What Verdica's 766 score means for Plante Moran PLLC
Plante Moran PLLC in Minnesota received a composite score of 766 out of 850, which places it in the "strong" band (740–799). This means the firm demonstrates solid compliance standing across the regulatory dimensions Verdica tracks. A score in this range indicates that the provider meets or exceeds baseline expectations for licensing, audit quality, and disciplinary history, with room for improvement in specific areas.
The 766 score reflects a firm that has maintained its professional credentials and avoided significant regulatory problems, but has not achieved the "excellent" classification (800–850) reserved for providers with nearly perfect records. Readers should interpret this as a provider that is low-risk from a compliance perspective—suitable for businesses seeking an accounting partner with demonstrated regulatory standing—while acknowledging that audit quality findings may warrant closer scrutiny depending on engagement type and industry.
How the sub-scores break down
License & Credentials: 850
This perfect sub-score indicates that Plante Moran PLLC holds all required professional licenses and credentials in Minnesota with no gaps or restrictions. In the accounting industry, this sub-score is based on state board registration data and confirms that the firm and its practitioners maintain the licenses necessary to legally provide accounting and audit services. A perfect score here means no suspended, revoked, or expired credentials on record.
PCAOB Record: 640
This sub-score of 640 falls into the "acceptable" range and represents the firm's performance on Public Company Accounting Oversight Board audit inspections. The PCAOB inspects registered audit firms regularly and issues findings on audit quality, documentation, and compliance with auditing standards. A score of 640 suggests the firm has some audit quality findings on record—these are not uncommon in the industry and may relate to deficiencies in sampling, documentation, or specific auditing procedures that PCAOB inspectors identified. This score is notably lower than the credentials score, indicating that while the firm is properly licensed, its recent audit quality history contains areas flagged by federal regulators.
Disciplinary: 850
This perfect sub-score means Plante Moran PLLC has no disciplinary actions, complaints, or sanctions recorded by the Minnesota state board, the PCAOB, or other relevant regulators. In accounting, disciplinary records typically capture violations ranging from continuing education failures to ethical breaches or material audit failures. An 850 here confirms a clean disciplinary slate.
What regulators in MN track for accounting providers
Minnesota's state accounting board registers CPA firms and individual practitioners, ensuring they meet education and experience requirements and maintain active CPAs and licenses. The board tracks complaints and disciplinary actions, which become part of a firm's regulatory record.
The PCAOB, a federal regulator, conducts triennial (or more frequent) inspections of firms that audit public companies or issuers. PCAOB inspection reports document findings—deficiencies in audit procedures, insufficient testing, or documentation gaps—that do not necessarily constitute violations but signal audit quality concerns. These findings directly influence a firm's audit quality score. Low PCAOB scores reflect firms with more or more serious inspection findings; high scores indicate cleaner inspection results.
Together, these sources create a compliance profile: state licensing ensures the firm is qualified to operate; PCAOB audits assess the quality of that work; and disciplinary records flag serious breaches. A firm can be properly licensed and audited (passing state and PCAOB checks) yet avoid discipline, or it can have robust audit quality but face disciplinary sanctions for misconduct.
Bottom line
Plante Moran PLLC is a strong compliance choice based on its 766 score—properly licensed, disciplinary-free, and operating under federal audit scrutiny with acceptable (though not exceptional) findings. Before engaging, a business owner should review the specific PCAOB audit findings to understand what quality issues were flagged and whether they align with the firm's service model and the client's risk tolerance.