If a public accounting firm (PAF), public accounting corporation (PAC), or accounting limited liability partnership (LLP) wishes to cease providing public accountancy services but wants to retain the entity for other services, the public accountant may apply to revoke the status of the public accounting entity. This allows the entity to continue operating as a business entity, company, or LLP, respectively.

Public accountancy services refer to the auditing and reporting of financial statements and performing acts that are required by law to be performed by a public accountant. 

If the public accounting firm / PAC / Accounting LLP wishes to cease operations entirely, the public accountant may apply via Bizfile under the following transactions:

 

Requirements for Revocation

You can apply to cease (revoke) the status of your public accounting firm / public accounting corporation (PAC) / accounting limited liability partnership (Accounting LLP) at any time of the year if you do not wish to continue providing public accountancy services under the entities provided that:

  • There is no complaint or information against the public accounting firm / PAC / Accounting LLP or any of the public accountants practising in the entities received by ACRA under the Accountants Act; or  
  • There are no disciplinary proceedings pending under the Accountants Act against the public accounting firm / PAC / Accounting LLP or any of the public accountants practising in the entities; or  
  • The conduct of business of the public accounting firm / PAC / Accounting LLP is not the subject of an inquiry or investigation by a Complaints Committee or Disciplinary Committee under the Accountants Act.

Who Can Make the Application

The public accountant, professional firms, or registered filing agents (acting on behalf of the public accountant) can submit an application to cancel the registration as a public accountant.

How to Make the Application

The public accountant may submit the application personally or engage the services of a registered filing agent (e.g. law firm, accounting firm or corporate secretarial firm) to assist with the submission.

What to do After Applying

You can expect an outcome of your application within 14 to 21 working days.  In the case of:

  • A public accounting firm: the entity will be given a new business Unique Entity Number (UEN) and can continue its operations as a business entity.
  • A public accounting corporation: the entity can continue its operations as a company.
  • An accounting LLP: the entity can continue its operations as a LLP. 

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