Anyone can print "accountant" on a business card. Before you hand someone your Social Security number and bank statements, spend sixty seconds confirming they hold the license they claim. In Mississippi that check works a little differently from other states — there is no license number to ask for — so here is exactly how to do it.
Why this matters
"CPA" is a state-issued license — a college degree, a four-part exam, supervised experience, and continuing education every year, enforced by the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. "Accountant" and "tax expert" are just words. Every filing season, the IRS warns about "ghost preparers" (opens in new tab) who file inflated returns, take a cut of the refund, and vanish — leaving you legally responsible for every penny. A license check is your cheapest insurance.
The Mississippi difference: no license numbers
Most state boards publish a license number alongside each CPA, and the standard advice is "ask for the number and look it up." Mississippi's board does not publish numbers. Its public search returns name, city, and license status — nothing else — and the roster this directory is built from carries the same three fields.
So verification here is by name. That works fine, with two habits: search the legal name, not a nickname, and read the status the board shows rather than assuming a match means active.
Option 1: The state board's official search
The Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy's CPA search (opens in new tab) is the legal source of record and the one to use before you sign an engagement letter. Type the surname, or surname and first name, and read the status on the result. It shows what this directory doesn't carry: inactive, retired, revoked, or surrendered licenses. If a "CPA" appears there with anything other than an active status, you have your answer.
Option 2: This directory, by city
Every listing here comes from the board's roster of active licensees as of September 12, 2026, filtered so that retired, canceled, revoked, and deceased licensees never appear. Open the city page for where they practice and scan the alphabetical list. A match confirms an active Mississippi license on that date; a miss is a reason to check the board directly, not a verdict.
Option 3: CPAverify, for out-of-state CPAs
If someone claims a license from another state, CPAverify (opens in new tab) — run by NASBA, the national association of state accountancy boards — searches official records from more than 50 licensing boards at once, including disciplinary flags for most states. Mississippi's roster also includes hundreds of active licensees registered in other states, mostly Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, and Louisiana; a Memphis CPA who works with Mississippi clients may hold both.
Bonus: checking a tax preparer who isn't a CPA
Plenty of honest preparers aren't CPAs — but every paid preparer must hold an IRS PTIN and sign your return. Check credentials in the IRS directory of credentialed preparers (opens in new tab). A preparer who won't sign or share a PTIN is the classic ghost preparer — walk away. What each credential actually means.
What to check, in 60 seconds
- Name matches the board's record. Exactly — not a similar name at the same firm.
- Status is active. Everything in this directory is; on the board's search, anything else deserves questions.
- City lines up with where they claim to practice.
- They answered without hesitation when you asked which state licensed them. Reluctance is data.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to verify a CPA license in Mississippi?
Yes. The Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy’s official search, this directory, and NASBA’s CPAverify are all free and take under a minute. There is never a fee to check whether someone is licensed.
Why can’t I find a license number for my CPA?
Because the Mississippi board does not publish them. Its public search and the roster this directory is built from list name, city, and status only. That is a feature of the board’s records, not a sign that anything is wrong — verification in Mississippi is by name, and a CPA asked for a number may not have one to hand over in the way a Florida or Alabama CPA would.
What if I can’t find my accountant in the search?
First, try their legal name — someone who goes by “Bob” may be licensed as “Robert,” and married names sometimes differ from license records. Try the surname alone; the board’s search matches partial names. If they still don’t appear, they may hold a license in another state (check CPAverify), or they may not be a CPA at all. Ask them directly which state licensed them; a licensed CPA will answer without hesitation.
Does my tax preparer have to be a CPA?
No — but anyone paid to prepare federal returns must have an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) and is required to sign your return. CPAs and enrolled agents can additionally represent you before the IRS without limitation. What’s never okay is a preparer who refuses to sign your return or provide a PTIN.
How do I check whether a CPA has been disciplined?
Use the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy’s official search, which shows the license status the board currently assigns, and contact the board directly for disciplinary history. NASBA’s CPAverify also shows disciplinary flags for many states. This directory lists active licenses only, so anything revoked, surrendered, or lapsed requires the official sources.
Verify a CPA right now
Every listing in this directory is on the state board's active roster. Free to browse, free to get matched.