How to Become a CPA in Texas 2024

To meet the Texas CPA education requirements to sit for the CPA exam, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree. 30 semester hours of upper-level accounting courses, 24 semester hours of upper-level business courses, and 3 semester hours of board-approved ethics courses.

The first step to determining your eligibility to take the CPA exam is to submit an Application of Intent.

Once your Application of Intent is approved, you will need to apply for the Eligibility Application so that you can select the CPA exam sections you want to sign up for. Usually, within 24-48 hours you will receive an email from the Board indicating your 90-day Eligibility Deadline. This is the date by which you must test the section for which you have applied.

Next, you will need to create a NASBA Exam Candidate account on the portal at www.NASBA.org and pay for the exam fees.

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

Upon paying 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.

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.

To meet the Texas CPA experience requirements, you will need a minimum of 12 months of full-time employment or part-time work which consists of at least 2,000 hours of employment over a period of not more than two consecutive years where 20 hours of work per week is performed on a continuous basis.

Additional requirements must be met in order to successfully apply for a CPA license. One of these requirements is the oath of office which includes a statement that you will uphold the laws and regulations in Texas and the United States. This form is required to be notarized by a public official and can be found at https://www.tsbpa.texas.gov/exam-qualification/certification-requirements.html.

Candidates will take a board-approved four-credit ethics course as part of the Texas CPA ethics exam requirement. The list of board-approved four-credit ethics courses can be found at https://www.tsbpa.texas.gov/licensing/cpe-ethic-course.html

An exam about the Board’s Rules of Professional Conduct will be emailed to you after you submit the application for issuance.

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. A member of the Texas Department of Public Safety will review all of the pertinent information, ensure a proper oath is on file, and be sure an ethics course and the ethics exam was properly taken. If any of the information is incomplete, you will be contacted in the next steps. The issuance of the CPA certificate costs $50.

Now that you have completed all the necessary steps to be a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. You will be officially registered as a CPA and will be assigned a CPA identification number. A congratulatory letter will be sent to you. In addition, the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy will send you a wall certificate. These certificates are only produced twice a year because of the cost, resulting in a delay of up to 8 months depending on when you become licensed.

This certificate will be presented to you at the Swearing-In Ceremony or mailed to you if you do not attend. The Swearing-In Ceremony gives new CPAs a chance to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication. This ceremony is held twice a year and recognizes newly licensed CPAs and those who have been in the industry for decades.