the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China Order of the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China No. 27 The Measures for the Administration of Agency Bookkeeping, which were adopted at the executive meeting of the Ministry of Finance Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Jin Renqing January 22nd, 2005 Measures for the Administration of Agency Bookkeeping Article 1 With a view to strengthening administration of bookkeeping agencies, regulating the agency bookkeeping business, and promoting the Article 2 The present Measures shall apply to the establishment of bookkeeping agencies and any agency bookkeeping business handled by a bookkeeping The term “bookkeeping agency” as mentioned in the present Measures shall refer to an intermediary institution that undertakes agency The term “client” as mentioned in the present Measures shall refer to an entity that entrusts a bookkeeping agency to handle its accounting The term “agency bookkeeping” as mentioned in the present Measures shall refer to the bookkeeping carried out by a bookkeeping agency Article 3 Anyone who applies for the establishment of a bookkeeping agency other than an accounting firm shall be subject to the approval of Article 4 The following conditions shall be met for the establishment of a bookkeeping agency unless laws or administrative regulations provide 1. There are more than three full-time personnel who have obtained the qualification certificate of accounting practice; 2. The person in charge of the agency bookkeeping business shall have the qualification of the professional technical post above the 3. Having a fixed place of office; and 4. Having sound rules for agency bookkeeping business and financial accounting management system. Article 5 Anyone who applies to undertake agency bookkeeping business shall file an application with the examination and approval authority 1. The agreement or the articles of association of the institution; 2. The identity certificates of the personnel, the qualification certificates of accounting practice, the certificate documents certifying 3. The written commitment of the person in charge of the agency bookkeeping business and the full-time personnel who have obtained the 4. The business address and the certificate of the ownership or use right of the office accommodations; 5. The rules for agency bookkeeping business and the financial accounting management system; and 6. The relevant materials certifying that the name of the agency is approved by the administrative department of industry and commerce. Article 6 The examination and approval authority shall decide whether or not to grant approval within 20 days from receipt of the application. Article 7 For the applicant that is found to meet the prescribed conditions upon examination, the examination and approval authority shall send If the finance department of the people’s government below the provincial level makes the approval decision, the examination and approval Article 8 An applicant shall go through the formalities of industry and commerce registration according to law after having obtained the certificate Article 9 A bookkeeping agency shall put the certificate of license for agency bookkeeping at an eye-catching place of its office place. Article 10 In case a bookkeeping agency changes its name, the person-in-charge of the agency or the business place, it shall go through the formalities Article 11 Any entity that shall sets up account books but does not meet the required conditions for setting up an accounting organ or accountant Article 12 A bookkeeping agency may handle the following business of a client upon entrustment: 1. Conducting business accounting in light of the provisions of the uniform accounting system of the state and on the basis of the source 2. Providing financial reports externally; 3. Providing taxation materials to the tax authority; and 4. Other accounting businesses entrusted by the client. Article 13 A client shall, when entrusting a bookkeeping agency to keep accounts, conclude a written entrustment contract with the bookkeeping 1. The responsibility assumed by the client and the fiduciary trustee for the authenticity and completeness of the accounting materials; 2. The procedures for the transfer of accounting materials and the formalities for signing for them; 3. Requirements for compiling and providing financial reports; 4. The requirements for keeping the accounting archives and the corresponding liabilities; and 5. The handing over and taking-over of accounting affairs after the termination of the entrustment contract. Article 14 The client that entrusts a bookkeeping agency to keep accounts shall perform the following obligations: 1. Filling in or obtaining the source documents that complies with the provisions of the uniform accounting system of the state for the 2. Staffing itself with personnel specifically assigned for taking charge of the routine income and expense of currency and the keeping 3. Providing truthful and complete source documents and other relevant materials to the bookkeeping agency in an timely manner; and 4. For the source document returned by the bookkeeping agency, which requires the client to make correction and supplementation on it Article 15 The bookkeeping agency and its personnel shall perform the following obligations: 1. Handling bookkeeping business for the client according to the entrustment contract, and complying with the relevant laws, administrative 2. Keeping secret to any business secrets it knows of when it carries out the business; 3. Refusing any pressure from its clients to undertake the client’s hint on making improper accounting disposal and providing untrue 4. Giving explanations for the questions put forward by the client concerning the relevant principle of accounting. Article 16 After being signed and sealed by the person-in-charge of the bookkeeping agency and the client, The financial report compiled by a Article 17 A client shall assume responsibilities to a bookkeeping agency for its or his acts within the scope of the stipulations of the entrustment A bookkeeping agency shall assume responsibilities for the business activities of its full-time and part-time personnel. Article 18 The finance department of the people’s governments at or above the county level shall conduct supervision over and inspection on bookkeeping Article 19 A bookkeeping agency shall submit the following materials to corresponding examination and approval authority before April 30 each 1. The basic information form of the bookkeeping agency (See the Attached Form); 2. Business license, certificate of ownership or use right of its office accommodations; and 3. The identity certificates, qualification certificate of accounting practice and qualification certificates of the accounting professional Article 20 In case a bookkeeping agency obtains the certificate of agency bookkeeping license by fraudulent means, the examination and approval In case a bookkeeping agency cannot meet the conditions for establishment as prescribed by the present Measures during the period Article 21 In case a bookkeeping agency is under any of the following circumstances, the examination and approval authority shall handle write-off 1. The bookkeeping agency terminates according to law; 2. The administrative license of the bookkeeping agency is revoked or withdrawn according to law; or 3. Other circumstances under which the administrative license shall be written off as prescribed by laws or regulations. Article 22 In case a bookkeeping agency is under any of the following circumstances, the finance department of the people’s government at or 1. Violating the provisions of Article 9 and 10 of the present Measures; or 2. Violating the provisions of Article 15 and 19 of the present Measures and failing to explain the reasons to the examination and approval Article 23 In case a bookkeeping agency or any of its personnel who undertakes the agency bookkeeping business violates any accounting law, administrative In case a bookkeeping agency violates the present Measures and the relevant provisions of the State and results in the confusion of Article 24 In case anyone undertakes agency bookkeeping business without approval, the finance department of the people’s government at or above Article 25 In case the a finance departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level or any of its their staff members abuses Article 26 The time limit for examination and approval as prescribed by the present Measures shall be calculated by workdays, excluding legal Article 27 The finance departments of the people’s governments at the provincial level shall formulate specific implementation measures according Article 28 The present Measures and other relevant provisions shall be abided by for the application of foreign-funded bookkeeping agency. Article 29 The present Measures shall go into effect as of March 1st, 2005, the Interim Measures for the Administration of Agency Bookkeeping |
the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
2005-01-22