Do you want to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Puerto Rico? Take the first step using our detailed Puerto Rico CPA requirements guide. Passing the CPA Exam, gaining experience, and applying for licensure take time. We’re here to simplify the process and help you achieve your goal.
Understanding Puerto Rico CPA Requirements
Puerto Rico has specific CPA requirements that each candidate must meet before sitting for the exam and applying for licensure. The Puerto Rico Board has established these requirements in close association with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA®). Completing your education, passing the exam, and obtaining work experience are prerequisites to becoming a CPA in Puerto Rico.
| Social Security Requirement | Yes |
| Age, Citizenship, and Residency Requirements |
|
| Good Moral Character | Yes |
| Education Requirements for Licensure | 150 semester hours (including a bachelor’s degree) |
| Pass the Exam | Score 75 in each section. |
| Ethics Exam Requirements | No |
| Work Experience | 1 year (1,820 hours) of experience |
| International CPA Examination Program | Yes, is a participant |
Educational Requirements
Puerto Rico CPA candidates who graduated on or after Jan. 1, 2000, must complete a bachelor’s degree or higher with 150 semester hours and a minimum GPA of 2.0 in accounting and business courses. Of the 150 hours:
- 32 hours must be in accounting subjects
- 32 hours must be in general business subjects
Candidates who graduated before Dec. 31, 1999, must meet 1 of the following:
- Complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting from an accredited college or university
- Complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with at least 58 semester hours (87 quarter hours) in business subjects, of which 32 semester hours (48 quarter hours) must be in accounting
- If you graduated from an accredited college or university but did not meet the business course requirement in item 2, you may provide evidence of completing 8 years of public accounting experience
Work Experience Requirements
CPA candidates in Puerto Rico must obtain 1 year (1,820 hours) of full-time experience or 3 years of part-time experience in public accounting, industry/private practice, or academia. Your work experience must be verified by a CPA (no CPA supervision required).
Ethical Exam Requirements
Puerto Rico CPA candidates do not need an ethics exam to apply for licensure. However, they must complete the following certification requirements:
- Present a Certificate of Good Conduct from the Police Department
- Provide a Certificate of Compliance with ASUME
- Obtain a Certificate of Membership with the Puerto Rico CPA Society
Puerto Rico CPA Exam & Licensing: Cost and Fees
Puerto Rico CPA candidates are required to pay an education evaluation fee as well as an exam application fee when applying for the CPA Exam. The education evaluation fee is $96, and the exam application fee is $146. In addition, each CPA exam section costs $262.64 and must be paid at the time of application.
| Puerto Rico CPA Exam Fees | |
|---|---|
| Education Evaluation Fee | $96 |
| Exam Application Fee | $146 |
| Auditing and Attestation (AUD) | $262.64 |
| Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | $262.64 |
| Regulation (REG) | $262.64 |
| ISC/BAR/TCP | $262.64 |
| Total: | $1,292.56 |
Pass the 3 core sections, AUD, FAR, and REG, and 1 discipline section: Information Systems and Controls (ISC), Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP).
After passing the CPA Exam and obtaining the relevant experience, Puerto Rico CPA candidates can apply for a CPA license in the territory by submitting an online application for a fee of $207.
License Renewal Requirements
Puerto Rico CPA license holders must renew their licenses every 3 years between Aug. 1 and Dec. 1. Licensees must submit an online application and renewal fee of $225 before Dec. 1 of the year the license expires.
Continuing Education Requirements
To qualify for license renewal, practicing CPAs in Puerto Rico must complete 120 total hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) every 3 years. Of the 120 CPE hours:
- 40 CPE hours must be in accounting, audit, and tax (12 in accounting and audit with 28 in tax, or 28 in accounting and audit with 12 in tax)
- 3 CPE hours must be in professional ethics, with the course content based on the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct.
Visit NASBA’s website for additional Puerto Rico CPA CPE requirements.
Puerto Rico CPA Exam: Exam Dates, Score Release, and Scheduling
You can sit for the CPA Exam after fulfilling the state requirements. However, you must be familiar with the CPA Exam, score release dates, and application process. Here’s a brief overview of these details.
Exam Dates and Score Release
Candidates must check the target CPA Exam and score release dates on the AICPA website and schedule the exam based on their preference. Note that continuous testing for the CPA Exam is temporarily suspended to accommodate 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 Puerto Rico CPA Exam.
Puerto Rico CPA candidates can apply for the CPA Exam on the CPA Portal by creating an Okta Account. It’s a unified portal to check your CPA application, eligibility, and Notice to Self (NTS) and access 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 Puerto Rico CPA Exam.
NASBA checks the eligibility of the CPA candidates by an education evaluation application. You must apply with all the required information and a fee of $90. If you’ve completed your education outside the United States, contact any of the following evaluators.
- NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES)
- Foreign Academic Credential Service, Inc. (FACS)
- Educational Records Evaluation Service, Inc. (ERES)
After submitting the educational evaluation application, NASBA determines your CPA Exam eligibility and sends an Authorization to Test (ATT) upon confirmation. After this, you can apply for the CPA Exam sections, one at a time, by submitting an exam section application and paying the associated fee. You will receive an NTS for each exam section and a Candidate Exam Section ID (CES ID) for exam scheduling purposes.
The CPA Exam is scheduled using Prometric, which requires you to enter your provided NTS number and CES ID. The portal will display all the available dates and locations for the exam, and you can schedule your exam based on your preferences. Remember to carry a physical copy of your NTS to the testing center on the exam day.
Sitting for the CPA Exam doesn’t mean you will become a CPA. You must pass all CPA Exam sections with a score of 75 or higher to qualify for licensure within 30 months.
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