Business Valuation Certifications and Designations

The following guide provides sources for information on professional accreditation credentials awarded to qualified business appraisers by the major professional appraisal organizations.

American Society of Appraisers (ASA)

AM - Accredited Member
ASA - Accredited Senior Appraiser
FASA - Fellow of the American Society of Appraisers
CEIV - Certified in Entity and Intangible Valuations™ (see separate listing below)

The American Society of Appraisers is an international organization of appraisal professionals, with appraisal disciplines covered including appraisal review and management, business valuation, gems and jewelry, machinery and technical specialties, personal property, and real property. Its member directory is searchable by name, geographic location, appraisal discipline, specialty, and keyword.

Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA)

ABV - Accredited in Business Valuation
CEIV - Certified in Entity and Intangible Valuations™ (see separate listing below)

ABV credential holders are AICPA members who have met the education, examination, and business valuation experience requirements necessary to be designated as "Accredited in Business Valuation". Credential holder directory is searchable by country, state, city, and zip code, with optional features including the ability to refine the search by credential, name, organization, and areas of expertise.

National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA)

CVA - Certified Valuation Analyst

NACVA is a professional organization which offers certifications in business valuation and financial forensics, with certifications offered to its members including the CVA (Certified Valuation Analyst), ABAR (Accredited in Business Appraisal Review), and MAFF (Master Analyst in Financial Forensics). Its member directory is searchable by name, industry, specialty, city, state, zip code, and country.

CBV Institute

CBV - Chartered Business Valuator

The CBV Institute is a professional accrediting body in the field of business valuation in Canada, and offers the CBV (Chartered Business Valuator) designation to qualified business appraisers who meet its education, examination, and business valuation experience requirements. Its member directory is searchable by first name, last name, company, biography keywords, country, and state or province.

Corporate and Intangibles Valuation Organization, LLC
CEIV - Certified in Entity and Intangible Valuations™ (awarded under license by ASA and AICPA)
The CEIV credential is available to qualified CPAs and other financial professionals who perform fair value measurements for entities and intangible assets for financial reporting purposes, with types of services performed including purchase price allocations for business combinations, testing goodwill for impairment, and valuing intangible assets such as license agreements, patents, and trademarks.

Valuing a Business: The Analysis and Appraisal of Closely Held Companies, 5th Edition
Shannon P. Pratt, Alina V. Niculita, McGraw-Hill, 2008

Chapter 1 provides profiles for each of the appraisal organizations offering professional accreditation in business valuation in the U.S. and Canada, and includes a summary schedule of the requirements for each designation including prerequisites, educational requirements, courses and examinations, report or case study review, business appraisal experience, and personal and business references.

PPC Guide to Business Valuations
Practitioners Publishing Company, annual updates

Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive listing of the business valuation designations offered by various organizations, and includes information on education, examination, experience, and reaccreditation requirements for business valuation certifications and designations (e.g., AM, ASA, FASA, ABV, CVA, ABAR, CBA, MCBA) awarded to qualified business appraisers by the major appraisal organizations.