Chartered accountants – Branch office

General information

Establishment of a branch office must be reported to the Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) without delay.

Within four weeks of receiving such a report, the Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) must issue an official decision prohibiting the establishment of a branch office if the requirements defined in section 74 paragraph 2 of the Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz (WTBG) are not met.

The Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) must issue an official decision prohibiting the exercise of chartered accountancy activities in a branch office if the requirements defined in section 74 paragraph 2 of the Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz (WTBG) are not met.

Requirements

Holders of a professional licence are entitled to establish branch offices. The establishment of a branch office is subject to the following requirements: management of the branch office must be transferred to a person with a valid professional licence under the WTBG and who must hold the kind of professional licence that is needed for the activities performed in this branch office. If these requirements are not met, the exercise of activities under the WTBG in a branch office must be prohibited. A holder of a professional licence is permitted to manage four branch offices at the most.

If the requirements defined in section 74 paragraph 2 of the Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz are not met, the Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) will prohibit the establishment of a branch office.

Deadlines

Establishment of a branch office must be reported to the Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) without delay.

Within four weeks of receiving the report, the Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) must prohibit such establishment if the requirements defined in section 74 paragraph 2 of the Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz are not met.

Competent authority

Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (→ KSW)^{German text}

Legal bases

Section 74 paragraph 2, 3 and 5 of the Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz (WTBG)