To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you generally need to follow these key steps:
1. Education Requirements
- Earn at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The degree does not necessarily have to be in accounting, but you must complete specific accounting and business-related coursework.
- Complete a total of 150 semester credit hours, which is typically more than a standard bachelor's degree (usually 120 credits). Many candidates fulfill this by pursuing additional undergraduate credits or a master's degree.
- In California, for example, you need at least 24 semester units in accounting subjects and 24 semester units in business-related subjects, plus additional credits in ethics and accounting study
2. Gain Relevant Work Experience
- Most states require 1 to 2 years of professional accounting experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA. This experience helps you gain practical knowledge in areas such as management accounting, financial analysis, auditing, and business valuation
3. Pass the Uniform CPA Exam
- The CPA exam consists of four parts: Auditing and Attestation, Financial Accounting and Reporting, Regulation, and a fourth discipline section of your choice (e.g., Business Analysis and Reporting, Information Systems and Controls, or Tax Compliance and Planning).
- You must meet the education requirements before applying to take the exam.
- The exam is rigorous and administered by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
4. Apply for CPA Licensure
- After passing the exam and completing the experience requirement, apply for your CPA license through your state board of accountancy.
- In California, for example, you must also pass a criminal background check and provide a valid Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number.
- Note that starting July 2024 in California, the Professional Ethics for CPAs (PETH) exam is replaced by a regulatory review course required for license renewal
5. Maintain Your CPA License
- CPAs must complete continuing professional education (CPE) courses regularly to maintain and renew their license, including ethics training
This process can vary slightly by state, but the above steps represent the typical pathway to becoming a CPA in the U.S., with California as a detailed example
