Use of Designation
A CPA designation demonstrates your professionalism, integrity and expertise. You can proudly promote your designation on all your branding, marketing and communications materials, such as social media and business cards.
All CPA Ontario members in good standing can use the designation after their name. Use your preferred format: Chartered Professional Accountant, CPA or C.P.A.
Examples:
Member Name, CPA
Member Name, Chartered Professional Accountant
If your membership is suspended or revoked, or if you resign from membership, you are not permitted to use the CPA designation.
You can find more details on CPA Ontario designations in Regulation 12-1.
Use of legacy designations
Until November 1, 2022, members must use their legacy designation(s) (CA, CGA, CMA) along with their CPA designation after their name.
Examples:
Member Name, CPA, CA
Member Name, CPA, CGA
Member Name, CPA, CMA
After that date, you can choose to use only the CPA designation or both your CPA and your legacy designations. Our guidelines show you how to use legacy and other designations along with your CPA designation.
Use of designation in firm names
Firms registered in good standing with CPA Ontario may also use the “Chartered Professional Accountant,” “CPA” or “C.P.A.” designation as part of their firm name. For more information, please refer to the CPA Guidelines for Firm Names.
CPA Ontario Council passed a resolution on December 10, 2020 to extend the deadline for the use of legacy designations as part of the firm name by one year. As of January 1, 2022, the only designation that can be used as part of the firm’s name is Chartered Professional Accountant(s) or CPA(s). Please note that this will be the final extension of the deadline.
Designation usage for public accountants
If you are a public accountant and are signing your name to any statement, opinion or report in respect to any public accounting service, you must use “Licensed Public Accountant” or “expert-comptable autorisé(e)” after your name and designation. You can read further details on disclosure of status in Regulation 17-1.
If your membership is suspended or revoked, or if you resign from membership, you are not permitted to use the LPA designation.
Examples:
Member Name, CPA, CA, Licensed Public Accountant
Member Name, CPA, CMA, expert-comptable autorisé(e)
Member Name, Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified General Accountant, Licensed Public Accountant
Fellow Member Name, FCPA, FCA, expert-comptable autorisé(e)