TOPIC: Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities
OFFICE: Office of the Auditor of State
STATE: Ohio
DATE: 4/4/13
QUESTION / ISSUE: We are interested in determining if other states prescribe (a) financial chart of
accounts/charts of accounts for their state/local governments to follow. We would like to know:
1. Does the state prescribe (a) chart/charts of accounts for any state/local government in the state?
2. If so, how does the state prescribe the chart(s) of accounts – set by statute, set by rule by an
officeholder (e.g. State Auditor), etc.?
3. For which entity types have charts of accounts been established?
4. Is the use of the chart of accounts mandatory or voluntary for each entity type?
5. Can the state provide a copy of or link to all of their charts of accounts?
State
Arizona
Comments
1. Yes, we prescribe charts of accounts for counties, county treasurers, school
districts, and charter schools.
2. Counties and County Treasurers: State statute requires our office to
prescribe uniform accounting manuals for counties, including the Uniform
Accounting Manual for Arizona Counties (UAMAC) and the Uniform Accounting
Manual for Arizona County Treasurers (UAMACT). The charts of accounts are
included in those manuals.
School Districts: State statute requires our office to prescribe the Uniform
System of Financial Records (USFR) for Arizona School Districts in conjunction
with the Arizona Department of Education. The chart of accounts is included in
that manual. The USFR chart of accounts is based on the Financial Accounting
for Local and State School Systems published by the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education with
modifications and additions made as needed to address state statute.
Charter Schools: State statute requires our office to prescribe the Uniform
System of Financial Records for Arizona Charter Schools (USFRCS), which is
done in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Education. The chart of
accounts is included in that manual. The USFRCS chart of accounts is based
on the Financial Accounting for Local and State School Systems published by
NCES with modifications and additions made as needed to address state
statute and charter schools’ use of accounting principles promulgated by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board rather than the Governmental
Accounting Standards Board.
3. See answers to 1 and 2 above.
4. Counties and County Treasurers: Use of the descriptions in the chart of
accounts are mandatory for all Arizona counties and county treasurers.
However, use of the account numbering is voluntary.
School Districts: Use of the descriptions and account numbering in the chart
of accounts is mandatory for all Arizona school districts.
Charter Schools: Use of the descriptions and account numbering in the chart
of accounts is mandatory for all Arizona charter schools unless their charter
specifically exempts them from following the USFRCS. Schools that are exempt
from the USFRCS are not required to use the charter of accounts in their
accounting records, but must use the descriptions and account numbering in
their budgets, unaudited annual financial reports, and grant reports filed with
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 1
State
Comments
the Arizona Department of Education.
5. Counties: http://www.azauditor.gov/ASD/PDF/UAMAC.pdf, section III of the
UAMAC manual.
County Treasurers: http://www.azauditor.gov/ASD/PDF/County/UAMACT.pdf,
section III of the UAMACT manual.
School Districts:
http://www.azauditor.gov/ASD/PDF/School_Districts/Manuals/USFR_COA_Jun
e_2012.pdf. The full USFR is available at
http://www.azauditor.gov/ASD/PDF/USFR2.pdf.
Arkansas
Charter Schools:
http://www.azauditor.gov/ASD/PDF/Charter_Schools/USFRCS.pdf, section III
of the USFRCS manual.
1. Yes, for county government.
2. ACA §14-21-101, see below.
14-21-101. Comprehensive financial management system.
(a) (1) In order to provide necessary financial information for the county judge,
the members and committees of the county quorum court, and other interested
officers and departments of the county, the Legislative Auditor is authorized
and directed to develop a comprehensive financial management system for
appropriate funds of the various counties in the State of Arkansas.
(2) This financial management system shall provide for adequate controls over
revenues, expenditures, and balances to assure that current information will
always be available concerning the financial condition of the county and its
various offices and departments.
(3) The system shall include a budgeting and accounting system designed to
classify the receipt of and the appropriations and disbursements of county
funds in accordance with the object and purpose of the expenditures in such
detail as will be suitable for an analysis of the operations of all county offices
and departments and which will provide a breakdown and itemization of all
expenditures compatible with and comparable to the appropriations of the
quorum court.
(b) In the event any county is of the opinion that its system of budgeting and
accounting for appropriated county funds is such that it equals or exceeds the
basic system prescribed by this section, such county, acting through the
quorum court, may request a review of its system by the Legislative Joint
Auditing Committee. If the committee concurs with the county, the committee
may issue a certificate to the county stating that the county's budgeting and
accounting system is of such degree of sophistication that the basic
requirements of this section are being met and exempting the county from the
requirements of the particulars of the system prescribed by this section.
