Quick answer
How do you choose a chartered accountant?
Here is how to choose a chartered accountant: first verify their ICAI membership and firm on the official CA Connect portal. Then check experience with your type of business, who in the firm will do the work, response times, and a written scope and fee. For audits and certificates, the CA must hold a certificate of practice.
- Verify membership and firm on ICAI CA Connect
- Match experience to your business type and size
- Ask who handles your file day to day
- Get scope, fee and timelines in writing
How to choose a chartered accountant: the checklist
A good choice comes down to six checks: verified ICAI membership, relevant experience, the right services under one roof, clear communication, transparent fees and a sensible location or online set-up. Score each candidate on these before you decide.
| Criterion | What to look for | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Verified credentials | ICAI member; certificate of practice for audit and attest work | Search ICAI CA Connect |
| Relevant experience | Clients like you: traders, manufacturers, start-ups, salaried or NRI | Ask for the kinds of clients served, not names |
| Service fit | Covers the work you need: GST, ITR, TDS, ROC, accounting, audit | Compare the firm's service list with yours |
| Who does the work | Named point of contact and partner review | Ask who prepares and who reviews your filings |
| Communication | Reminders before due dates and replies within an agreed time | Ask how they track deadlines and share updates |
| Fees in writing | Separate professional fee, government fee and GST | Request a written quote and engagement letter |
| Access | Office you can visit, or a clear online process | Check the address and working hours |
Use the same checklist for every candidate so the comparison is fair.
How to verify a CA on ICAI
You can verify a chartered accountant on ICAI's official CA Connect portal, which lets you search members and firms by name, city and state or union territory, and filter by preferred services. If a person claiming to be a CA does not appear, ask them why before you go further.
- 1
Open CA Connect
Go to caconnect.icai.org, ICAI's listing portal for members and firms.
- 2
Search by name or city
Use the profile search with the CA's name or the firm name, or search Delhi to browse.
- 3
Match the details
Check that the name, firm and city match what the CA told you and what appears on their letterhead.
- 4
Confirm practice status for attest work
For audits and certificates, confirm the CA is in practice, not only a member in employment.
- 5
Check documents later
Certificates and audit reports signed by a CA should carry a UDIN you can verify on ICAI's portal.
Need help with how to choose a CA? Talk to a chartered accountant in Delhi today. First call is free.
What questions should you ask a CA before hiring?
Ask about the work, not the brochure: who handles your file, how deadlines are tracked, what the fee includes, how notices are handled, and how you get your data back if you leave. The answers tell you more than any listing.
- Which of your clients are in a business like mine, and what issues do you usually see?
- Who will prepare my returns, and who reviews them before filing?
- How will you remind me of due dates and documents you need?
- What exactly does the quoted fee include, and what is billed extra?
- If I get a notice from GST or income tax, is the reply included?
- Which software do you use, and will I have access to my books?
- How quickly do you usually reply to messages during a filing season?
- If we stop working together, how do I get my files and login access back?
CA vs tax consultant vs online platform: which do you need?
A practising CA can do everything from returns to audits and certificates; a tax consultant can file returns and handle routine compliance but cannot sign audits or certificates; an online platform sells standard packages handled by its staff or partners. Choose by the kind of work, not the label.
| Point | Practising CA or CA firm | Tax consultant | Online platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory audit, tax audit, certificates | Yes, reserved for practising CAs | No | Cannot offer through CA firms under ICAI rules |
| GST, ITR, TDS filings | Yes | Yes | Yes, as packages |
| Company and LLP registration | Yes | Often | Yes, as packages |
| Regulated by | ICAI Code of Ethics | No single professional body | Consumer and general law |
| Continuity | Same team year to year, if you choose well | Varies | Often a different person each time |
| Typical fit | Businesses needing audit or ongoing advice | Simple, routine filings | One-off registrations and simple returns |
Fees vary for all three; see our guide to CA fees in Delhi.
What does ICAI's rule on aggregators mean for you?
ICAI does not allow CA firms to list themselves on app-based aggregators for services reserved for chartered accountants, such as statutory audit, tax audit and certificates. They may appear in directories and on ICAI's own CA Connect. So for reserved work, approach a CA directly.
