s 56 Holding out as public accountant, accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP, etc.
56.—(1) A person who is not registered as a public accountant under this Act must not —(a) practise as a public accountant; (b) hold himself or herself out to be a public accountant; or (c) use in connection with his or her name or otherwise assume, use, or advertise any title or description tending to convey the impression that he or she is a public accountant registered under this Act, or that he or she is otherwise authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore.[11/2006] (1A) A public accountant —(a) whose registration is suspended under Part 5, 5A or 6,[Act 24 of 2025 wef 06/05/2026] (b) [Deleted by Act 24 of 2025 wef 06/05/2026] must not — (c) practise as a public accountant during the period of his or her suspension; (d) hold himself or herself out, in respect of the period for which he or she is suspended, to be a public accountant; or (e) advertise any title or description tending to convey the impression that he or she is, in respect of the period for which he or she is suspended, a public accountant registered under this Act, or that he or she is authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore.[Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023] (2) Subject to subsection (4), a body corporate which is not approved as an accounting corporation under this Act must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore; (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way to be an accounting corporation or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore; or (c) use in connection with its name, or with the name under which it carries on business, the words “Public Accounting Corporation”, or any abbreviation or derivative thereof, or use at the end of such name the acronym “PAC”, or any combination of such acronym, words, abbreviation or derivative.[11/2006] (2A) An accounting corporation that is suspended from providing public accountancy services under Part 5A or 6, must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore during the period of its suspension; (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way, in respect of the period for which it is suspended, to be an accounting corporation or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore; or (c) use in connection with its name or with the name under which it carries on business, in respect of the period for which it is suspended —(i) the words “Public Accounting Corporation” or any abbreviation or derivative of those words; (ii) the acronym “PAC” at the end of its name; or (iii) any combination of the following:(A) the words mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i); (B) any abbreviation or derivative of the words mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i); (C) the acronym mentioned in sub‑paragraph (ii).[Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023] (3) A partnership or any other unincorporated body which is not approved as an accounting firm under this Act must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore; or (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way to be an accounting firm or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore. (3A) An accounting firm that is suspended from providing public accountancy services under Part 5A or 6, must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore during the period of its suspension; or (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way, in respect of the period for which it is suspended, to be an accounting firm or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore.[Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023] (4) A limited liability partnership which is not approved as an accounting LLP under this Act must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore; or (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way to be an accounting LLP or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore.[11/2006] (4A) An accounting LLP that is suspended from providing public accountancy services under Part 5A or 6, must not —(a) provide public accountancy services in Singapore during the period of its suspension; or (b) advertise or hold itself out or describe itself in any way, in respect of the period for which it is suspended, to be an accounting LLP or to be authorised to provide public accountancy services in Singapore.[Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023] (5) The Authority may exempt any person from all or any of the provisions of subsection (1), (1A), (2), (2A), (3), (3A), (4) or (4A).[11/2006] [Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023] (6) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (1A), (2), (2A), (3), (3A), (4) or (4A) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.[11/2006] [Act 32 of 2022 wef 01/07/2023]