HISTORY: Acts 1981, No. 122, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 17-609.
3. County only – there is a suggested chart of accounts for municipalities that will
be coming out in a publication soon from the Arkansas Municipal League.
However, it will not be mandated for use.
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 2
State
Comments
4. County mandatory, municipality not mandated.
5. See attached file of the county financial management system manual.
CO FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MANUAL.pdf
Colorado
Delaware
1. Yes, Colorado state government prescribes a chart of accounts under Section
24-30-201, C.R.S. Additionally, Section 22-44-105(4), C.R.S., established a
requirement for all school districts and charter schools to follow a prescribed
chart of accounts.
2. For the state, the chart of accounts is set per C.RS. 24-30-201, which is
published in the Fiscal Procedures Manual. See the link to Fiscal Procedures
manual below. For school districts, the chart of accounts is established by a
Financial Policies and Procedures Advisory Committee (FPP).
3. The chart is uniform across all of the state of Colorado primary government.
The chart of accounts established by the FPP is applicable for all school
districts and charter schools in Colorado. There is no prescribed chart of
accounts established for other types of local governments such as counties,
municipalities and special districts.
4. The state chart of accounts is mandatory for all of the state of Colorado primary
government. The prescribed chart of accounts for school districts is mandatory.
Additionally, in accordance with Section 29-1-603, C.R.S., the auditor of a
school district must ensure that the school district is complying with the
provisions of the Financial Policies and Procedures Handbook.
5. The state’s Fiscal Procedures Manual can be found at:
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/dfp/sco/FiscalProcedures/Cur/manual_cur.htm
The Financial Policies and Procedures Handbook for Colorado School Districts
can be found at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfFPP.htm
In Delaware OMB sets up the budgetary accounting process including the
appropriation accounts as indicated in the Budget & Accounting Manual located at
http://budget.delaware.gov/accounting-manual/account-manual.shtml. First State
Financials referenced in the manual is Delaware’s instance of PeopleSoft
implemented approximately two years ago.
This structure applies to all state agencies which in Delaware includes all school
districts since they are a part of primary government to the state. In addition, all
elected officials operate on one comprehensive budgetary and accounting system.
Florida
There is no state involvement in local government accounting except as stipulated
in certain grant agreements. Delaware, unlike other states has no agency or
department designed for local government oversight. AOA audits the local
government grant and aid activity.
Section 215.89, Florida Statutes requires the CFO to develop, by January 15, 2014,
a uniform chart of account which requires specific enterprise-wide information
related to revenues and expenditures of state agencies, local governments,
educational entities, and entities of higher education. Currently the CFO maintains a
chart of State Standard codes for the State agencies which classifies organizational
structures, budget entities, internal budget indicators, funds, general ledger codes,
object codes, appropriation categories, and state programs. Local governmental
entities are required to follow uniform accounting practices and procedures as
promulgated by rule (Section 218.33(2), Florida Statutes) of the CFO. Pursuant to
Section 1010.01, Florida Statutes, the financial records and accounts of each
school district, community college, and other institution or agency under the
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 3
State
Comments
supervision of the State Board of Education must be prepared as prescribed by law
and rules of the State of Board of Education. Additionally, each school district must
account for expenditures for all state, local, and federal funds on a school-by-school
and district aggregate basis in accordance with rules (Section 1010.20(1), Florida
Statutes) developed by the Department of Education.
Attached is an excerpt from the state of Florida’s accounting manual detailing the
chart of account currently used by state agencies. The current chart of accounts for
local governments may be found on this page, as well as Uniform Accounting
System (UAS) Manuals for Counties, Municipalities, and Special Districts (UAS are
at the bottom of the page).
State of Florida
charts of account.pdf
Georgia
Iowa
The state of Georgia prescribes charts of accounts for state agencies, counties and
municipalities, local school systems, and other political subdivisions of the state.
These charts of accounts are not written into law; rather the Georgia General
Assembly has charged certain agencies with the responsibility of creating the charts
of accounts. Once created, Georgia law mandates that certain state and local
government entities follow these charts of accounts. For instance, state agencies
follow the chart of accounts created by the Georgia State Accounting Office;
counties and municipalities follow the chart of accounts created by the Department
of Community Affairs; and local school systems follow the chart of accounts created
by the Department of Education. The following links detail the chart of accounts
created for each type of state and local government entity:
a) Link to State Agency Chart of Accounts: http://sao.georgia.gov/reportingstructure-and-chart-accounts .
b) Link to Local Govt. / Municipal Chart of Accounts:
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/development/ research/programs/uca.asp
c) Link to Local School Systems Chart of Accounts:
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/Finance-and-Business-Operations/FinancialReview/Pages/default.aspx
(All references are to the Code of Iowa).