ICAI's Code of Ethics 2026 applies from 1 April 2026. The August 2026 CA Journal explained that listing with aggregators is not permitted for exclusive services but there is no restriction for non-exclusive ones, and encouraged members to use CA Connect. You can read the article in the ICAI CA Journal.
That is why this site is a directory. For non-exclusive work such as GST and registrations, the listed firms can quote. For a statutory audit or a certificate, we only explain the process and you choose and contact the CA yourself.
Who is the best CA in Delhi for a small business?
The best CA for a small business in Delhi is one who is verified on ICAI, has handled businesses of your size and trade, answers on time in the filing season and gives you a clear annual quote. Rankings and reviews help, but fit matters more than fame.
A small trader needs reliable monthly GST return filing and reconciliation more than a big brand. A start-up needs someone comfortable with company law, fundraising paperwork and ROC filings. A salaried professional with capital gains needs careful income tax return filing. A manufacturer in an industrial area needs stock and costing experience, and probably a tax audit. Write down your three most important needs, then shortlist two or three CAs who match them.
Common mistakes when choosing a CA
The usual mistakes are choosing on price alone, skipping verification, keeping no written scope, and letting one person hold every login without backup. Each one is easy to avoid.
- Choosing only on price. The cheapest quote often leaves out reconciliation or notice replies.
- Not verifying. Anyone can call themselves a tax expert; only ICAI members are chartered accountants.
- No engagement letter. Without one, scope disputes are hard to settle.
- Sharing all passwords informally. Keep your own records of GST, income tax and MCA logins.
- Waiting until the due date. Good CAs fill up before deadlines; appoint early.
- Using the same person for books and audit. Your auditor should be independent of your bookkeeping.
Where do the firms listed on CA in Delhi fit?
CA in Delhi lists three firms near Netaji Subhash Place, each with a different focus, as a factual directory. You can compare them on our chartered accountant firms in Delhi page and contact any of them directly.
- Khubchandani & Co. Chartered Accountants is a chartered accountant firm whose CAs, by the firm's own account, have more than 35 years of experience, covering company formation, GST, TDS, advance tax, PF and ESI, accounting, trademark and FSSAI work.
- Greenwolf Advisors is a corporate and cross-border advisory firm, founded in 2016, offering entity setup, governance, virtual CFO, MIS and cross-border structuring. It is not a CA firm.
- Moneymji is a business registration and compliance firm offering registrations, GST, income tax, ROC, accounting and transaction advisory. It is not a CA firm.
Whoever you shortlist, verify them yourself. If you are searching nearby, our CA near me page and the CA in Shalimar Bagh page cover the local area.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a CA is genuine?
Search the name or firm on ICAI's CA Connect portal and match the details with the letterhead and visiting card. For certificates or audit reports, verify the UDIN printed on the document on ICAI's UDIN portal. If you cannot find the person, ask for their membership details and check again.
What qualities should a good chartered accountant have?
Verified ICAI membership, experience with clients like you, a habit of reminding you before due dates, clear written fees, and honest advice even when it is not what you want to hear. Responsiveness during filing season is often the real test.
Is a CA better than a tax consultant?
For audits, certificates and complex tax or company matters, yes, because only a practising CA can sign those and CAs follow ICAI's Code of Ethics. For a simple salaried return, a competent tax consultant may be enough. Match the professional to the work.
Can I change my CA midway through the year?
Yes. Collect your books, returns, challans and portal logins from the outgoing CA, and give the new CA a clear handover. For a company changing its statutory auditor, there is a formal process under company law, so plan it with both CAs.
Should I choose a CA near my office or work online?
Either works if the CA is responsive. A nearby CA is useful when you want to drop off papers or meet during filing season. Online works well when your books are in cloud software and you are comfortable sharing documents digitally.
Does ICAI recommend any CA firm?
No. ICAI does not rank or recommend individual firms. It runs the CA Connect portal so the public can find and verify members and firms, and it encourages members to list there.
What should a CA engagement letter include?
The services covered, what is excluded, the fee and payment terms, timelines, what documents you must provide and by when, how notices are handled, and how either side can end the engagement. Keep a signed copy.
How do I find a CA in Delhi for a small business?
Shortlist two or three CAs from ICAI's CA Connect or a directory, verify each one, share the same written brief and compare their quotes and answers to the questions above. Pick the one whose scope and communication fit your business.