Getting Your Certified Public Accountant License: What You Need To Know
If you want to have a great career in the accounting profession, then it's a good idea to get your certified public accountant's license. A licensed CPA has a crucial credential that shows he or she is well-qualified to take on a wide range of accounting tasks. Here is a closer look at getting your CPA License.
State Requirements
CPA licensing issues are under the control of each state, so the requirements can vary somewhat depending on your state of residence. Some of the primary requirements, however, are similar no matter what state you live in.
Education and Exam
One requirement for getting your license that always applies is passing a test known as the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. This test has four sections that will test your knowledge of accounting practices and the regulations that govern the profession. The test consists of both multiple choice question as well as writing essays. Questions that simulate situations you will actually face on the job will be asked as well. You will not take a paper test, as the exam is only taken on a computer.
You will need to have a certain level of education to take the exam, which varies by state. In Michigan, for example, you need to have a BA degree with 120 semester hours. At least 30 of the semester hours should be in accounting courses. Other states will typically have similar, though not necessary identical, requirements for taking the test.
In some states, you might need to pass another test about professional ethics as well as the Uniform CPA.
Licensing
Once you pass the Uniform CPA exam, you are not necessarily ready to apply for your state license. For instance, some states have educational requirements that are higher for getting the license than for taking the exam. Michigan, for instance, requires that you have 120 semester hours for the exam, but 150 semester hours for the license itself.
In addition to passing the exam and meeting the education requirements, you generally need a certain amount of work experience to apply for the CPA license. Michigan demands that candidates for the license have at least one year of relevant work experience before the license obtain will be granted.
Getting a CPA license (from an outlet such as Carmines Robbins & Company PLC) is not an easy task, as there are several crucial requirements that need to be meet. If you pass the hurdles, however, you are on your way to a rewarding career.