State Agencies and Departments: Link to chart of accounts not readily available.
The State of Iowa has prescribed a chart of accounts for the state itself. State
statute provides the following:
8A.502 Financial administration duties.
The department (Department of Administrative Services) shall provide for the
efficient management and administration of the financial resources of state
government and shall have and assume the following powers and duties:
1. Centralized accounting and payroll system. To assume the responsibilities
related to a centralized accounting system for state government and to establish a
centralized payroll system for all state agencies. However, the state board of
regents and institutions under the control of the state board of regents shall not be
required to utilize the centralized payroll system.
8. Accounts. To keep the central budget and proprietary control accounts of the
general fund of the state and special funds, as defined in section 8.2, of the state
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 4
State
Comments
government. Upon elimination of the state deficit under generally accepted
accounting principles, including the payment of items budgeted in a subsequent
fiscal year which under generally accepted accounting principles should be
budgeted in the current fiscal year, the recognition of revenues received and
expenditures paid and transfers received and paid within the time period required
pursuant to section 8.33 shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles. Budget accounts are those accounts maintained to control the receipt
and disposition of all funds, appropriations, and allotments. Proprietary accounts
are those accounts relating to assets, liabilities, income, and expense. For each
fiscal year, the financial position and results of operations of the state shall be
reported in a comprehensive annual financial report prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, as established by the governmental
accounting standards board.
School Districts: Link to certified annual report:
http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1621&Item
id=2970
School districts are required to file the certified annual report which is derived from
the underlying prescribed chart of accounts.
The state of Iowa also has prescribed the chart of accounts to be used by Iowa
school districts. The Iowa Department of Education is charged with preparing forms
and procedures as follows:
256.9(19). The department shall compile the financial information related to
chapters 423E and 423F from the certified annual reports of each school district
received pursuant to section 291.10, subsection 2, and shall submit the information
to the general assembly in an annual report each February 1.
291.10 Reports by secretary.
1. The school district shall file an annual report with the director of the department
of education on forms prepared for that purpose.
Counties: Link to county chart of accounts:
http://www.dom.state.ia.us/local/county/files/FY13/UniformChartOfAccounts_Final_
09-12_REVISED.pdfim
The County Finance Committee is charged by the state law to do the following:
333A.4 Powers and duties of the committee.
The committee shall:
1. Design budget forms required by section 331.434 and annual financial report
forms required by section 331.403 for all county funds.
2. Establish guidelines for program budgeting and accounting and the preparation
of capital improvement plans. It shall, where practicable, use recommendations of
the national council on governmental accounting or its successor organization.
In addition to the budget and annual financial report forms, the Committee has
established a Uniform Chart of Accounts for Iowa County Governments. This chart
of accounts is recommended, but not mandatory.
Cities: Link to City chart of accounts: See attached PDF below.
The City Finance Committee is charged by the state law to do the following:
384.15 Duties — rules — law enforcement officer training reimbursement.
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 5
State
Comments
The committee shall:
1. Promulgate rules relating to budget amendments and the procedures for
transferring moneys between funds, and other rules necessary or desirable in order
to exercise its powers and perform its duties, including rules necessary to
implement section 384.6, subsection 1. The committee's rules are subject to
chapter 17A as applicable.
2. Select its officers and meet at the call of the director of the department of
management or at the request of a majority of the committee.
3. Establish guidelines for program budgeting and accounting and the preparation
of five-year capital improvement plans. A city shall hold a public hearing on its
capital improvement plan before adoption of the plan. The committee may require
performance budgeting. It shall, where practicable, use recommendations of the
national council on governmental accounting.
In addition to the budget and annual financial report forms, the committee has
established a Uniform Chart of Accounts for Iowa cities. This chart of accounts is
recommended, but not mandatory.
