Missouri CPA Exam Cost 2024: The 4 Critical Fees

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The Missouri CPA exam cost consists of four main fees: the education evaluation application of $90, a $348.80 per CPA exam section totaling $1,395.20 for all four sections, the initial license to practice fee of $90, and the renewal fee of $80.

This article will help you to become a CPA in Missouri and is a requirement for you to take the Missouri CPA exam.

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Table of Contents

Missouri CPA Exam Cost Breakdown

Education Evaluation Application Fee	$90.00
Auditing and Attestation (AUD)	$348.80
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)	$348.80
Regulation (REG)	$348.80
Disciplines (ISC, TCP, or BAR)	$348.80
Total for all 4 CPA Exam Sections	$1,395.20
Initial Individual License to Practice Fee	$90.00
Biennial Renewal of Individual License to Practice Fee	$80.00
Individual Delinquent Fees Fee ($25.00 per month not to exceed $100.00)	$ 25.00 – $100.00

Summary of Missouri CPA Requirements

Credit Hours to sit for CPA Exams	120
Must present themselves with Good Moral Character to sit for CPA Exams	Yes
Missouri Residency to sit for CPA Exams	Yes
Minimum Accounting Concentration Hours	48
Credit Hours in Accounting courses sit for CPA Exams	24
Credit Hours in Business courses to sit for CPA Exams	24
Bachelor’s Required for CPA License?	Yes
Credit Hours to receive CPA License	150
Minimum additional Credit Hours in Accounting and Business	12
Additional Credit Hours in Accounting undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses to receive CPA License	6
Additional Credit Hours in Business undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses to receive CPA License	6
Maximum Credit Hours in formal, supervised internships, or independent study in the areas of Accounting or Business in undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses	9
Ethics Exam Required?	Yes
Work Experience Required	1 Year
Required CPE Hours Each Three-year Period	120

Residency Qualifications

Missouri CPA exam requirements includes residency requirements unlike other states, which means that you must be a resident of, a regular employee of, or have a place of business in Missouri to be able to take the Uniform CPA exam and become a licensed CPA.

In Missouri, all CPA candidates must meet one of the following residency requirements:

The individual has a permanent address in Missouri and actually dwells in Missouri.
The individual is a full-time student at a state-accredited institution or university.
Individuals who have graduated from a Missouri college or university and had a Missouri address at the time of graduation are considered residents of this state for six months from the date of graduation.
The individual is regularly employed full-time in the state of Missouri.
The individual is a permanent resident of Missouri who is serving on active duty in the armed forces, or the individual is a permanent resident of Missouri who is the spouse of someone who is serving on active duty in the armed forces.

Employment in Missouri does not have to be in public accounting to meet the requirements of residency in Missouri.

Good Moral Character

Each state has distinct prerequisites for taking the CPA Exam in order to become a CPA. In order to be qualified for the CPA Exam, candidates must complete certain CPA Exam requirements in Missouri, which include candidates presenting themselves as having a decent moral character.

Educational Requirements

To meet the Missouri CPA education requirements, applicants must meet the 150-semester-hour requirement with a bachelor’s degree that includes 30 semester hours in accounting and 30 semester hours in general business.

For the CPA Exam:

Candidates are able to apply for the CPA exam with 120 credit hours. The requirements will depend on the date of your application. See as follows:

For candidates whose applications for the initial examination are or were received prior to June 30, 2021.

The concentration or major in accounting, or the equivalent of a concentration in accounting shall be 60 semester hours of accounting and other related courses.

At least 33 semester hours shall be accounting courses with at least 1 course in auditing.
At least 18 semester hours of accounting courses taken at the upper-division level.
The remaining 27 semester hours shall be in accounting or other areas of business administration such as business law, statistics, economics, finance, marketing, management, information technology and business communications.

For candidates whose applications for initial examination are received on or after June 30, 2021.

The concentration in accounting shall include a total of at least 48 semester hours, including a minimum of 24 semester hours of accounting and 24 semester hours of business courses.

