How to Become a CPA in Pennsylvania 2024

To meet the Pennsylvania CPA education requirements to sit for the CPA exam, you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. At least120 semester hours total, 24 semester hours which credits shall be in accounting and auditing, business law, finance, microeconomics, macroeconomics, or tax subjects of a content satisfactory to the board, not necessarily as a part of your undergraduate work.

Once you have verified that you meet the education requirements, the first step is to set up an account in CPA Central.

Once you have created your account, you will need to complete and submit the NASBA Advisory Evaluation which will identify any academic deficiencies in your education before you submit a first-time application for the Exam.

Send any additional required information or documents to:
CPA Examination Services – PA
PO Box 198469
Nashville, TN 37219

After receiving the approval from NASBA, you will need to pay your examination fees. You have 90 days to make the payment.

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

Upon payment for the examination fees, you will receive a receipt of your NTS. Make sure that everything is correct as it will be used at the testing centers. If the names do not match, immediately contact the Board to request a correction. You will not be allowed to test if the name on the identification documents does not exactly match the name on the NTS.

With the NTS, then you can schedule your actual exam on the Prometric website at www.prometric.com.
You will have six months to apply and sit for your first portion of the CPA exam.

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.

After passing the Uniform CPA Examination, you must complete the appropriate education requirements to become a licensed CPA. You will need a total of 150 semester hours which means that must complete the additional 30 semester hours.

To meet the Pennsylvania CPA experience requirements, you will need one year (1600 hours) of experience in either private enterprise or federal, state, or local government. This job experience must be accomplished within five years of the date you apply for a Pennsylvania CPA Certificate and a certified CPA must validate your knowledge

Included providing any service or advice involving the use of accounting, attestation, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax subjects, or consulting skills gained through employment in government, industry, academia, or public practice.

Create an account on Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) website where you’ll be able to submit an application for your CPA license.

After you have completed your professional education, passed the exams, and retain the necessary work experience, you have fulfilled a majority of the CPA exam requirements. You’ll need to provide a recent Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) and the application fee of $65.

While most states require ethics before licensing, Pennsylvania candidates can become a CPA without it as there are no Pennsylvania CPA ethics exam requirements.

Now that you have completed all the necessary steps to be a Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania. You will be notified by Pennsylvania’s Board of Accountancy of any missing documents in your application. If the application is complete, you’ll be issued a license allowing you to practice. Your certificate will be sent to you through the mail.