Check a CPA’s license, or file a complaint, in any state.

According to the IRS, CPAs are licensed by state boards of accountancy, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories (IRS, preparer credentials and qualifications). The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy lists a board of accountancy for each of 55 jurisdictions (NASBA, Boards of Accountancy).

• To check a license: use the board’s lookup in the table below, or CPAverify, a public search run by NASBA.
• To complain about a CPA: use the complaint page of the board that licensed them.
• To report a tax preparer to the IRS: the IRS route is separate, and works whether or not the preparer is a CPA.

Each link goes to the board’s own website. We checked every link on October 28, 2026. Where we couldn’t confirm a public lookup or complaint page, the table says to start from the board’s website. If a link has moved, start from the board’s home page in the second column, or from NASBA’s list of boards.

Search for the CPA by name or license number in the board’s lookup. CPAverify, the public search run by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, lets you search for a CPA or a firm by jurisdiction, last name, or license number (CPAverify). As of October 2026, its list of jurisdictions didn’t include Hawaii or New Mexico, so use those boards’ own lookups.

Check the state that matters for your situation. A CPA may hold licenses in more than one state, and a firm may be licensed separately from the CPAs who work there. If you can’t find someone, contact the board before assuming they aren’t licensed.

Each board sets its own complaint process, so follow the instructions on its complaint page. Keep copies of what you send, and of the engagement letter, invoices, returns, statements, and letters from the IRS or your state tax agency.

Boards act on the license. In Florida, for example, the grounds for discipline include “committing an act of fraud or deceit, or of negligence, incompetency, or misconduct, in the practice of public accounting” (Fla. Stat. § 473.323(1)(g)). In Arizona, the board may revoke or suspend a certificate or impose other discipline (A.R.S. § 32-741).

For a paid tax return preparer, the IRS says to report the preparer by filing Form 14157. If your preparer altered your tax data, misdirected your refund, or filed a return without your knowledge or consent, Form 14157-A asks the IRS to correct your account (IRS, tax return preparer fraud or misconduct).

CPAs, attorneys, and enrolled agents who practice before the IRS are also subject to Circular 230, which the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility administers (IRS, Office of Professional Responsibility and Circular 230). For a step-by-step version, see how to report a tax preparer or CPA.

A board complaint can lead to discipline against the license. It isn’t a way to get your money back. Florida’s licensing department, for example, lists outcomes such as a reprimand, fine, probation, license suspension or revocation, and says: “The Department cannot represent you in civil matters to recover fees paid or seek remedies for injuries” (Florida DBPR, File a complaint).

Recovering a loss, such as IRS penalties or a failed audit, is a separate legal claim with its own deadlines. See accounting malpractice deadlines by state, and ask an attorney licensed in your state how they apply to your dates, whether or not you file a complaint.

We wrote this page from the primary sources below and checked it against them on October 28, 2026.

• IRS, Understanding tax return preparer credentials and qualifications: CPAs are licensed by state boards of accountancy
• NASBA, Boards of Accountancy: boards in 55 jurisdictions
• NASBA, CPAverify public search: search fields and jurisdictions
• Fla. Stat. § 473.323: grounds for discipline of Florida CPAs
• A.R.S. § 32-741: Arizona board discipline
• Florida DBPR, File a complaint: disciplinary outcomes and civil remedies
• IRS, Tax return preparer fraud or misconduct: Forms 14157 and 14157-A
• IRS, Office of Professional Responsibility and Circular 230: practice before the IRS

We are not attorneys, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change and differ from state to state. If anything here is out of date or wrong, email support@malpracticeattorneys.com with the page name, and we’ll review it and update the page.