Alabama CPA Requirements
Exam and License Requirements to Become a CPA

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Are you interested in learning about the Alabama Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification process? You're in the right spot. Keep reading to get a comprehensive overview of Alabama CPA requirements, including education and residency requirements, licensure details, who to contact, and how much the exam costs.

Understanding Alabama CPA Requirements

Steps for taking the CPA Exam and obtaining a license vary from state to state. Candidates must meet specific educational and professional experience requirements to get a CPA license in Alabama. Here’s a brief overview of Alabama CPA requirements:

Social Security Requirements Yes
Age, Citizenship, and Residency Requirements
  • Minimum of 19 years old
  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • No need to be a resident of Alabama
Good Moral Character Yes
Education Requirement for Licensure 150 hours (including B.A.)
Pass the CPA Exam Need to score 75 in each section to pass
Work Experience 1 year of experience in accounting or 2 years of experience in business, government, or college teaching
Ethics Exam Requirements No
International CPA Examination Program Not a participant

Educational Requirements

CPA candidates in Alabama must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and satisfy CPA Exam requirements. These requirements include:

  • 120 semester hours
  • 24 semester hours of upper-division accounting (300 level or higher), undergraduate and/or graduate level
  • 24 semester hours of study in subjects relevant to business

However, you must complete 150 semester hours to obtain the CPA license.

Work Experience Requirements

  • One year of full-time work as a staff accountant for a public accounting firm under the supervision of a CPA or PA with a valid license to practice.
  • Or two years of adequately supervised full-time work in accounting with enough quality and depth in industry, business, the government, or a college setting.
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Alabama CPA Exam & Licensing - Cost and Fees

Alabama CPA candidates do not have to pay an initial application fee to apply for the CPA Exam. However, an examination fee of $254.80 must be paid to NASBA. It is non-refundable, and you can't withdraw your application once you have applied.

Alabama CPA Exam Fees
Exam Section Fees $1,019.20
Total: $1,019.20

*Pass the three core sections - AUD, FAR, and REG, and one discipline section - BAR/ISC/TCP

The CPA license application for Alabama costs around $100. Applications can be found on the ASBPA website. Also, there is a delinquent penalty of $30 for late filing after December 31.

License Renewal Requirements

The annual renewal period for CPA licenses in Alabama is from October 1 to September 30. You must also report your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirement from October 1-September 30 (annually). You must pay a renewal fee of $100 to the state board.

Continuing Education Requirements

To become a CPA, you have to pass the CPA Exam and fulfill the CPE requirements yearly. A CPA is only considered "active" when they complete the annual 40 hours of CPE in the year beginning October 1 following the issuance of their initial license.

Required Accounting and Auditing Continuing Professional Education Minimums:

  • 2 hours of approved Ethics CPE
  • 12 hours of Behavioral CPE
  • 10 hours via the Nano Learning delivery method

Alabama CPA Exam: Exam Dates, Score Release, and Scheduling

Once you meet the Alabama CPA requirements, you can proceed to apply for the CPA Exam. Before applying, it’s helpful to know your target exam dates, score release timelines, and the application process for the Alabama CPA Exam. We’ve compiled this information to help guide you through the process.

Exam Dates and Score Release

Candidates can schedule the CPA Examination based on their preference as per the target CPA Exam and score release dates on the AICPA website. Note that the 2024 CPA Exam will not follow the continuous testing process to account for standard-setting analyses and activities.

Important Update: With the launch of the new CPA Exam in January 2024, some candidates with conditional credit may be impacted by limited opportunities to test and delays in score reporting. Accordingly, any candidate with CPA Exam credit(s) on January 1, 2024, will have such credit(s) extended to June 30, 2025—source: CPA Examination Credit Extension Policy.

Scheduling the CPA Examination

Each state has a slightly different application process. Here's a quick guide for applying and scheduling your CPA Exam in Alabama.

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