CPA Exam Requirements in Alaska

Alaska CPA Exam Education Requirements

The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification is one of the most prestigious professional certifications available. It indicates that the accountant has satisfied a demanding set of educational, professional, and ethical standards. In addition, candidates must pass the rigorous CPA exam in order to earn the distinction of this credential. Before candidates can sit for the exam, they must satisfy their Alaska CPA Exam requirements and qualifications. Each state has its own set of eligibility requirements for the CPA exam, which should not be confused with licensing requirements. Below, we will be discussing the CPA license requirements for the state of Alaska.

• A bachelor’s degree or higher
• 24 semester hours in Accounting;
• 3 semester hours in Business Law;
• 3 semester hours in Economics; and
• 3 semester hours in college-level math, statistics and/or computer science

Alaska CPA Exam Fees

$185 for the initial application. Candidates can take one or more sections of the exam at a time and must pay the following fees to CPA Examination Services at the time of application:

• Auditing and Attestation (AUD): $224.99
• Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): $224.99
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): $224.99
• Regulation (REG): $224.99

Scheduling the CPA Exam in Alaska

Upon successful state application, candidates will receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS), which is valid for one testing event or six months, whichever comes first. The NTS lists the section(s) that the candidate is approved to take, as well as the deadline for testing. An examination appointment cannot be scheduled without a valid NTS. Once candidates receive their NTS, they can then contact Prometric to schedule the examination. All scheduling, rescheduling, or cancellation of testing appointments is done through Prometric.

The CPA Exam is no longer administered via “testing windows” with “blackout dates.” Instead, there is rolling testing. Candidates may schedule their exam appointment at www.prometric.com/CPA or alternatively by calling Prometric at 1-800-580-9648.

Note: Appointments are based on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that you will want to schedule your exam as soon as possible for the best chance to get your preferred location, date, and time. You must have your exam scheduled at least 6 days prior to the exam date, which also means there is no “walk-in” testing.

Preparing for the CPA Exam

Currently, the average pass rate for any given section of the exam is about 50%, which is a great indicator of the exam’s difficulty. This is where a great CPA Prep Course is instrumental. Review Courses have been preparing accounting professionals to pass the exam for years. Just about every accountant that has become a CPA utilized a review program. In other words, they are a worthy investment.

Alaska CPA Exam Score Release

Upon completing each section of the exam, candidates can obtain their scores online after the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy has released the information. They can also elect to have exam scores mailed to them. 

They can process their CPA licenses after passing the uniform CPA licensure exam. They can maintain their license every two years by continuing education for up to 80 hours, which doesn’t really require accounting concentration. At least 20 hours are required each year. They must renew the license after completing the required hours before its expiration date.

Additional Information

While we do our best to keep all of this information up to date, you are welcome to visit and or contact the Alaska Board of Public Accountancy with any other questions you might have.

Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy
Address: Dept. of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1500. Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: (907) 269-4712 Fax: (907) 269-8156
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.commerce.alaska.gov
Application form: Alaska CPA Application Form