Start with what you actually need
Start by deciding which of these you need, because each calls for a different kind of CPA:
- An individual return with moving parts: rental property, self-employment, stock sales, or income from a state you used to live in. A solo CPA or small practice usually fits.
- A small business: bookkeeping, payroll, sales tax and the year-end return. A firm that does all of it in-house saves you from coordinating three people.
- Something a lender or board asked for: audited or reviewed financial statements. That's attest work for a licensed CPA firm. Check the firm itself on the DBPR search, and look up its peer review results on the AICPA's Peer Review Public File (opens in new tab).
Compare names on Tampa accounting firms and the full list of CPAs in Tampa.
The Florida taxes a Tampa CPA still handles
Florida has no individual income tax, and that's written into the state constitution, so there is no Florida return for a Tampa resident who only has personal income (why that matters). For businesses, the picture is different:
- Corporate income tax: Florida taxes corporations, and LLCs taxed as corporations, at 5.5%, on Form F-1120. A calendar-year return is due May 1, not April 15 (Florida DOR (opens in new tab)).
- Sales and use tax: the state rate is 6%, plus a county discretionary surtax. Rates change, so check the current DR-15DSS table (opens in new tab) rather than any number you read online, including Hillsborough's.
- Commercial rent: Florida stopped taxing commercial rent on October 1, 2025 (DOR TIP 25A01-04 (opens in new tab)). If someone is still charging you sales tax on an office or warehouse lease for later periods, ask your CPA. Our commercial rent tax guide explains which dates count.
- Reemployment tax: employer-paid, never withheld from paychecks (DOR (opens in new tab)).
Firm or solo CPA?
A solo CPA usually means the same person every year, and that person signs the return. A multi-partner firm can cover bookkeeping, payroll, tax and attest work under one roof, but ask who will actually do your work and who reviews it. Neither is better in general. Match the size to the job.
Look across the bay
Plenty of Tampa Bay CPAs list another city on their license. If you're open to a drive or to working remotely, also browse St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview, Lutz and Wesley Chapel, or the county pages for Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco.
Check the license before you hire
Search the name or license number on the DBPR license search (opens in new tab) and look for Current, Active. "Current, Inactive" means the person holds a license but isn't practicing as a CPA. Our Florida CPA license lookup guide walks through the screen, including where the complaint record lives. To check enrolled agents and other credentialed preparers, use the IRS preparer directory (opens in new tab).
Questions for the first call
- Who will prepare and sign my return or financial statements?
- Do you handle Florida sales tax and the F-1120 for businesses like mine?
- How do you price this, and can you put a range in writing? (See what a CPA costs in Florida.)
- If the IRS sends a letter, will you represent me? CPAs, enrolled agents and attorneys can (IRS (opens in new tab)).
This guide is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice, and it doesn't recommend any particular CPA or firm. Confirm any license on the DBPR register before you hire.
Common questions
- How do I find a good CPA in Tampa?
- Decide first whether you need individual tax help, small-business accounting, or audited statements, then shortlist two or three CPAs or firms from this directory's Tampa pages. Ask each who will do and sign the work and how they price it, and confirm the license on the Florida DBPR search before you hire.
- Do I need a CPA in Tampa if Florida has no state income tax?
- Often not for a simple personal return, since Florida has no individual income tax return. Business owners are different: corporations owe Florida corporate income tax, most sellers collect sales tax, and employers pay reemployment tax. A CPA also helps if you still owe a return to a state you moved from.
- How do I check a Tampa CPA's license?
- Search the name or license number on the Florida DBPR license search and look for Current, Active status. Click the name to open the full record, including any complaint history. It is free.
- Who can audit my business's financial statements in Tampa?
- Audits and reviews are attest work done by licensed CPA firms. Check the firm itself on the DBPR license search, and look up its peer review results on the AICPA's Peer Review Public File.
- Is commercial rent still taxed in Florida?
- No. Florida's sales tax on commercial rent was repealed for occupancy periods beginning on or after October 1, 2025. Earlier periods can still be taxable, so late-paid back rent may carry tax.