Montana CPA Requirements
Exam and License Requirements To Become a CPA

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Planning to become a CPA in Montana? Begin by learning about the specific CPA Exam and license requirements in Montana. Montana is experiencing fast growth in small and medium-sized firms, which is critical to the development of a healthy economy. As a result, being a CPA in Montana has a promising future. Let's take a closer look at the requirements for taking the CPA Exam and obtaining a license.

Montana CPA Requirements

Montana (MT) takes help from NASBA CPA Examination Services (CPAES), a subdivision of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), to maintain the standard and uniformity. There are certain criteria that you must meet to apply for the CPA Exam and license. Take a look at the below-listed requirements to get an idea.

Social Security Requirement No
Age, Citizenship, and Residency Requirements
  • No age limit
  • No U.S. citizenship is required.
  • No need to be a resident of Montana
Education Requirements for Licensure 150 hours (including B.A.)
Pass the Exam At least 75 in each section
Ethics Exam Requirements Pass the AICPA’s professional ethics exam with a score of 90.
Work Experience 2000 hours
International CPA Examination Program Montana participates in the International CPA Exam Program
Educational Requirements
  1. You must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with at least 150-hour semester hours.
  2. Twenty four semester hours of accounting that include at least one of the following subjects:
    • Financial Accounting
    • Auditing
    • Taxation
    • Management Accounting
  3. Twenty four semester hours in business-related courses, such as
    • Information Systems
    • Finance and Business Law
    • Economics
    • Marketing
    • Ethics
    • Organizational Behavior
    • Quantitative Applications In Business
    • Communication Skills
Work Experience Requirements

You must have one year of acceptable accounting and/or auditing experience with 2,000 hours earned during the three years before the date of application. Experience in private, governmental, academic, or public accounting is acceptable. The board will only consider your work experience if you provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate it.

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Montana CPA Exam & Licensing - Cost and Fees

The education evaluation application fee for the CPA Exam in Montana is $140. Each section of the exam costs around $344.80. Please note that the application fee for the CPA Exam is non-refundable. If you retake the exam, you need to pay an additional $100 as a re-examination fee. Furthermore, the initial license application costs $150. You can apply for your license online through NASBA.

Montana CPA Exam Fees
Education Evaluation Application Fee $140.00
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) $344.80
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) $344.80
Regulation (REG) $344.80
ISC/BAR/TCP $344.80
Total: $1,519.20
[Information Systems and Controls (ISC), Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP)]

Montana CPA License Renewal Requirements

CPAs in Montana must renew their credentials every three years. The cycle happens every three years, from January 1 to December 31.

Montana CPA Continuing Education Requirements

One of the most essential aspects of license renewal is submitting the Continuing Professional Education (CPE). At the time of renewal, all CPAs are required to submit their CPE report to the board. They must complete 120 hours of CPE, which must include at least 2 hours of ethics course.

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

Dive into the intricacies of the Montana CPA exam dates, score release timelines, and prudent scheduling strategies for your examination journey.

Exam Dates & Score Release

One of the most anticipated questions among CPA aspirants is the score release date. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) announces the CPA Exam score release dates. The date your score is released is determined by when you take the exam. Scores are typically released within 48 hours of the target date.

Important Update: As per the 2024 Exam changes, certain candidates possessing conditional credit may encounter problems due to restricted testing windows and delays in score reporting. Hence, any candidate with CPA Exam credit(s) as of January 1, 2024, will have those credits extended until June 30, 2025.

Exam Section Scheduling

Students need guidance with the CPA Exam schedule in addition to the score release date. Here is a detailed guide on how to register and schedule for the CPA exam.

 
Create an Okta account to get access to your CPA Portal from where you can apply for the exam. This portal is to help you with the end-to-end CPA Exam process. This platform allows you to apply for the exam, manage personal details, process payments, and access essential documents like payment receipts and NTS.

Now you can apply for an education evaluation through the same portal. It is to confirm your eligibility for the Montana CPA Exam. Your education transcripts should be sent directly from your institution to CPAES. If your education is done outside of the United States, you can obtain an education evaluation from one of the following recognized services:

  • NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES)
  • Foreign Academic Credential Service, Inc. (FACS)
  • Educational Records Evaluation Service, Inc. (ERES)
Following the evaluation process, your CPA portal will confirm your eligibility for the exam. If eligible, proceed to apply for the exam section, noting that one section can be applied for per application. After applying for the CPA Exam, you’ll receive a “Notice To Schedule” (NTS). Track your NTS status and expiration date on your homepage. You will also Candidate Exam Section ID (CES ID) on the same page. Important, the new process involves receiving separate NTS for each section after the application process concludes.
The CPA Exam can be scheduled through the Prometric website. Determine the venue and date of your examination in advance to minimize confusion at the last minute. If you are uncertain about the location of the testing center closest to you, a quick Internet search will help.
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