state preparer, complaints go to the IRS and to the regulator in the preparer’s state. The IRS accepts complaints about preparer misconduct through its online process, which leads to Form 14157, and through Form 14157-A when a preparer altered a return, misdirected a refund or filed without your consent. If an EA is involved, CTEC’s FAQ points complaints about enrolled agents to the IRS. If the person turns out to be working in California without a credential, CTEC says reports about unregistered preparers go to the Franchise Tax Board.

## A quick checklist

1. Where is the preparer physically located while preparing your return?
2. What is their full legal name and PTIN?
3. Which credential do they hold, and which agency confirms it?
4. Will they sign both your federal and California returns?
5. How will you receive a complete copy of each return?
6. How is the fee calculated, and where will your refund go?

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does an out-of-state tax preparer need CTEC registration?

CTEC’s FAQ says a person living outside California can prepare California returns without CTEC registration, because the law covers preparers working for a fee within California.

### Can I use the CTEC lookup to check an online preparer?

Only if they are a CTEC registrant. CTEC says its tool does not verify preparers licensed or registered in other states.

### Is an enrolled agent from another state allowed to do my California return?

Enrolled agents are credentialed by the IRS, and CTEC lists enrolled agents among those exempt from CTEC registration. Confirm the EA’s status through the IRS directory.

### Do national online tax services count as out-of-state preparers?

It depends on who actually prepares your return and where they are. Ask the service for the name, PTIN and credential of the individual preparer and where they are located.

### What protection do I lose with a preparer outside California?

Mainly the CTEC-specific safeguards: the state registration check, the CTEC continuing education requirement and the $5,000 CRTP surety bond. Federal rules on signing, PTINs and copies of your return still apply.

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