How to Become a CPA in North Carolina 2024

To meet the North Carolina requirements to sit for the CPA exam, the North Carolina CPA education requirements must be attained first. For North Carolina applicants, you must have a bachelor’s degree (120 hours) in accounting, tax law, economics, finance, business administration, or law. The 120 semester hours are supplemented by a concentration in accounting with at least 30 semester hours of undergraduate accountancy courses, which should include six or more semester hours of accounting principles and three or more semester hours of business law, with at least 30 semester hours of undergraduate accountancy courses and should include six or more semester hours of accounting principles, three or more semester hours of business law, with at least 20 semester hours of graduate accounting courses that are open exclusively to graduate students or a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses.

Note: You can sit for the CPA exam without the 150 semester requirement but you must receive your BA degree within 120 days after the Board approves the exam application.

The first-time applicants must fill out an Initial Examination Application, while those who are applying to retake a part of the exam must fill out a Re-Examination Application. Applicants may visit the North Carolina State Board Of Certified Public Accountants’ websites to get the form.
Send the application in with the applicable exam fees ($230 for the initial exam and $75 for the re-exam) and wait for the approval.

Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) that includes a link to your Notice to Schedule (NTS). Once you received a Notice to Schedule (NTS), you may visit Prometric’s site to schedule your exam(s). If it has been more than 15 days (initial candidates) or 10 days (re-exam) since your application has been approved and you have not received your NTS, contact Phyllis Elliott. As part of your exam(s), the per section examination fee is $254.80.

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

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 each section with a score of 75 or higher within 18 months.

The North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners (NCCPA) will not issue a certificate unless the candidate has completed the required North Carolina CPA work experience requirement. One of the following conditions must be met, one year of experience in accounting under the direct supervision of a certified public accountant who currently holds a valid license in any state, four years of experience teaching accounting in a four-year college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations or institutions accredited by the Board, four years of experience in the field of accounting, four years of experience teaching college transfer accounting courses at a community college or technical institute accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations or any combination of such experiences determined by the State Board to be substantially equivalent to the foregoing.

The North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners not only requires you to pass the Uniform CPA Examination but you must also undergo an eight-hour course on the North Carolina Accountancy Statutes and Rules, including the Rules of Professional Ethics and Conduct as part of the North Carolina CPA ethics exam requirements.

Once you have met all requirements, you must complete the Application Package for Original NC CPA Certificate that can be found on the NCCPA website along with three copies of good moral character, experience affidavit, proof of completion of the accountancy law course, a photo that meets US passport standards and payment.

Out of State CPAs who want to practice in North Carolina can get a reciprocal license as long as the following requirements have been met: must have the legal authority to use the CPA title and to practice public accountancy in a jurisdiction. For International Reciprocal License, you must first pass the NASBA International Qualification Exam in order to be eligible for international reciprocity.

North Carolina’s CPA license expires annually and needs to renew before July 1. You need documented CPE hours completed from the previous year together with the completed certificate renewal application form and a renewal fee of $60.