Certified Public Accountant - Use of Titles, Abbreviations and Initials

In Alberta the use of the title “Certified Public Accountant” or of the Initials “CPA” is restricted under the Regulated Accounting Profession Act (the Act). The use of title or initials may be granted to a Chartered Accountant, a Certified Management Accountant, or a Certified General Accountant registered under RAPA.

Use of CPA by a Chartered Accountant

The registration committee may authorize a chartered accountant, registered under Part 3 of the Act to use the name “Certified Public Accountant” or the initials “CPA” or any title, name, description, abbreviation, letter or symbol representing that name or those initials, alone or in combination with any other name, title, description, abbreviation, letter, symbol or initials, that represents expressly or by implication that the individual is a certified public accountant if the person

(a) provides satisfactory evidence to the registration committee of having a current CPA certificate from the United States of America, and

(b) completes an application in the form required by the by laws and pays the application fee specified by the governing body.

An applicant whose application is approved must use the designation “Certified Public Accountant” or the initials “CPA” only

(a) when accompanied by and following “Chartered Accountant”, “CA”, and

(b) when the designation also discloses the name of the applicable CPA jurisdiction in the United States of America, in the following manner: “Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant (State, USA)”, or “CA, CPA (State, USA)”,

To apply for use of CPA title and initials in Alberta please complete the CPA Application Form . If you have questions please contact the Registration Department at 1 800 232- 9406.

Use of CPA by Someone other than a CA, CMA or CGA

A person who has a current CPA certificate from the United States of America but who is not a chartered accountant, certified management accountant or certified general accountant

(a) may use the statement “certified as a CPA in (State, USA)”, or

(b) may use the statement “licensed as a CPA in (State, USA)” if such person has also been granted the right to practice public accountancy by a state board of accountancy in the United States of America with which the Institute has a mutual recognition agreement.

A person who has a current CPA certificate from the United States of America but who is not a chartered accountant, certified management accountant or certified general accountant may not use the designation “Certified Public Accountant” or “Certified Public Accountant (State, USA)” or the initials “CPA” or “CPA (State, USA)”.

The registration committee may authorize a person registered under section 50 of the Act or a public accounting firm registered under section 46 of the Act to use the designation “Certified Public Accountant” or “CPA” in Alberta if such person or firm

(a) provides satisfactory evidence to the registration committee that such person or firm has a current CPA certificate from the United States of America and has the right to practice accountancy as granted by a state board of accountancy in the United States of America with which the Institute has a mutual recognition agreement, and

(b) completes an application in the form required by the by laws and pays the application fee specified by the governing body.