Kan. Admin. Regs. § 74-5-406

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 25, June 20, 2024

Section 74-5-406 - Firm or professional names

(a) A certified public accountant or firm shall not practice certified public accountancy under a firm or professional name or advertise a firm or professional name that includes descriptive words relating to the quality of services offered or that is misleading concerning the legal form or the persons who are owners, partners, officers, members, managers, or shareholders of the firm.

(b) A firm or professional name shall not be considered to be misleading solely because it contains words describing the geographical area in which the services are offered or words describing the type of services actually being performed by the certified public accountants who are owners, partners, officers, members, managers, or shareholders of the firm.

(c) A firm or professional name or designation shall be considered to be misleading in any of the following instances:

(1) The name contains a misrepresentation of facts.

(2) The name is intended or is likely to create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results.

(3) The name implies education, professional attainment, or licensing recognition of its owners, partners, officers, members, managers, or shareholders that is not supported by facts.

(4) The name of a Kansas professional corporation or association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or general corporation does not include its full name as registered with the board each time the firm or professional name is used.

(5) The name misrepresents the number of partners, shareholders, owners, members, or staff accountants holding CPA certificates and permits who own or provide services on behalf of the firm or business.

(6) The name contains the name or names of one or more former partners, shareholders, or owners without their written consent.

(d) A fictitious firm or professional name shall be defined as a name that contains anything other than the name or names of one or more present or former owners, partners, members, or shareholders or the term "certified public accountant" or "CPA," or the plural form of either of these two terms. A fictitious firm or professional name may be used if the name is registered with the board and is not false or misleading as determined by the board. Each firm shall utilize its full name as registered with the board each time the name is used.

(e) A fictitious firm or professional name shall be considered to be misleading if the name misrepresents the number of partners, shareholders, owners, members, or staff accountants holding CPA certificates and permits who own or provide services on behalf of the firm or business.

(f) Each certified public accountant or firm that falls out of compliance with this regulation due to any change in ownership or personnel shall notify the board within 30 days after the change. A reasonable period of time may be granted by the board for a firm or certified public accountant to take corrective action.

(g) If a firm does not have an office in Kansas but is required to register with the board pursuant to K.S.A. 1-308 and amendments thereto, the name shall not be considered misleading even if the name meets the criteria for being "misleading" as specified in paragraph (c)(5) subsection (e) of this regulation.

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 74-5-406

Authorized by K.S.A. 1-202; implementing K.S.A. 1-202 and K.S.A. 2016 Supp. 1-308; effective May 1, 1978; amended Oct. 8, 1990; amended Aug. 23, 1993; amended Jan. 12, 1996; amended Sept. 25, 1998; amended Sept. 10, 1999; amended Nov. 15, 2002; amended Jan. 11, 2008; amended May 29, 2009; amended March 21, 2014; amended Feb. 16, 2016; amended by Kansas Register Volume 37, No. 02; effective 1/26/2018.