CPA FirmCheck
Public records · updated 2026-10-16

Find a licensed CPA firm near you

Every California CPA corporation, CPA partnership and registered CPA practice name the Board of Accountancy shows as active, and every Illinois CPA firm license IDFPR shows as active, with the details each state publishes.

Popular: Los AngelesSan DiegoIrvineChicagoSan Francisco
Data from 4 official public-record sourcesHow we verify →
What every listing shows
  • State-licensed status from the official record, with the date we checked
  • Status
  • Expires
  • County
  • Entity type
  • Address and phone from the public record

No ratings for sale. Featured spots are labelled and never change the order.

6,356CPA firms listed
6,356with an active state license or registration
2states covered
Oct 16, 2026last data refresh
Why the firm's license matters. Anyone with an IRS PTIN can prepare tax returns for pay, but audits and other assurance work may be done only by licensed CPAs, and California and Illinois license or register the CPA firm itself. Start from the state's record, then check the individual CPA who will do your work.

Browse by type of firm

See all →
Corporations3,648 CPA firmsPartnerships & LLPs1,013 CPA firmsLLCs307 CPA firmsSole practices1,100 CPA firms

Top cities

Where the most CPA firms are listed.

All 2 states →
Los Angeles, CA369
San Diego, CA204
Irvine, CA160
Chicago, IL150
San Francisco, CA149
San Jose, CA120
Sacramento, CA105
Woodland Hills, CA101
Fresno, CA98
Glendale, CA76
Encino, CA76
Torrance, CA74
Pasadena, CA62
Newport Beach, CA59
Walnut Creek, CA58
Sherman Oaks, CA50

How it works

Compiled from California Board of Accountancy licensee file (Department of Consumer Affairs public information), Illinois IDFPR Professional Licensing dataset (pzzh-kp68), DCA License Search (California), IDFPR License Look-Up (Illinois).

Methodology →

Search your area

Every CPA firm in the public record for your city — not just the ones that paid to be listed.

Check the record

State-licensed status, key facts and the date we last refreshed the data, on every profile.

Contact them directly

Call from the profile or send a message. We never sell your details.

Browse by state

California5,411
Illinois945

Guides

Plain-English answers, with links to the official sources.

All guides →
Guide · 4 min readHow to check a CPA firm's license in California or IllinoisThe difference between an individual CPA license and a firm license, how to look a firm up, and which services only CPAs may perform.Guide · 4 min readCalifornia CPA firms: corporations, partnerships and registered practice namesHow the California Board of Accountancy registers firms, what each record type means, non-CPA owners, peer review and the commission rule.Guide · 4 min readIllinois CPA firm licenses: ownership rules, restricted services and discipline recordsWhat 225 ILCS 450 requires of Illinois CPA firms, which services only CPAs may do, peer review and how to read IDFPR records.Guide · 4 min readHow a small business should choose a CPA firmDeciding what help you need, shortlisting from the state record, questions to ask, commissions, peer review, the engagement letter and red flags.

Our promise

What we will never do — for the people searching and for the businesses listed.

Read the full promise →
Your details go only to the business you chooseWe never sell or rent your contact information, and we never pass it to other businesses.
We won’t call or text youYou decide who to contact. Nobody from this site will phone you or put you on a call list.
No paid advisors steering youNobody here earns a commission or referral fee for sending you to a particular business.
Paying can’t buy a better rank or recordThe order and the badges come from public records. Paid spots are clearly labelled “Featured” and never change the list.
We never hide accurate records for moneyA business can correct an error or add a response, but it can’t pay to remove an accurate public record.
Free to use, nothing to cancelNo sign-up, no subscription, no fees for the people using this directory.

Are you a CPA firm?

Your listing already exists — it was built from public records. Claim it free to correct your details, or get featured in your city for $99/month. No per-lead fees.

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Common questions

Does a CPA firm need its own license?

In California, firms practise under a Board permit and register with the Board as corporations or partnerships, and a sole proprietor using a firm name must register that name (Business and Professions Code §§ 5050, 5060, 5070). Illinois licenses CPA firms under 225 ILCS 450/14.4.

Do I need a CPA to do my taxes?

No. The IRS says anyone with a Preparer Tax Identification Number can prepare returns for pay. Audits and other assurance work on financial statements, though, are restricted to licensed CPAs.

What is a "registered practice name"?

In California a CPA practising alone may use a firm name other than their own only if the Board of Accountancy has registered it (B&P § 5060(c)). The CBA file calls this a fictitious name registration.

Is this a ranking or an endorsement?

No. We list every firm with an active license or registration in the state file, longest-registered first. Featured firms pay a flat fee, are labelled and never change the order.

Why do some Illinois firms show discipline?

IDFPR's licensing file records disciplinary actions against a firm's license. We show each entry exactly as published; it does not mean the license is restricted today.