For Licensure:

Candidates are able to apply their CPA licensure with 150 credit hours. The requirements will depend on the date of your application. See as follows:

For candidates whose applications for the CPA license are or were received prior to June 30, 2021.

The concentration or major in accounting, or the equivalent of a concentration in accounting shall be 60 semester hours of accounting and other related courses.

At least 33 semester hours shall be accounting courses with at least 1 course in auditing.
At least 18 semester hours of accounting courses taken at the upper-division level.
The remaining 27 semester hours shall be in accounting or other areas of business administration such as business law, statistics, economics, finance, marketing, management, information technology and business communications.

For candidates whose applications for the CPA license are received on or after June 30, 2021.

In Missouri, candidates for the Missouri CPA Licensure must have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or university, with a specialization or major in accounting and the academic requirement is 150 credit hours of college education.

At least 30 semester hours in accounting and 30 semester hours in business in undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses.
A maximum of 9 semester credit hours may be from formal, supervised internships, or independent study in the areas of accounting or business in undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses.

Although Missouri law does not need a master’s degree to take the exam, it is suggested that candidates pursue the Master of Accountancy in order to achieve the minimum 150 credit hours.

If you are still in college or have already graduated, check to see if the Missouri State Board of Accountancy will accept your college credits. In the case of school accreditation, the Missouri Board of Accountancy defers to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

If you graduated from a foreign institution or university, you must have your credits evaluated by one of the organizations listed below. Obtain evaluation forms from the agency and send them to CPA Examination Services, Missouri Coordinator, P.O. Box 198469, Nashville, TN 37219-8469:

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
Foreign Academic Credentials Service, Inc.
Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
NASBA International Evaluation Services

The NASBA Advisory Evaluation is available as an optional service in Missouri. Before you apply for the Exam for the first time, an Advisory Evaluation will detect any academic inadequacies in your education. For additional information about submitting an Advisory Evaluation in this jurisdiction, please visit CPA Central. To begin the Advisory Evaluation process, you must first create a CPA Central user account.

Pass the Uniform CPA Examination

The “Uniform CPA Examination”, which is a 4-part exam, is developed by the AICPA – the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and administered by NASBA – the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

The Three Core Exam Sections

Auditing and Attestation (AUD)

The Auditing and Attestation (AUD) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) tests the essential knowledge and skills a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate when performing audit engagements, attestation engagements or accounting and review service engagements.

Newly licensed CPAs are required to:

Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to professional responsibilities, including ethics, independence, and professional skepticism. Professional skepticism reflects an iterative process that includes a questioning mind and a critical assessment of audit evidence.
Understand the entity including its operations, information systems (including the use of third-party systems), and its underlying business processes, risks, and related internal controls.
Understand the flow of transactions and underlying data through a business process and its related information systems.

Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)

The Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) assesses the knowledge and skills that a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate in the financial accounting and reporting frameworks used by business entities (public and nonpublic), not-for-profit entities and state and local government entities.

The financial accounting and reporting frameworks that are eligible for assessment within the FAR section of the Exam include the standards and regulations issued by the:

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (U.S. SEC)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

Regulation (REG)

The Regulation (REG) section of the Uniform CPA Examination (the Exam) tests the knowledge and skills that a newly licensed CPA must demonstrate with respect to:

U.S. federal taxation
U.S. ethics and professional responsibilities related to tax practice
U.S. business law

The Three Disciplines

The three new disciplines in the 2024 CPA Exam, part of the CPA Evolution initiative, are designed to allow candidates to specialize in areas that align with their career interests and the demands of the modern business environment. Here’s a more detailed look at each discipline:

Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR)

Objective: This discipline focuses on higher-order skills needed in financial statement analysis, business reporting, and the strategic role of the CPA in business decision-making.

