Sec. 20-281g. Issuance of report by person or firm not holding valid license and permit prohibited. Exceptions. Use of titles restricted.
Sec. 20-281g. Issuance of report by person or firm not holding valid license
and permit prohibited. Exceptions. Use of titles restricted. (a) A person or a firm
which does not hold a valid license and permit issued under section 20-281b or 20-281d
and section 20-281e shall not issue a report on financial statements of any other person,
firm, organization or governmental unit. This prohibition does not apply to an officer,
partner or employee of any firm or organization affixing his signature to any statement or
report in reference to the financial affairs of such firm or organization with any wording
designating the position, title or office that he holds therein; nor prohibit any act of a
public official or employee in the performance of his duties as such; nor prohibit the
performance by any persons of other services involving the use of accounting skills,
including the preparation of tax returns, management advisory services and the preparation of financial statements without the issuance of reports thereon.
(b) The prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this section is applicable to the
issuance, by a person or a firm not holding a valid license and permit, of a report using
any language conventionally used in the profession by licensees regarding a review of
financial statements.
(c) The prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this section is applicable to the
issuance by a person or a firm not holding a valid license and permit of a report using
any language conventionally used in the profession by licensees with respect to a compilation of financial statements.
(d) A person who does not hold a valid registration or license and who does not
qualify for practice privilege under section 20-281n shall not use or assume the title or
designation "certified public accountant", or the abbreviation "CPA" or any other title,
designation, words, letters, abbreviations, sign card or device tending to indicate that
such person is a certified public accountant, provided that a holder of a certificate who
does not also hold a license may use the title pertaining to such certification only in the
manner permitted by regulations adopted by the board under subdivision (6) of subsection (g) of section 20-280.
(e) No firm shall assume or use the title or designation "certified public accountant",
or the abbreviation "CPA", or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation,
sign, card or device tending to indicate that such firm is composed of certified public
accountants, unless (1) the firm holds a valid permit issued under section 20-281e, (2)
all proprietors, partners and shareholders practicing public accountancy in this state
hold valid certificates and licenses issued under section 20-281d, and (3) all proprietors,
officers and shareholders of the firm hold licenses. The prohibitions contained in this
section shall not be construed to apply to a firm that meets the requirements of section
20-281e.
(f) No person shall assume or use the title or designation "public accountant", or
the abbreviation "PA", or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign,
card or device which tends to indicate that such person is a public accountant unless he
holds a valid license issued under section 20-281b.
(g) A firm which does not hold a valid permit issued under section 20-281e shall
not assume or use the title or designation "public accountant", the abbreviation "PA",
or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device which
tends to indicate that such firm is composed of public accountants.
(h) A person or firm which does not hold a valid license and permit issued under
sections 20-281d and 20-281e shall not assume or use the title or designation "certified
accountant", "certified professional accountant", "chartered accountant", "enrolled accountant", "licensed accountant", "registered accountant", "accredited accountant", or
any other title or designation likely to be confused with the titles "certified public accountant" or "public accountant" or use any of the abbreviations "CA", "EA", "LA", "RA",
"AA" or similar abbreviation likely to be confused with the abbreviations "CPA" or
"PA", provided that a holder of a certificate who does not also hold a license may
use the titles pertaining to such certificate only in the manner permitted by regulations
adopted by the board under subdivision (6) of subsection (g) of section 20-280. This
subsection shall not prevent persons designated as "enrolled agents" of the Internal
Revenue Service from using such title or the abbreviation "EA".
(i) A person or firm which does not hold a valid license and permit issued under
section 20-281b or 20-281d and section 20-281e shall not assume or use any title or
designation that includes the words "accountant", "auditor" or "accounting" in connection with any other language, including the language of a report, that implies that such
person or firm holds such a permit or has special competence as an accountant or auditor,
provided this subsection shall not prohibit any officer, partner or employee of any firm
or organization from affixing his signature to any statement in reference to the financial
affairs of such firm or organization with any wording designating the position, title or
office that he holds therein, nor prohibit any act of a public official or employee in the
performance of his duties as such.
(j) A person who holds a certificate shall not engage in the practice of public accountancy unless he also holds a valid license issued under section 20-281d and a permit
issued under section 20-281e or unless such person is qualified for the practice privilege
pursuant to section 20-281n.
(k) A firm which holds a permit under sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive, shall
not engage in the practice of public accountancy using a professional or firm name or
designation that is misleading about the legal form of the firm, or about the persons who
are partners, officers or shareholders of the firm, or about any other matter, provided
names of one or more former partners or shareholders may be included in the name of
a firm or its successor.
(l) None of the foregoing provisions of this section shall apply to any firm holding
a certification, designation, degree or license granted in a foreign country entitling the
holder thereof to engage in the practice of public accountancy or its equivalent in such
country, whose activities in this state are limited to the provision of professional services
to persons or firms who are residents of, governments of, or business entities of the
country in which he holds such entitlement, who issues no reports with respect to the
financial statements of any other persons, firms or governmental units in this state, and
who does not use in this state any title or designation other than the one under which
he practices in such country, followed by a translation of such title or designation into
the English language, if it is in a different language, and by the name of such country.
(m) The prohibitions contained in subsections (a), (b), (c), (h) and (i) of this section
shall not be construed to apply to any person or firm that qualifies for a practice privilege
under section 20-281n or who are exempt from the firm permit requirement contained
in section 20-281e.
(n) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, a firm that does not hold a valid
permit under section 20-281e and that does not have an office in this state may provide
its professional services and practice public accountancy in this state, provided such
firm complies with any applicable requirements of subsection (a) of section 20-281e.
(P.A. 92-212, S. 12; P.A. 01-195, S. 80, 181; P.A. 08-52, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsec. (e), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 08-52 amended Subsec. (d)
to add provision re practice privilege, amended Subsec. (e) to add exemption from prohibitions of section, amended Subsec.
(j) to add exemption for practice privilege, added Subsec. (m) re exemption from prohibitions in Subsecs. (a) to (c), (h)
and (i) for practice privilege and added Subsec. (n) re exemption for out-of-state firms, effective May 12, 2008.