Registration

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public accounting firms to register with the PCAOB to prepare or issue an audit report for a U.S. public company or a broker-dealer, or to play  a substantial role in those audits.

The Registration, Annual, and Special Reporting (RASR) System provides access to publicly available PCAOB information concerning accounting firms. Authorized users must log in to RASR to submit their firm filings, and firms seeking to register with the PCAOB must request a user name and password to access RASR.

The PCAOB maintains a list of currently registered firms by name, location, or audit report activity. This information is reported by the firms in their most recent annual reports to the PCAOB.

The PCAOB also maintains lists of firms applying for registration and registered firms requesting withdrawal from registration.

Registration

The first step in applying for registration is to request a user name and password to gain access to RASR, the PCAOB web-based system. To register, accounting firms must pay a fee and submit a completed Registration Application for consideration by the Board. A registered firm can withdraw from PCAOB registration, as well. The PCAOB also provides a process for certain unregistered firms to succeed to the registration status of a predecessor firm.

Application Fee 

Request to Withdraw from Registration 

Succeeding to Registration Status of the Predecessor

Reporting

All firms registered with the Board as of March 31 each year must file an Annual Report by June 30 of the current year. All registered firms must also pay an annual fee by July 31 each year. As required by our rules, registered firms must also file a Special Report to report certain events no later than thirty days after the occurrence of the reportable event.

Annual Reporting

Annual Fees

Special Reporting

Registration and Reporting Inquiries

Question about Registration, Reporting, or Web-Based System?

Question about Form AP and Related Rules?

Question about Fees?