Key Topics:

Financial Statement Analysis: Understanding and interpreting financial statements to assess an entity’s financial health and performance.
Performance Management: Developing and using key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure, manage, and improve business performance.
Data Analytics and Visualization: Utilizing data analytics tools to analyze business data, and effectively presenting data to support business decisions.
Strategic Planning and Risk Management: Involvement in the strategic planning process and identifying, assessing, and managing business risks.
Business Processes and Controls: Understanding and evaluating business processes and internal controls to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Information Systems and Controls (ISC)

Objective: This discipline is tailored for those interested in information technology, data security, and controls. It addresses the increasing role of technology in accounting and auditing.

Key Topics:

IT Governance and Risk: Understanding the frameworks for managing and governing enterprise IT; identifying and managing IT-related risks.
Information Security and Cybersecurity: Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, data protection laws, and the steps necessary to protect information assets.
System and Organization Controls (SOC) Reporting: Understanding the requirements for SOC reports and the role of CPAs in assessing controls at a service organization.
Data Management and Privacy: Managing data effectively and understanding privacy regulations.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Planning and strategies to ensure business operations can continue and recover from disruptive events.

Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP)

Objective: This discipline focuses on tax compliance, tax planning, and tax strategy, suitable for those who aim to specialize in taxation.

Key Topics:

Individual Tax Planning and Compliance: Understanding tax laws affecting individual taxpayers, including income, deductions, credits, and tax planning strategies.
Business Tax Planning and Compliance: Knowledge of tax considerations for different business entities, including corporations, partnerships, and S-corporations.
Estate, Gift, and Trust Taxation: Understanding the tax implications and planning strategies for estates, gifts, and trusts.
International Taxation: Knowledge of taxation issues related to cross-border transactions and multinational enterprises.
State and Local Taxation (SALT): Understanding the complexities of state and local tax laws and their impact on business and individual tax planning.

Tips for Passing the CPA Exam

The CPA exam covers so many topics that you will need to study specifically for each section, usually for 6-8 weeks per section. Even a master’s degree in accounting doesn’t adequately prepare you to just walk in and pass the 4 CPA exams.

You will need a full review course such as Becker, Wiley CPA, Gleim, Roger, etc, and you will need to dedicate several hours a day over the course of months to even have a chance at getting passing scores.

Missouri CPA Ethics Exam Requirements

To meet the Missouri CPA ethics exam requirements, candidates should complete the self-study ethics course and pass the exam administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) named Professional Ethics: The AICPA’s Comprehensive Course (For Licensure). By the end of the course and exam, candidates must pass with a score of 90 percent or higher to qualify.

Missouri CPA Experience Requirements

To meet the Missouri CPA experience requirements, candidates must have 2,000 hours (one year) of accounting-related work experience. The criteria for future auditors is 4,000 hours (two years), of which 2,000 hours (one year) must be spent in an auditing-specific capacity. Remember that as part of your licensure application, your job experience must be verified by a certified CPA.

The following competencies and skills must be present in the candidate’s experience:

Accounting
Attest
Review
Compilation
Management Advisory
Tax
Consulting
Governmental accounting, budgeting or auditing

Complete the Experience portion of the Application for Initial License to Practice Public Accounting with the assistance of your supervising CPA (known as the Endorser). The Endorser-Experience Addendum must also be signed by the endorser in the presence of a Notary Public.

When submitting your completed application to the Missouri State Board of Accountancy, 3605 Missouri Blvd., P.O. Box 613, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0613, please include the Endorser-Experience Addendum.

Missouri CPA License Requirements

After meeting educational criteria, passing the Uniform CPA exam, and meeting experience requirements set by the Missouri State Board of Accountancy, you are ready to apply for a CPA license. Check that you have performed each of the following steps:

Fill out the Application for an Initial License to Practice Public Accounting.
Indicate the date you passed the AICPA Ethics Exam.
List your experience and then provide the application to your Endorser to complete.
Give your endorser the Endorser-Experience Addendum to complete in the presence of a Notary Public.
Include a $90 application fee payable to the Missouri State Board of Accountancy.
Return the completed form, paperwork, and fee to the Missouri State Board of Accountancy, 3605 Missouri Blvd., P.O. Box 613, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0613.