extension request


About extensions and due dates

To avoid receiving an overdue letter from NEPR, remember to schedule sufficient time to complete your peer review before your due date. The due date is the date by which the reviewer's working papers and report, and the firm's letter of response, if applicable, must be submitted to NEPR. If, despite your best efforts, you need an extension of time and have sufficient reason as outlined below it must be requested in writing at least 60 days prior to your due date to be granted. Extensions will not be granted if your review is already overdue.

If granted you will receive a written approval. Unless there are EXTREME circumstances,  the extension will not go beyond 90 days of the original due date. An extension may potentially be granted if:

  • The firm is a new firm as a result of a merger or dissolution is imminent.
  • The firm needs a few months to complete a major engagement (1 to 2 months)
  • The firm is unable to have the review because of an absence, loss or turnover of personnel significant to the conduct of the review (applicable only to the smaller firms).
  • The firm's records or offices have been severely damaged or destroyed because of a natural catastrophe.
  • The firm needs more time because it has selected a reviewer that has a scheduling conflict and is unavailable to perform the review by the firm's due date, but is available to perform the review within 30 days of the due date. In these cases, NEPR will confirm the arrangements for the review with the review team.
  • There is an incomplete engagement (which is an initial engagement) and there is no comparable engagement. (Interpretation 58-2)
  • In some situations, due to the size of the firm, the complexity of the peer review, and whether or not the review team is integrating peer review procedures with the firm’s internal inspection procedures, it is not unusual for a peer review to occur over a number of months. In such situations, a firm whose peer review has oversight performed by the administering entity may extend its review due date by up to six months with prior, written approval of the administering entity. (Interpretation 18-1)

requesting an extension

If circumstances arise that will prevent your firm from completing its peer review by the due date, the firm must submit a letter to NEPR. The letter should be submitted at least 60 days prior to the due date and should cite the reasons why the firm cannot have the review. The letter also should offer an alternative date for the review commencement and completion (due) date.

Written extension requests should be emailed, faxed or mailed to NEPR.

Any extension requests for state license renewal purposes must be directed to your applicable State Board of Accountancy. Your State Board of Accountancy may not recognize extensions granted by NEPR.

Please Note:

If your firm performs engagements under Government Auditing Standards, extensions of due dates beyond three months for peer reviews of firms performing Yellow Book audits can only be granted by the GAO and should only be requested for extraordinary circumstances. To request an extension, please contact:

Michael C. Harapsky
Senior Project Manager, Government Auditing Standards
U.S. General Accounting Office
(202) 512-9535

If a firm is unable to complete its peer review by the assigned due date, and has not been granted an extension, any Yellow Book audit engagements completed or issued during the period between a firm’s peer review due date and the date the peer review is completed (the date of the report) will be automatically considered to be substandard.