Georgia CPA Requirements
Exam and License Requirements To Become a CPA
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Understanding Georgia CPA Requirements
Each state's CPA requirements differ. In Georgia, the Georgia State Board of Accountancy sets the regulations to sit for the CPA Exam and obtain licensure along with the experiential requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the requirements.
| Social Security Requirements | Yes |
| Age, Citizenship, and Residency Requirements |
|
| Good Moral Character | Yes |
| Education Requirement for Licensure | 150 hours (including B.A.) |
| Pass the Exam | 75 is the minimum passing score for each exam section |
| Work Experience | 2,000 hours of work experience |
| Ethics Exam Requirements | None |
| International CPA Examination Program | Participant |
Educational Requirements
In Georgia, there are a few education requirements for both the CPA Exam and license application.
- You must hold a bachelor's degree or higher in accounting from a school approved by the appropriate regional accrediting agency to sit for the CPA Exam.
- A total of 120 credit hours in accounting and business are required to sit for the exam, including a minimum of 30 credit hours in accounting and 24 credits in business-related courses.
- You will need 150 semester hours to apply for the CPA license.
Work Experience Requirements
CPA candidates in Georgia must have some experience working in public accounting. The following stipulations must be met before a candidate can apply for licensure:
- 2,000 hours of full-time work experience in accounting gained within one year.
- Candidates can gain work experience in business, industry, or government.
- Experience gained through part-time jobs is not accepted.
- A CPA must supervise the work experience with an active license. The only exception is if the candidate works in a college or government office.
- Your work history cannot go back more than a year before the application was submitted.
- Breaks in service of up to a year in length are permitted during the experience.
Georgia CPA Exam & Licensing - Cost and Fees
First-time candidates must pay both the education evaluation application and examination fee. You can only apply for one exam section at a time. The education evaluation application fee is $90, followed by an exam section fee of $344.80 for each section.
| Georgia CPA Exam Fees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Education Evaluation Application Fee | $90 | |
| Exam Section Fees | $1,379.20 | |
| Total | $1,469.20 | |
*Pass the three core sections - AUD, FAR, and REG, and one discipline section - BAR/ISC/TCP
Once you have passed all four sections of the CPA Exam and completed the education and work experience requirements for the CPA license, you can submit a "New Individual License Application" to the Georgia State Board through the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). CPA license costs and fees in Georgia differ from other states in the U.S. Take a look below to get an idea:
- Initial License Cost – $140
- Transfer of Grades – $220
- Reciprocal – $220
License Renewal Requirements
Licensees must renew their certification biennially. The expiration date for all CPA licenses is December 31 of each odd-numbered year. All permits for firms expire on June 30 of each even-numbered year.
Continuing Education Requirements
- You don't need to fulfill any continuing education requirements during your first year of licensure.
- If you have been licensed for less than two years, you need 40 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) before your first renewal date.
- After your first renewal, you need 80 hours of CPE every two years, of which 16 hours must be in auditing and accounting.
- Each year, you must earn at least 20 hours.
- If the CPE requirements are not met by the end of the renewal period, your license will expire, and you will need to reactivate it.
- All CPA licensees should keep records of their CPE credits for five years. If selected for the audit process, proof of CPE credits must be presented to the board.
Georgia CPA Exam: Exam Dates, Score Release, and Scheduling
Candidates can sit for the Uniform CPA Exam after satisfying the Georgia CPA requirements. However, before applying, you must know the CPA Exam and score release dates to schedule the exam and the application process. Don't worry! We've got you covered with a quick overview of these details.
Exam Dates and Score Release
The AICPA periodically updates the target CPA Exam and score release dates on its website. Candidates must check the same before scheduling the exam, as continuous testing is disabled for the 2024 CPA Exam to account for standard-setting analyses and activities.
Scheduling the CPA Examination
Each state has a slightly different application process. Here's a quick guide to applying for and scheduling the Georgia CPA Exam.
Candidates applying for the Georgia CPA Exam can submit their applications by creating an Okta Account on the new CPA Portal. The portal is home to checking and using for your CPA Exam, receiving your NTS, and accessing your scores.
As a participant in the International CPA Examination Program, international candidates or those who’ve completed their education outside the United States can apply for the Georgia CPA Exam.
To determine your eligibility to sit for the CPA Exam from Georgia, you must submit an education evaluation application with a fee of $90. However, you can reach any of the following education evaluators if you’ve met educational requirements outside of the United States:
- NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES)
- Foreign Academic Credential Service, Inc. (FACS)
- Educational Records Evaluation Service, Inc. (ERES)
Now that you have your NTS and CES ID, you can schedule your CPA Exam through Prometric’s website. You can schedule the exam date and location based on your preference. Remember to carry a physical copy of your NTS to the testing center on the exam day.
Candidates applying for the Georgia CPA Exam can submit their applications by creating an Okta Account on the new CPA Portal. The portal is home to checking and using for your CPA Exam, receiving your NTS, and accessing your scores.
As a participant in the International CPA Examination Program, international candidates or those who’ve completed their education outside the United States can apply for the Georgia CPA Exam.
To determine your eligibility to sit for the CPA Exam from Georgia, you must submit an education evaluation application with a fee of $90. However, you can reach any of the following education evaluators if you’ve met educational requirements outside of the United States:
- NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES)
- Foreign Academic Credential Service, Inc. (FACS)
- Educational Records Evaluation Service, Inc. (ERES).
Now that you have your NTS and CES ID, you can schedule your CPA Exam through Prometric’s website. You can schedule the exam date and location based on your preference. Remember to carry a physical copy of your NTS to the testing center on the exam day.
