[The following paragraph was amended, effective for audits of fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2010. See PCAOB Release No. 2010-004.

Return to the current version.]

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The auditor can determine that he or she is able to express an unqualified opinion only if the audit has been conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and if he or she has therefore been able to apply all the procedures he considers necessary in the circumstances. Restrictions on the scope of the audit, whether imposed by the client or by circumstances, such as the timing of his or her work, the inability to obtain sufficient competent evidential matter, or an inadequacy in the accounting records, may require the auditor to qualify his or her opinion or to disclaim an opinion. In such instances, the reasons for the auditor's qualification of opinion or disclaimer of opinion should be described in the report. [Paragraph renumbered by the issuance of Statement on Auditing Standards No. 79, December 1995.]