New Unified Chart
of Accounts 11-5.pdf
Maine
Michigan
1. Yes, for both state and local governments.
2. State: the chart of accounts is established by the Office of the State Controller
Local: the model chart of accounts was established by committee
3. State and Local (municipal and county)
4. State: mandatory; Local: voluntary
5. Local: http://www.maine.gov/audit/reports/2007mcoa.pdf
State:
http://inet.state.me.us./osc/pdf/accounting/coa/CM201_3.8_COA_GA_FINAL.p
df
1. The state of Michigan does prescribe a chart of accounts for local units of
government.
2. State statute requires our state treasurer to "prescribe uniform charts of
accounts for all local units of similar size, function, or service designed to fulfill
the requirements of good accounting practices relating to general government."
3. This chart of accounts is established for local units of government.
4. The use of the chart of accounts is required, however, variances from the chart
are allowable as long as the required fiscal report prepared is consistent with
the chart of accounts.
5. The prescribed chart of accounts is attached.
MI_Chart_of_Account
s.pdf
Minnesota
1. Yes. See below.
6.47 ACCOUNTING AND BUDGETING SYSTEMS; INVESTIGATION,
FORMS.
The state auditor shall inquire into the accounting and budgeting systems of all
political subdivisions and shall prescribe suitable systems of accounts and
budgeting, and forms, books, and instructions concerning the same. At the
request of any political subdivision the state auditor may install such systems.
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 6
State
Comments
In addition, Minn. Stat. § 6.48 states, “the state auditor shall prescribe and
install systems of accounts and financial reports that shall be uniform, so far as
practicable, for the same class of [county]offices.”
477A.017 UNIFORM FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING SYSTEM.
Subdivision 1.Purpose.
Sections 477A.011 to 477A.03 are designed to provide property tax relief to
local units of government. In order for the legislature to determine the amounts
of relief necessary each year, the legislature must have uniform and current
financial information from the governmental units which receive aid
distributions. This section is intended to provide that information.
Subd. 2.State auditor's duties.
The state auditor shall prescribe uniform financial accounting and reporting
standards in conformity with national standards to be applicable to cities and
towns of more than 2,500 population and uniform reporting standards to be
applicable to cities of less than 2,500 population.
Subd. 3.Conformity.
Other law to the contrary notwithstanding, in order to receive distributions under
sections 477A.011 to 477A.03, counties and cities must conform to the
standards set in subdivision 2 in making all financial reports required to be
made to the state auditor after June 30, 1984.
2. See #1 (statute)
3. Small cities and townships, counties
4. "This Uniform Chart of Accounts is designed for cities and towns in Minnesota.
The primary objective of a Uniform Chart of Accounts is to facilitate the
preparation of uniform annual financial statements, that is, statements that may
be reliably compared to those of other cities and towns. Because of this aim, it
is especially important that transactions are entered in a consistent manner.
The Uniform Chart of Accounts is not a source of authority for cities/towns to
enter into agreements or to make transactions. Rather, it describes the
accounting for transactions authorized by law.
The design of this Uniform Chart of Accounts is closely tailored to the 2001
GAAFR (Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting) of the
Government Finance Officers Association.
Although a Uniform Chart of Accounts implies a uniform account numbering
system for all cities/towns, it is the structure, rather than the numbers that is
important. Cities/towns with a large investment in a different chart of accounts
need not adopt the account numbers presented herein, provided those systems
can be modified to present uniformly classified information.
We further recommend that the Uniform Chart of Accounts be adopted when a
city or town changes from a manual to a computer based accounting system or
modifies an existing computer based system. In addition, cities and towns the
Small City and Town Accounting System (CTAS) must follow the chart of
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 7
State
Missouri
Montana
Comments
accounts."
5. http://www.auditor.state.mn.us/other/accountingdocs/chartofaccounts/chart_of_
accounts.pdf
http://www.auditor.state.mn.us/other/accountingdocs/cofars/cofars_manual.pdf
1. No standard charts of accounts have been established for the various local
governments existing in Missouri. However, the state does prescribe a chart of
accounts for the statewide accounting system used by state government
entities. This system, known as Statewide Accounting for Missouri (SAM) II, is
overseen by the Office of Administration, Division of Accounting (OA DOA).
2. The chart of accounts was not established by statute or regulation. Rather, the
chart was agreed to, and developed by, state agencies for the first statewide
accounting system and later carried over to the current system. The chart of
accounts is required through SAM II policies and procedures; and usage of,
and compliance with, the chart of accounts is enforced through system controls.
3. See the comments for Question 1.
4. Certain components of the chart of accounts are mandatory for each entity
using SAM II. Other components are optional and used by the entities to meet
their organizational needs.
