Article 1 of the Saudi Accounting and Auditing Profession Law

This is the definitions article of the Accounting and Auditing Profession Law. It explains what the main words and phrases mean wherever they appear in the Law, unless the context requires otherwise. The most important are:

• The Regulations: the Implementing Regulations of the Law, to which the Law refers many details.
• The Minister: a minister who is a member of the Council of Ministers, named by order of the Prime Minister on the proposal of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs.
• The Authority: the Saudi Organization for Auditors and Accountants, and the Board is its board of directors.
• The profession: the accounting and auditing profession.
• The license: a document issued by the Authority that allows the person it is issued to practice the profession under the conditions and controls set out in the Law and the Regulations.
• The certified accountant: a natural or legal person licensed to practice the profession, so the description covers both an individual and an entity such as a professional company.
• The Committee: the committee that hears administrative and professional-conduct violations under the provisions of the Law.

Amendments: by Royal Decree No. (M/169) dated 10/8/1446 AH, the definition of "the Ministry" was deleted and the definition of "the license" was amended to its present text, which makes it a document issued by the Authority. The definition of "the Minister" was then amended to its present text by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (283) dated 22/4/1447 AH.

These definitions are directly linked to Article 2, which prohibits practicing the profession without obtaining a license. Anyone who needs to determine whether their activity falls within the profession is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial and corporate cases.