New York CPA Exam & License Requirements

The state of New York requires 150 semester hours as well as 1 year of work experience in order to obtain your CPA license. However, you may sit for the CPA exam upon completion of your bachelor’s degree and 120 semester hours. One unique thing about New York is that you can waive the education requirements if you have 15 years of public accounting experience.

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

1. At least 21 years old
2. Bachelor’s degree or higher
3. US Citizenship NOT required to take exam
4. Residency NOT required

You must complete ONE of the following options:

120 credit hours (to sit for the CPA exam)

Including coursework in the following areas:

1. Financial Accounting and Reporting
2. Taxation
3. Cost or Managerial Accounting
4. Auditing and Attestation Services

*Please note that 150 credit hours and additional coursework (Option 2) must be completed before you can get your CPA license.

150 credit hour licensure requirement

Must meet one of the following:

1. Complete a registered 150 program approved by NYSED. Complete and submit this NY Program Form
2. Complete a master’s degree with a major in accounting from a school accredited in accounting by AACSB
3. Complete a bachelor’s or higher degree and a minimum of 150 semester (225 quarter) hours in college level education to include the following:

• 33 semester hours in accounting to include each of the following:
  • Financial accounting,
  • Cost accounting,
  • Taxation,
  • Audit and attestation,
  • Accounting research, and
  • 36 semester hours in general business

Note: Communications and Ethics and Responsibilities are required and may come from either accounting or business.

* 1 semester hour = 1 credit hour

Fifteen years of public accounting experiences acceptable to the State Board for Public Accountancy may be substituted for education.

Please visit http://www.nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/newyork/ for more details on this.

Must complete one year of full-time work experience in accounting verified by an active CPA licensee. Experience may be earned in a public accounting firm, government, private industry or an educational institution.

The cost to take all four sections of the CPA exam in New York is $743 plus the initial $125 application fee.  The re-examination application fee is $55 – $100  plus the exam fees:

*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 New York expires 6 months after issuance.

*Note: You are NOT required to take the CPA ethics exam in the state of New York, pretty lucky!

State Education Department
Division of Professional Licensing Services
89 Washington Avenue, 2nd Fl. East Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234-1000
Phone: 518-474-3817 Ext. 270
Fax: 518-402-5354
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

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!