5. The chart of accounts is available to user state agencies through the OA Web
site. Questions regarding SAM II and the chart of accounts should be directed
to the OA DOA at (573) 751-2971 (telephone), (573) 526-9810 (fax), or
[email protected] (e-mail).
The state of Montana has a statewide accounting and HR system, used by the
executive, judicial and legislative branch agencies, including the university system.
The uniform chart of accounts is set by state policy, and is coded into the
accounting system. State law requires:
17-1-102. Uniform accounting system and expenditure control. (1) The department
(of Administration) shall establish a system of financial control so that the
functioning of the various agencies of the state may be improved, duplications of
work by different state agencies and employees may be eliminated, public service
may be improved, and the cost of government may be reduced.
(2) The department shall prescribe and install a uniform accounting and reporting
system for all state agencies and institutions, reporting the receipt, use, and
disposition of all public money and property in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles.
(3) The uniform accounting and reporting system must contain three levels of
expenditure. The first level must include general categories, such as personal
services, operating expenses, equipment, capital outlay, local assistance, grants,
benefits and claims, transfers, and debt service. The second level of expenditure
must include specific categories of expenditures within each first-level category.
The third level of expenditure must include specific items of expenditure within each
category of the second level.
(4) All state agencies, including units of the university system but excluding
community colleges, shall input all necessary transactions to the accounting system
prescribed in subsection (2) before the accounts are closed at the end of the fiscal
year in order to present the receipt, use, and disposition of all money and property
for which the agency is accountable in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, except that for budgetary control purposes, encumbrances
that are required by generally accepted accounting principles to be reported as a
reservation of fund balance must be recorded as expenditures and liabilities on the
accounting records in accordance with the following requirements:
(a) Goods and services, grants, and local assistance that are paid for with the
general fund, in whole or in part, may be encumbered. The general fund
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 8
State
Comments
encumbrances must be reviewed by the department, and a specific extension plan
must be presented by the encumbering agency to the department prior to the fiscal
yearend. If a valid extension plan is not received and approved, the department
shall delete the encumbrance at fiscal yearend. The department shall present a
fiscal yearend report to the office of budget and program planning and to the
legislative finance committee on each general fund encumbrance remaining at
fiscal yearend.
(b) Nongeneral fund encumbrances also require a valid extension plan approved
by the department at the end of each fiscal year. After 3 years, approved
extensions must be included by the department in its fiscal yearend report to the
office of budget and program planning and to the legislative finance committee.
At the local government level, Montana has a codified Montana Single Audit Act
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/2_7_5.htm including:
North Carolina
2-7-504. Accounting methods. (1) Unless otherwise required by law, the department
shall prescribe by rule the general methods and details of accounting for the receipt
and disbursement of all money belonging to local government entities and shall
establish in those offices general methods and details of accounting. All local
government entity officers shall conform with the accounting standards prescribed
by the department.
(2) The rules adopted by the department must be in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles established by the governmental accounting
standards board or its generally recognized successor.
For state agencies in North Carolina:
1. The state does provide a statewide chart of accounts for all state agencies (and
entities using NCAS). For interface entities, their chart of accounts has to be as
detailed as the statewide chart of accounts. Other entities should have
sufficient detail to prepare the year-end CAFR package financial statement
templates.
2. Set by statute – G.S. 143B-426.39 Duties of State Controller and 143B-426.40.
3. All NCAS agencies (governmental funds, enterprise funds, and fiduciary funds).
Most component units are either interface agencies (see # 1 above) or use the
year-end CAFR package financial statement template. There are two fiduciary
funds that use the year-end CAFR package template.
4. Mandatory for all entities using NCAS.
5. Yes. http://www.osc.nc.gov/sigdocs/sig_docs/sigNCAS_Data_Elements.html
For local governments in North Carolina
Tennessee
1. There is a chart of accounts available for local governments if they choose to
follow it; units are free to adopt all, parts or none of it
2. It is published on the SLGFD website and available for download but we have
not made it mandatory. We do ask that units follow a similar grouping of
revenues and expenditures to facilitate comparisons across governments
3. Primarily cities and counties but any local government could adapt the COA for
its use with the exception of schools. The Department of Public Instruction
dictates their COAs
4. See answers above
https://www.nctreasurer.com/slg/Policies%20Manual/5apolicy.pdf
We do prescribe a chart of accounts for county and county-related entities in the
state. The attached statute is used to require the use of the chart. Also attached is a
copy of the latest revision of the chart of accounts. There is currently not such a
requirement for municipalities, utility districts, and other similar entities.
