Certified Public Accountant

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

An accountant who has met certain standards, including experience, age, and licensing, and passed exams in a particular state.

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Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

An accountant who has met certain state requirements as to age, education, experience, residence, and accounting knowledge, the latter measured by the successful completion of an extensive series of examinations. In most instances, only CPAs are permitted to render opinions on the fairness of financial statements.

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Certified Public Accountant

A professionally licensed accountant. In the United States, CPA eligibility conditions vary by state, but all require the successful completion of a four-part CPA exam. CPAs can legally give public attestation to advice on financial statements; for example, only a CPA can sign an in-house audit. See also: Accountancy.