Accountant, CPA and chartered accountant websites: trust, fees and rules

What clients look for

1. Are you qualified? Your designation, licence or registration, and professional body.
2. Do you work with people like me? A contractor, a shop owner, a landlord, a start-up, a person with income abroad.
3. What will it cost? Many people choose on price clarity alone. Fixed monthly or annual fees, or a range per service.
4. What do you actually do? Bookkeeping, tax returns, payroll, VAT or GST, year-end accounts, advice.
5. How does it work? What I send you, what you send me, how often we talk, and which software we use.
6. Is my information safe? How documents are shared and stored.
7. How quickly do you respond? Many people leave an accountant for poor communication.

What to include

Showing your fees

• Packages work well: “Sole trader: from a fixed monthly fee, including bookkeeping review, tax return and quarterly check-in.”
• If you cannot publish a price, show a range or the factors that move it, such as turnover, transactions and employees.
• Say what is not included, such as late records or special advice.
• Mention how you bill and when, and any onboarding step.
• Update prices when they change, and show the date you last reviewed them.

The rules, by country

Titles and advertising for accountants are national and vary a great deal. The notes below show the shape; check your own licensing board or professional body.

United States

• CPA is a licence. Certified public accountants are licensed by state boards of accountancy, whose rules cover use of the title and firm names. Use “CPA” only if you hold a current licence, and show your state.
• Paid tax preparers must have an IRS preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Preparers who are not CPAs, attorneys or enrolled agents have further requirements.
• Circular 230 governs practice before the IRS and prohibits tax practitioners from using communications, including advertising, that contain false, misleading or deceptive statements. Do not imply credentials you do not have, or associations that do not exist. Enrolled agents, for example, may not use the word “certified” or imply a connection with the IRS in marketing.

United Kingdom

• “Accountant” is not a protected title; anyone can use it. “Chartered accountant” and similar designations belong to members of the chartered bodies, such as ICAEW, and the bodies act against misuse. Use a designation only if you are entitled to, and show your body and membership.
• Firms providing accountancy services must be supervised for anti-money-laundering purposes, by a professional body or HMRC. Good practice is to say who supervises you.
• Your professional body’s code and the advertising codes (ASA and CAP) apply to what you publish.

Europe

• Titles are national and often protected. Examples include the expert-comptable in France and the Steuerberater in Germany, each overseen by a professional order or chamber. Use only the title you hold.
• Check your chamber's rules on advertising, and on how you describe your specialisation.
• Under the GDPR, a web form that collects financial information needs a lawful basis, a privacy notice and proper security.

India

• Under the Chartered Accountants Act, a chartered accountant who solicits clients or professional work by circular, advertisement, personal communication or any other means commits professional misconduct (Clause 6 of Part I of the First Schedule).
• The ICAI issued Website Guidelines to let members and firms have a website without breaching those clauses; they were revised most recently in 2020. They set out what a website may contain, and prohibit certain things, including the names or logos of clients. Read the current guidelines in the Code of Ethics before you publish.
• Be especially careful about advertising coaching or teaching, which the ICAI has warned can amount to indirect solicitation.

Confidentiality and security

• Do not name clients, show their logos or quote their results without written consent. In some places, such as India, you may not name clients at all.
• Do not ask visitors to send tax numbers, bank details or documents through a plain contact form or email. Use a secure upload or portal, and tell people how.
• Say how you keep information safe, in plain words. Mention encryption and who has access.
• Add a short privacy notice that says what you collect and why.

Content that works for accountants

• A short “key dates” section for your country, reviewed each year, with the filing deadlines your clients need. Make sure it is accurate and dated.
• A “what to bring” checklist for new clients, which doubles as a useful page for search.
• Short, plain answers to common questions: When do I need to register for VAT or GST? Should I be a sole trader or a company? What can I claim?
• Seasonal reminders that link to your booking page.

Keep it accurate. Tax rules change, and a page with out-of-date advice does harm. Date your content and state that it is general information, not advice for a particular situation.

Common mistakes

• Using “CPA”, “chartered accountant” or another designation you are not entitled to.
• No fees or packages.
• Jargon-heavy service lists with no mention of the type of client.
• Stock photographs of calculators and handshakes.
• A contact form that invites people to send sensitive details.
• Naming clients, or using testimonials, without checking the rules.
• Out-of-date deadlines or tax rates.
• Making guarantees such as “maximise your refund” or “pay no tax”.

For ready-made sections and notices for accountants, see websites for accountants.

Where BeVisible fits

BeVisible has a setup for accountants with a “What I handle” list, “Services & fees”, a “Membership & qualifications” line for your designation or licence (such as ICAI or CPA), and a notice for financial professionals. As you type, it flags wording that regulators often object to, such as “best”, “guarantee”, “specialist” and “expert”. It is guidance, not professional advice, and what you publish stays your responsibility. You can build and preview free, and publish free for 7 days with no card needed; after that one yearly plan keeps a website online, and one plan covers one website. Start from a photo or type your details.