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 9
State
Comments
5-8-501 COA.pdf
Utah
CHRT2012.pdf
1. The State of Utah has a prescribed chart of accounts for state agencies. You
can find it here:
http://apps.finance.utah.gov/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=n
xtpub:prod16
Although a handful of state entities may have their own COAs, usually their info
is fed into the state's financial system (FINET) and thus the state's COA's.
As for local governments, we have a suggested chart of accounts. This is found
in our office's Uniform Accounting Manual, starting here in section I.C07.01:
http://www.auditor.utah.gov/UAM/general/1-General.pdf
2. The state's chart of accounts was established and is maintained by the Division
of Finance based on the needs of agencies and legislation. Agencies can
add/delete various elements of the COA as necessary within their agency.
The local government suggested chart of accounts was developed by our
office. It is only a guideline. Local governments may choose to use it, or
portions of it, or create their own.
3. Our Uniform Accounting Manual has suggested chart of accounts for
counties, municipalities, and local districts.
4. State agencies – mandatory
Local governments – voluntary
Virginia
5. See above.
Virginia prescribes a standard chart of accounts for state agencies. It is not required
for local governments. You may find the chart of account standard here, along with
many other standards.
1. As noted in the scope section of the standard, “The Chart of Accounts Data
Standard implements, as a Commonwealth ITRM Standard, the Chart of
Accounts data classification and coding structures published in the CAPP
Manual, Topic No. 60101, Chart of Accounts, and implemented through CARS.
The standard shall be applicable to all state officers, departments,
boards, commissions, Agencies, and penal, educational and charitable
institutions (“entities”), pursuant to § 2.2-803 of the Code of Virginia.”
2. The chart of accounts is prescribed through a COA Standard issued by the
Commonwealth’s Secretary of Technology and Chief Information Officer. By
statute these officers are responsible for setting data standards in many areas,
including chart of accounts. The state comptroller is the business owner of this
standard and assigns all the appropriate values (i.e. fund codes, program
codes) to be used to fulfill the standard.
3. See statement 1 above. Basically all agencies and higher education institutions
that use the commonwealth’s accounting system must comply with the
standard. Agencies and institutions that use other accounting systems can
create their own chart of accounts but they must interface information to the
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 10
State
Washington
West Virginia
Comments
commonwealth’s accounting system in the COA format required by the
standard.
4. Mandatory for all state agencies that use the commonwealth’s accounting
system. Voluntary for state agencies that use their own accounting system,
however they must be capable of interfacing their system with the
commonwealth’s system and provide the data in the standard COA format.
5. See link above. This will take you to the standard narrative which contain
additional links to more information.
1. The State Auditor's Office prescribes the chart of accounts for almost all local
government except school districts. The Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction prescribes the chart of accounts for school districts. For state
agencies, the Office of Financial Management prescribes the accounting and
reporting.
2. The State Auditor's Office is required by state law (RCW 43.09.210) to
prescribe a uniform chart of accounts for local governments. We refer to this as
the Budgeting, Accounting, and Reporting System (BARS). In addition, the
State Auditor's Office is required by state law (RCW 43.09.230) to collect
annual reports of revenues and expenditures and to publish this information.
You may find this on our website at www.sao.wa.gov under client support, the
Local Government Finance Reporting System.
3. Charts of accounts have been established for all cash basis entities and most
GAAP entities. The following GAAP types are only required to report financial
statement (no detail chart of accounts): hospitals, housing authorities, risk
pools, water/sewer/irrigation districts. We are currently working on creating
charts of accounts for these entity types. I should mention in the state of
Washington, local governments may report on a GAAP or cash basis unless
they have other regulatory or GAAP requirements that require GAAP
statements (housing authorities, risk pools).
4. The chart of accounts is only required for reporting purposes to the State
Auditor's Office. Local governments may choose to use their own chart of
accounts for internal purposes and convert to the prescribed chart of accounts
for their annual report.
5. The link for the local government chart of accounts is:
www.sao.wa.gov/en/clientsupport/financialreporting/LGS/BARSManuals
West Virginia Code 6-9-2 requires the Chief Inspector (State Auditor’s office) to
formulate, prescribe and install a system of accounting and reporting which is
uniform for all county governments. There is a chart of accounts for both
municipalities and county governments. These can be located at www.wvsao.gov
under Local Government/County Government and Local Government/Municipal
Government. The use is mandatory.
Prescribed Charts of Accounts for State and Local Entities 11