The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is warning Floridians of the danger of hiring unlicensed certified public accountants to assist in personal and business financial needs.
In Florida, CPAs are required to have a professional license.
“As tax season approaches, many Florida families and business owners are facing the arduous task of preparing their financials and may need to hire a CPA,” said Ken Lawson, secretary of DBPR, in a release. “There are many financial and tax professionals that can assist with various financial needs, but only CPAs are licensed by the state and can provide specific services.”
Licensed CPAs have successfully passed the Uniform CPA Examination, in addition to meeting the necessary education and experience requirements mandated by Florida law. CPAs are licensed to perform audit, reviews and compilations, as well as express opinions of financial statements that provide a level of assurance regarding the reliability or fairness of the financial information at hand.
CPA licensing can be verified online at MyFloridaLicense.com, or by calling (850) 487-1395.
