Follow this general guide to earn your CPA

Your journey to the CPA license will be a challenging, yet rewarding, experience. We want to ensure you have the information and resources to help you achieve your goal. There are many steps to the process, but your journey begins with learning the basics.

There are essentially three components to earning the CPA license: Education, Examination, and Experience. In many cases, there is also a final Ethics exam component depending upon the jurisdiction where you want to be licensed.

The AICPA’s CPA Exam Booklet and National Association of State Board of Accountancy’s (NASBA) Candidate Guide can provide you with valuable information to help you along your CPA journey. You’ll also find support and other resources through This Way to CPA, our LinkedIn CPA Exam Candidate Group, or by joining the AICPA as an Exam Candidate Affiliate Member.

So, what are the basic steps to earning the CPA license?

Determine your eligibility

By visiting the NASBA website, you can learn whether you meet the education requirements needed to take the CPA Exam. Most candidates can take an Exam section with only 120 college credits, but you should verify with your specific jurisdiction. If you live outside the U.S., NASBA’s International Evaluation Services can help you determine your eligibility.

Submit your application

Once you’ve determined your eligibility, it’s time to apply. Complete the application through NASBA’s CPA Central portal and submit the required documentation for verification. Once verified, you’ll receive your Notice to Schedule (NTS), which is valid for six months and allows you to schedule your CPA Exam section.

Schedule your CPA Exam section

After deciding when you want to take your CPA Exam section, use your NTS to schedule your test day through Prometric. U.S. candidates can test anywhere in the world where the CPA Exam is administered. International candidates may not be able to test at all Prometric locations outside of the U.S. You should check for specific testing locations available to you.

Effective January 4, 2023, you will be required to accept a Uniform CPA Examination Conduct and Non-Disclosure Agreement as part of the exam scheduling process through Prometric. This agreement outlines a code of conduct for maintaining the secrecy and confidentiality of the Exam Content.

Study for the CPA Exam

Each section of the CPA Exam is a rigorous assessment of the minimum technical knowledge and skills required for initial licensure. You’ll take one section at a time so make sure to use all the resources and tools available to you, including the CPA Exam Blueprints and the CPA Exam Sample Tests.

Taking the CPA Exam

The CPA Exam is administered throughout the year. Check our score release dates to find out when you can test and when you can expect to receive your score after testing. Once you’ve passed the three Core sections and one of the three Discipline sections, verify whether your jurisdiction requires a separate Ethics examination before applying for your license.

Apply for your license

Depending on your jurisdiction, you will need to meet certain educational and experience requirements. Please refer to NASBA for more information.