A CPA is an accountant licensed by a state board of accountancy after passing the Uniform CPA Exam and meeting that state's education and experience rules.
Every candidate passes the Uniform CPA Exam, which has four sections of four hours each. Each state sets its own education and experience requirements and the continuing education a CPA needs to keep the license active, and the state board can discipline a CPA or revoke the license.
As an advisor credential, a CPA license signals tax depth. That matters when taxes drive the decisions: a business, equity pay, rental property, or large retirement withdrawals. It is not a planning or investment credential, and on its own it doesn't register anyone to manage investments for a fee. CPAs who do personal financial planning can add the AICPA's PFS credential.
In the public graph, 250 fee-only advisors list CPA, 74 list CPA/PFS, and 355 list PFS, a credential only CPAs can hold.
How to check
Search the person on CPAverify (cpaverify.org), NASBA's free national lookup of licensed CPAs, or on your state board of accountancy's own license search. If the CPA also manages investments, check their registration on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site.
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