TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) today announced that the Florida Board of Accountancy has joined other state boards of accountancy and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) in an effort to make license information more accessible to customers looking for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) services.

"CPAs are an important part of the nation’s financial sector and transparency of the profession is vital," said DBPR Secretary Ken Lawson. "Through this new technological resource, consumers within Florida and across the country will be able to check the licensure history of CPAs from multiple states, creating more accountability."

The website, www.CPAverify.org, serves as a central multistate database and will replace the current process of conducting individual searches for licensees through each state board’s website. Currently, there are 30,799 CPAs and 5,018 CPA Firms in Florida, all of which will be newly listed in the database. The site allows consumers a centralized resource which provides current licensure status as well as past licensure history including public complaints.

"CPAs play a vital role in today’s society. They are the advisors and strategic planners that help guide us through the financial challenges of our lives," said FICPA President-CEO Deborah Curry, CGMA. "The national database will be a tremendous help to those looking for accounting services. When using the new search tool, the public can rest assured that their chosen financial advisor is a fully-licensed certified public accountant."

Florida is one of only 12 states that provide permit and/or licensing data on CPAs and CPA firms through www.CPAverify.org. The other participating states are Alaska, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. The site is free and open to the public.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from hotels and restaurants, real estate agents and certified public accountants to veterinarians, contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.

The FICPA is a Tallahassee-based, statewide, professional association representing more than 18,500 member-CPAs throughout Florida. For complete information about the FICPA, visit www.ficpa.org, follow @FICPA on Twitter and visit Florida Institute of CPAs on Facebook.