To save money, consider registering for multiple sections at once if you’re confident in your preparation timeline. After completing his master’s in English at York University, he began double declining balance depreciation method his writing career in the higher education space. Over the past decade, Doug has researched and written extensively about academic programs, licensure and certification, labor markets, and emerging trends in student success. Before joining the Forbes Advisor team, his work was regularly featured on Red Ventures’ higher education websites, including NurseJournal.com, BestColleges.com, and Psychology.org.

• In the state of Michigan, CPA licenses expire on July 31 every other year.
• Similarly, if you’re risk-averse or lack the resources to cover upfront costs, the uncertainty of passing the exam and securing qualifying experience can make the process feel daunting.
• This fee covers your application and the registration of your initial license.
• If so, then the cost of this portion of your journey to becoming a CPA could be drastically subsidized.
• The Continuing Professional Education Program conducted by the AICPA ensures that you maintain your professional competence and knowledge after passing the exam.

How to Get Licensed

• For each of the previous three years, you must have completed 120 CPE hours, with at least 20 in any given year.
• In many cases, there are also minimum credit requirements for business, finance, statistics and economics courses.
• On X, a CPA shared, “Getting my CPA was the best decision—landed a remote tax manager role with a 20% pay bump and can work from anywhere!
• And in California, the school with the highest first-time CPA Exam pass rate belongs to the University of California, Los Angeles Berkley, with a pass rate of 91%, according to Masters in Accounting.
• Becoming a CPA can offer greater job security and credibility, but the process requires a significant investment in education, experience, and licensure.
• However, the CPE reporting period is a rolling three-year period for the 36 months prior to December 31.
• Therefore, when you see which basic Certified Public Accountant Requirements by state apply nationwide, you can get a better sense of what each state board of accountancy expects for their CPA candidates.

You can’t practice as a CPA with an inactive license, but it is far easier to reactivate than to reinstate or get a new license. In Florida, you can apply for inactive status either during a current active period or when you go to renew. Either way, you must fill out a change of status form, pay a fee (either $50 or the current renewal cost), and voluntarily relinquish your license. If you wish to reactivate, you must fill out the same form and pay a $250 how much is a cpa license fee. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to your state’s Board of Accountancy.

CPA Exam Cost & Fees Complete 2025 Guide to Save $

Here’s a brief overview of this process, including the requirements to renew a CPA license from all of the U.S. state and jurisdictional boards. Before you are even eligible to sit for the uniform CPA examination, you will need to complete the Texas CPA educational requirements as the first step. Like most states, the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy requires CPA candidates to take a minimum amount of credit hours at an accredited university. The initial application fee for Kentucky CPA candidates is $30 for each section. Please check with NASBA for the exact cost and fees as they are subject to change.

• The initial application fee for Kentucky CPA candidates is $30 for each section.
• For CPA license renewal in Illinois, you must complete 120 hours of CPE over three years.
• Several factors affect the cost of the CPA Exam, including the state where you’re working toward your license, whether you pass on the first try, and any study materials you may use to prepare.
• Other states make the 150-hour rule part of their CPA test requirements.
• The CPE reporting period also coincides with the calendar year but consists of a three-year rolling window that ends each December 31.

Learn The 7 Simple Steps to Qualifying To Become A Licensed CPA in Oklahoma:

These degrees vary in cost, depending on the type of school, location, and delivery format. For instance, tuition for a four-year online accounting degree can cost less than $7,000 per year for in-state students attending public universities. Most states require CPA candidates to either have their bachelor’s fixed assets degree, often in accounting or business, be near their graduation date, or have a minimum of 120 college hours to sit for a section of the CPA Exam. Also, most states require candidates to complete 24 to 30 hours in accounting and 24 hours in business- related subjects. While many states require only the AICPA’s ethics exam, some, like Virginia and Ohio, require a state-specific ethics course and exam.

Education

They successfully passed all four sections of the CPA Exam on the first try. Which, you guessed it, is going to require handing out some more cash. And our candidate must take the California Professional Ethics Exam (PETH) and pass with a score of 90% or better. If you reschedule your CPA Exam date, you may need to pay additional fees to Prometric (the service provider where you take the exam).

In addition, you must pass all four CPA exam sections within a continuous 30-month period. Texas CPA license renewal takes place every year on the last day of your birth month. The CPE reporting period also ends on the last day of your birth month, but encompasses a rolling three-year period. During that period, Texas CPA renewal requirements include 120 CPE hours, with at least 20 completed per year. Every two years, you must take a four-hour approved ethics course. The Texas Board of CPA license renewal also requires you to pay a $75 fee.

CPA Exam test scores can be transferred to any state for the purpose of getting a CPA license. If you are still in school, choose your courses wisely and make sure you pass your accounting and business courses so you can meet the 150-hour rule. If you have graduated, begin the process of taking the CPA Exam by narrowing down your list of state board options.

CPA Exam Additional Information

This can be a little confusing, and there are some exceptions for the years during the COVID-19 pandemic, so contact the State Board for more details. Kansas CPA licenses must be renewed every other year on June 30, and your year is dependent on your certificate number. Even-numbered certificates renew on even-numbered years, and odd-numbered certificates renew on odd-numbered years.