Thinking About Starting Your Own Firm?

Launching a CPA firm is both a business decision and a professional milestone. It requires strategic planning, regulatory compliance and thoughtful operational design.

This toolkit brings together the essential steps Texas CPAs need to move from idea to launch — clearly, confidently and in compliance with state requirements.

Clarify Your Firm Strategy Before You File

The decisions made before filing formation documents will determine your positioning, profitability and long-term flexibility.

Before you move forward, define:

• The services that align with your expertise and market demand

• The clients you are intentionally choosing to serve

• Whether you are building a lifestyle practice or a scalable growth firm

• Your operating model: virtual, hybrid or physical office

These choices influence pricing, technology investments, staffing and regulatory obligations.

Assess your readiness and identify gaps before you launch.
Start with the Startup Readiness Self-Assessment.

Establish Your Texas Foundation

Launching a CPA firm in Texas requires more than forming a business entity. It requires aligning with regulatory standards that protect your license and your clients.

Before opening your doors, ensure you have addressed:

• Selection of the appropriate legal structure for your liability and growth goals

• Registration requirements with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy

• Federal EIN setup and tax registration

• Peer review requirements, if applicable to your services

• Professional liability insurance aligned with your risk profile

Early compliance decisions shape credibility, operational stability and long-term scalability.

👉 Protect your launch with the Texas Compliance Checklist.

Design Your Service and Pricing Model

Your service mix and pricing structure will determine workload, profitability and long-term flexibility.

Before you launch, define:

• The core services aligned with your expertise and market demand

• The clients you are intentionally choosing to serve

• Your pricing strategy — hourly, fixed-fee or value-based

• Your minimum engagement threshold and capacity targets

Many firms begin with tax, accounting and payroll services. Some expand into advisory or outsourced CFO services as their client base matures.

The key is intentional design — not reactive growth.

Early clarity in these areas strengthens margin discipline, protects capacity and positions your firm for sustainable expansion.

Next Steps

Sequence your launch decisions with the Firm Launch Timeline Tool
Validate financial sustainability using the Startup Budget Worksheet

Build for Long-Term Sustainability

Launching a firm is a milestone. Sustaining it is a discipline.

Long-term success requires more than technical expertise. It demands:

• A defined client acquisition strategy

• Professional presentation that builds trust and credibility

• Integrated technology that supports efficiency and scale

• Ongoing engagement with the profession

• Continuous awareness of regulatory and legislative changes

Firms that endure stay connected — to standards, to peers and to the future of the profession.

You do not have to navigate that alone.

TXCPA serves as a strategic partner to entrepreneurial CPAs — strengthening compliance confidence, expanding professional networks and protecting the value of the CPA license across Texas.

Members: Access the full toolkit and ongoing firm-building resources.

Not yet a member?

Unlock access and position your firm with the support of Texas’ leading CPA community.