The California Tax Education Council (CTEC) is a private nonprofit quasi-public benefit organization that is mandated by the State of California. CTEC is responsible for providing a list of its approved tax education providers and verifying nonexempt tax preparers have met the state’s minimum requirements to prepare tax returns for a fee. The responsibility for approving tax schools was transferred from the California Department of Consumer Affairs to CTEC by the California State Legislature and Governor, effective July 1, 1997.