| CPA Exam Requirements Pennsylvania – Overview | |
| Educational Hours Required for Exam | 150 Semester Hours |
| Educational Hours Required for Licensure | 150 Semester Hours |
| Residency Required | Not required |
| Degree Required | Bachelor’s or Master’s |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Application Fee | $105.00 |
| Additional Requirements | Pennsylvania Board of Accountancy Site |
CPA Exam Requirements Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 requirements for the state of Pennsylvania.
- A bachelor’s degree or higher
- 24 semester credits, which credits shall be in accounting and auditing, business law, finance, microeconomics, macroeconomics, or tax subjects of a content satisfactory to the board.
Pennsylvania CPA Exam Fees
$105 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 Pennsylvania
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 Review Course is instrumental. Review Courses have been preparing accounting professionals to pass the exam for years. It’s like an extension to continuing professional education but in preparation for getting a CPA license. Just about every accountant who has become a CPA utilizes a review program. In other words, they are a worthy investment.
Pennsylvania CPA Exam Score Release
After completing each section of the uniform CPA exam, candidates can obtain their scores online after the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy releases the information. They can also elect to have exam scores mailed to them.
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 Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy with any other questions you might have.
Pennsylvania State Board of Public Accountancy
Address: 2601 North Third St. Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 783-1404 Fax: (717) 705-5540
Email: [email protected]
Web: nasba.org