CPA Exam Eligibility Requirements

Becoming a CPA is a multi-step process that begins with deciding where you plan to take the CPA exam and where you plan to practice as a CPA. Some of the factors that go into making the decision on where to take the exam are location, specific education requirements, etc.

Sounds pretty easy, but the tricky part is that the education requirements for sitting for the CPA exam differ from state to state. For example, some states require 120 total semester hours to qualify; where others require 150 total hours.

There are also more narrow educational requirements specific to each state such as 33 semester hours in accounting and 36 semester hours in business. A different state might require 33 semester hours in accounting and have no minimum semester hours for business.

There are also other requirements that states enforce regarding age, residency, etc.

It is important to know that where you take the exam is not dependent on where you intend to practice. CPA exam test scores can be transferred to any state for the purpose of getting a CPA license. However, it is important to think about where you ultimately want to become licensed as a CPA to ensure that you complete the appropriate educational requirements for licensure.

For example, some states will allow you to sit for the exam with 120 total hours, but require 150 total hours for licensure. ALL helps with this process by offering the Research Tool to assist you with the selection process of finding where you are most eligible to take the CPA exam.

Many students start the process of becoming a CPA by using the Research Tool to help them narrow the choices of where to take the CPA exam.

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CPA License Requirements

After successfully passing the CPA exam, the next step is to complete the other requirements (like education and work experience) for obtaining a CPA license in the state in which you plan to ultimately practice as a CPA. Just like requirements for the CPA exam, requirements to apply for a CPA license vary from state to state.

For example, many states require at least one year of public accounting work experience to qualify for a CPA license, while others accept different types of work experience in place of public accounting experience (such as teaching, self-employment and part-time employment).

To add to the complexity, some states have more detailed requirements that include a specified amount of auditing work experience.

With ALL, completing this final step is easier than ever. Each state board of accountancy lists the specific CPA license requirements on their website, along with the required forms to complete. However, to simplify the process, ALL has all of the same information, but it is presented in an easy-to-read format (no legalese speak) with fill-in PDF formats of all the required official forms. In addition, ALL sends you email alerts when the state board changes a requirement or form.

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