Vermont § 14 - Prohibitions

§ 14. Prohibitions

• (a) No person or firm shall issue a report on financial statements of, or provide attest
  services for, any other person, firm, organization, or governmental unit unless the
  person or firm is licensed or registered under this chapter. This prohibition does
  not apply to: (1) an individual with practice privileges set forth under section 74c of this title or a firm exempt from registration under section 74 of this title; (2) an officer, partner, or employee of any firm or organization affixing their signature
  to any statement or report in reference to the financial affairs of that firm or organization
  with any wording designating the position, title, or office that they hold therein; (3) any act of a public official or employee in the performance of his or her duties as
  such; (4) 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) No individual person may use the title “certified public accountant,” “CPA,” “registered
  public accountant,” “RPA,” or “auditor” or any other title tending to indicate that
  he or she is a public accountant, unless he or she is licensed as a public accountant
  under this chapter or is an individual with practice privileges set forth under section 74c of this title. (c) No firm may use the title “certified public accountant,” “CPA,” “registered public
  accountant,” “RPA,” “auditor” or any other title tending to indicate that it is composed
  of public accountants unless the firm is registered under this chapter, or is exempt
  from registration under section 74 of this title. (d) No person may use the title “chartered accountant,” “enrolled accountant,” “licensed
  accountant,” “certified accountant,” “registered accountant,” “accredited accountant,”
  or any other title likely to be confused with “certified public accountant” or “registered
  public accountant,” or the abbreviations “CA,” “EA,” “RA,” “LA,” or “AA,” or similar
  abbreviations likely to be confused with “CPA” or “RPA.” However, a person licensed
  under this chapter and individuals with practice privileges set forth under section 74c of this title may use the title “auditor.” The title “enrolled agent” or “EA” may be used only
  by an individual so designated by the Internal Revenue Service. (e) No person or firm holding a license under this chapter shall use 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, members, managers or shareholders of the firm,
  or about any other matter; provided, however, that the names of one or more partners,
  members, managers, or shareholders may be included in the name of a firm or its successor. (f) However, a sole proprietorship or partnership lawfully using a title or designation
  in conjunction with those names or designation on July 1, 1981, may continue to do
  so if that person or partnership otherwise complies with the provisions of this chapter. (g) The prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this section is applicable to issuance,
  by a person or firm not holding a valid license or registration, of a report using
  any form of language conventionally used by public accountants with respect to an
  audit, review, compilation of financial statements, or other attest services. (h) No person or firm shall hold themselves out as public accountants while engaged in
  the practice of public accounting unless they: (1) hold a valid license or registration issued under this chapter; (2) qualify for practice privileges set forth under section 74c of this title; or (3) are exempt from registration under section 74 of this title. (Added 1975, No. 89, § 8; amended 1981, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1991, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.) § 2; 1997, No. 40, § 9; 1999, No. 52, § 4; 2001, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; eff. June 13, 2002; 2007, No. 29, § 5; 2009, No. 35, § 5.)