Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 6, September 16, 2024
(a) Registration of
Firm Names. A business may not use a CPA firm name unless that name has been
registered with the Board.
(b)
Misleading Names Prohibited. A CPA firm shall not trade upon the CPA title
through use of any name that is misleading. A misleading CPA firm name is one
which:
(1) Implies the existence of a
partnership or registered limited liability partnership or a professional
corporation or professional limited liability company if the firm is not, in
fact, one of those entities;
(2)
Includes the name of an individual who is not a CPA if the words "certified
public accountants" or "CPAs" are included in the firm name;
(3) Includes information about or indicates
an association with persons who are not current or former members of the firm,
unless the name is that of a firm network;
(4) Includes the terms "& Company",
"& Associates", or "Group", but the firm does not include, in addition to
the named partner, shareholder, owner, or member, at least one other unnamed
partner, shareholder, owner, member, or staff employee;
(5) Contains any representation that would be
likely to cause a reasonable person to have a false or unjustified expectation
of favorable results or capabilities, including names indicating qualitative
superiority or pricing differences;
(6) Claims or implies the ability to
influence a regulatory body or official; or
(7) Includes the name of an owner whose
license has been revoked for disciplinary reasons by the Board, whereby the
licensee has been prohibited from practicing public accountancy or prohibited
from using the title CPA or holding themselves out as a Certified Public
Accountant.
(c)
Permissible Firm Names: The following is a non-exhaustive list of types of CPA
firm names that are not in and of themselves misleading and are permissible so
long as they do not violate other firm name provisions:
(1) A firm name that includes the names or
initials of one or more former or current owners;
(2) A firm name that excludes the names of
one or more former or current owners;
(3) A firm name that uses the "CPA" title as
part of the firm name when all named individuals are owners of the firm who
hold the CPA title or are former owners who held the CPA title at the time they
ceased to be owners of the firm; or
(4) A firm name that includes the name of a
non-CPA owner if the words "certified public accountant" or "CPA" title are not
a part of the firm name.
(d) Any CPA firm registered in another
jurisdiction that provides notification of intent to practice pursuant to
G.S.
93-10(c)(3) may practice
under the name as registered with that jurisdiction.
Authority
G.S.
55B-12;
57D-2-02;
93-12(9);
Eff. April 1, 1994;
Amended Eff. February 1, 2011; January 1, 2006;
April 1, 1999; August 1, 1995;
Readopted Eff. February 1,
2016.
