Signing Engagement Reports

We wish to remind CPA firms that they are to use their registered firm name on audit reports, review engagement reports, compilation engagement reports, and other material and correspondence (such as engagement letters, invoices, management letters, and responses to requests for proposals).

Use of descriptive style

Regardless of the number of owners or partners, all registered firms must carry on practice under the descriptive style of “Chartered Professional Accountant(s)” unless it forms part of the firm name or are exempted by CPABC. This means that, even if the firm name includes “CPA”, the descriptive style “Chartered Professional Accountant(s)” must still be shown.

There should be no reference to any legacy designation in a firm name.

Examples of a signature on engagement reports and correspondence include:

1. ABC Chartered Professional Accountants
    
2. X & Y CPA
   Chartered Professional Accountants
    
3. Doe and Associates Inc.
   Chartered Professional Accountants

What about sole practitioners?

It can be a little confusing when a member in public practice operates as a sole practitioner under their personal name. The key is separating the practice or the firm from the individual member and using the registered firm name on engagement reports. Examples include:

1. J. Doe Inc.
   Chartered Professional Accountant
    
2. Jane Doe
   Chartered Professional Accountant

Personal tagging with legacy

While firms are required to operate using “Chartered Professional Accountant(s)” with no legacy reference, individual members are required to tag their names if they have a legacy designation. As such, members display their personal designation on business cards as “CPA, CA”, “CPA, CGA”, or “CPA, CMA” – the legacy designation follows the CPA.

For further details, please check out the Firm Names/Use of CPA and the FAQs - Use of CPA Designation by Members pages on the CPABC website.