How to Become a CPA in Iowa 2026

To meet Iowa CPA education requirements, candidates may sit for the CPA Exam with 120 semester hours, while the traditional Iowa CPA license pathway requires 150 semester hours.

Iowa candidates may also take the exam 120 days before completing the 120-hour exam-education requirement with approval.

Beginning July 1, 2026, Iowa will also allow a 120-hour licensure pathway for candidates who meet the required accounting coursework, pass the CPA Exam, and complete the required additional work experience. Candidates using the 120-hour pathway must have 2 years of verified accounting-related experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA.

Once you have completed the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board’s educational requirements, you are entitled to take the Uniform CPA examination. Sign up for an Okta account through NASBA’s dashboard, then access CPA Portal to submit your Iowa CPA Exam application, payments, exam-section applications, Notice to Schedule documents, and score notices.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from each school to CPA Examination Services at:

Iowa Coordinator
CPA Examination Services
PO Box 198469, Nashville
Tennessee 37219-8469

Iowa’s current NASBA fees include a $96.00 education evaluation application Fee, a $106.00 exam application fee, and a $262.64 exam section fee. The four exam-section fees total $1,050.56 before application/evaluation fees.

Click here to see a breakdown of the Iowa CPA exam costs.

After their application has been approved, candidates can expect to receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS) from NASBA, which will indicate the section or sections of the test they are entitled to take. At this time, you may schedule your test through Prometric.

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) administers the board’s exam application and administration procedures. Applicants may apply for the exam by visiting the NASBA website. Iowa applicants may take the exam up to 120 days before finishing the bachelor’s degree requirement; however, the exam results will not be provided until the candidate has finished the bachelor’s degree educational requirements.

The CPA exam consists of the three core sections and candidates would need to select one of the three discipline to demonstrate deeper skills and knowledge, allowing candidates to choose a specialization. There is no set order in which the exam portions must be completed.

You must pass all four CPA Exam sections within a rolling 30-month period beginning on the score-release date of the first passed section. Credit for a passed section remains valid for 30 months.

To meet the Iowa CPA experience requirements, it would depend on the education pathway. Candidates using the traditional 150-hour pathway generally need one year, or at least 2,000 hours, of verified accounting-related experience. Candidates choosing the 120-hour pathway introduced July 1, 2026 need two years of verified accounting-related experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA.

The candidate must also meet the Iowa CPA ethics exam requirements by passing the Professional Ethics: The AICPA’s Comprehensive Course For Licensure with a minimum score of 90.

Candidates who have passed the Uniform CPA and ethics exams, as well as fulfilled the required experience hours, can now apply for an Iowa CPA license. There are no paper applications available, and the Board only accepts online applications. It is important to note that applicants who passed the Uniform CPA Exam three years or more before applying for a license must also disclose 120 hours of ongoing education.

Iowa license applications are handled through My Iowa PLB. Iowa licensure also requires U.S. citizenship or lawful presence verification through SAVE.

The Board sends out renewal reminders online in May; nonetheless, it is the individual’s obligation to confirm the license is valid.

Iowa CPA certificates renew annually. Current Iowa rules list active annual renewal at $100, with a $25 late renewal fee during the July 1–July 30 grace period.

Iowa CPAs must complete 120 hours of CPE over a three-year period, including at least 4 hours in ethics and rules of professional conduct. CPAs who supervise compilation services must also complete 8 hours of financial statement presentation CPE.

It should be noted that all CE must be completed by December 31 or June 30, preceding the July 1 renewal deadline.