There are four major organizations that offer business valuation certifications. Each certification has unique prerequisites and renewal provisions. They all require membership in the granting organization.

1. The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) grants the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credential that requires being a CPA, passing an exam, and BV education and experience.

2. The American Society of Appraisers offers the Accredited Member (AM) and Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) designations that require passing exams, and BV education and experience.

3. The National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA) offers several designations including the Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) that require passing an exam and BV education.

4. The Institute of Business Appraisers offers several designations including the Certified Business Appraiser (CBA) that require passing an exam, and varying degrees of BV education and experience.

Just like the types of professionals, no one BV credential is inherently better than the others. Having a BV designation is not a guarantee of competency, but it does demonstrate that the professional has met the minimum requirements for that credential. Conversely, the absence of one doesn’t prove incompetence. It does raise the question of why the professional does not have one. Many BV professionals have multiple designations. That’s great, but one BV credential is enough.