---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 7233"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "7233"
heading: "Commission authority"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/7233"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Public Company Accounting Reform and Corporate Responsibility"
  - "Subchapter II — Auditor Independence"
---

# §7233. Commission authority

- (a) **Commission regulations—** Not later than 180 days after July 30, 2002, the [Commission](/usc/15/7201.md?p=6) shall issue final regulations to carry out each of subsections (g) through (l) of [section 78j–1 of this title](/usc/15/78j–1.md).
- (b) **Auditor independence—** It shall be unlawful for any [registered public accounting firm](/usc/15/7201.md?p=12) (or an associated [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) thereof, as applicable) to prepare or issue any [audit report](/usc/15/7220.md?p=2) with respect to any [issuer](/usc/15/7201.md?p=7), if the firm or associated [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) engages in any activity with respect to that [issuer](/usc/15/7201.md?p=7) prohibited by any of subsections (g) through (l) of [section 78j–1 of this title](/usc/15/78j–1.md) or any rule or regulation of the [Commission](/usc/15/7201.md?p=6) or of the [Board](/usc/15/7201.md?p=5) issued thereunder.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–204, title II, § 208, July 30, 2002, 116 Stat. 775.)