Nebraska CPA Exam & License Requirements

Updated: May 23, 2023 You’re our #1 priority.
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Nebraska requires 150 credit hours to earn a CPA license, however you may sit for the CPA exam 60 days prior to meeting the education requirements.  Nebraska is a two-tier state, which means the State Board first issues a certificate before you earn your permit to practice (license). Another important note is that you must be a resident of the state in order to apply for a CPA license.

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

  1. Minimum age: None
  2. U.S. Residency NOT Required
  3. State Residency Required: Must be a resident, employee, OR have office in the state

Education Requirements

  1. Bachelor degree or above with accounting concentration
  2. 150 semester units from an accredited university
  3. Accounting courses: 30 semester units – intermediate level or higher
  4. General business courses: 36 semester units
  5. May sit for exam up to 60 days prior to fulfilling these requirements

*Please check out Nebraska CPA Education Requirements for more details

NE CPA License Requirements

(1) CPA Certificate

  • Must Pass the CPA exam
  • Must Pass the AICPA ethics exam – Cost of course is $149 or $119 for AICPA members
  • Working experience: none

(2) CPA License – Permit To Practice 

    • Must have CPA certificate as described above
    • Working experience: 2 years (4,000 hours) of accounting experience supervised and verified by an active CPA licensee
    • Work should be performed within a licensed, public accounting firm

Nebraska CPA Exam Fees

The cost to take all four sections of the CPA exam in Nebraska is $743 plus the initial $160 application fee.  The re-examination registration fee varies depending on the number of sections you are signing up for.

**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 Nebraska 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. Pass AICPA Ethics Exam
  4. Fill out and submit all required CPA license application paperwork
  5. Pay the CPA license application fee

NE Exam Information and Resources

Nebraska CPA Exam CandidatesNebraska CPA License FAQ

Nebraska CPA Work Experience Requirement

For more details, please contact:

Nebraska State Board of Public Accountancy

PO Box 94725
Lincoln, NE 68509-4725

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 402-471-3595
Fax: 402-471-4484

What’s Next?

Now that you have started the CPA exam application process, your next step is to find the right CPA review course that best 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!