Georgia CPA Exam & License Requirements

CPA exam requirements in Georgia are less strict than most states and only require a bachelor’s degree and 20 credit hours of accounting courses to sit for the exam.  However, the state board does requires a total of 150 credit hours to get you CPA license.

To be eligible to sit for the CPA exam students must first fulfill these qualifications and requirements:

1. Minimum age: 18
2. U.S. Residency NOT required
3. State Residency NOT required

Education Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher
2. 20 credit hours of accounting courses above introductory level

*Note: CLEP courses not accepted (College Level Examination Program)

GA CPA License Requirements

Education

• 1 year (2,000 hours) of public accounting experience
• Non-public accounting experience is allowed but there are stringent guidelines for what is acceptable.  Please refer to the Georgia CPA Work Experience guide
• Must be completed no more than 1 year immediately preceding the date of application
• Work experience must be supervised and verified by an active US CPA

Work Experience

• 2 years of public accounting work experience:
  • Minimum of 400 hours in audit, review, and compilation
  • Minimum of 200 hours in advisory services
• The experience has to be supervised by CPA or equivalent: Chartered accountants in Canada, Australia, and other countries may be okay but please check with the State Boards to make sure
• Part-time work is allowed: 173 hours is equivalent to one month of full-time employment

Ethics Exam

• No requirement

Georgia Exam Fees

The cost to take all four sections of the CPA exam in Georgia is $743 plus the initial $135 application fee. The re-examination application fees vary depending on the number of sections you are retaking.

**Important Note: You should not apply and pay for exam sections that will not be taken within six months because your Notice to Schedule (NTS) in Georgia expires 6 months after issuance.

Additional CPA Requirements

1. Pass all 4 sections of the CPA exam with a score of 75% or higher
2. Complete verified accounting work experience
3. Fill out and submit all required CPA license application paperwork
4. Pay the CPA license application fee

GA Exam Information and Resources

• Georgia CPA Requirements FAQGeorgia CPA Exam Information
  
• Georgia CPA License Application
  

For more details, please contact:

• Georgia State Board of Accountancy
  

237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217-3858
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 478-207-2440
Fax: 478-207-1363

What’s Next?

Now that you have started the CPA exam application process, your next step is to find a CPA review course that fits your budget, learning style and schedule.

It can take several weeks for your application to be processed so don’t waste that valuable time waiting to hear back from your state board.  If you start studying now you will get a nice jump start on the material and will be better prepared to pass your first CPA exam!