A recent law change has reduced the Wisconsin CPA Exam education requirement from 150 credit hours to 120 credit hours. This means that you will still need 150 credit hours to get your WI CPA license, however you may sit for the exam after earning 120 credit hours. The work experience requirement is very standard and can be met by working for 1 year in public or non-public accounting.To be eligible to sit for the CPA exam students must first fulfill these qualifications and requirements:
- Minimum age: 18
- U.S. Residency NOT Required
- State Residency NOT required
Education Requirements
Candidates should fulfill 120 credit hours and ONE of the following:(1) Graduate degree in accounting (2) Graduate degree in business:
- Accounting courses:
- 24 semester hours in undergraduate financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting; OR
- 15 semester hours in graduate financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting; OR
- Equivalent combination
(3) Undergraduate degree in accounting or business:
- 24 semester (credit) hours in undergraduate financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting
- 24 semester hours in business courses
*Non-US candidates must take courses in both Income Taxation and Business Law from a four-year U.S. institution.
WI CPA License Requirements
Education
- 150 credit hours
Work Experience
- 1 year of accounting experience either public or non-public
- Must gain experience AFTER graduation
- Part-time employment can be counted towards requirement
Ethics Exam
- Pass the Wisconsin Ethics Course with a score of 80% or higher
Wisconsin CPA Exam Fees
The cost to take all four sections of the CPA exam in Wisconsin is $743 plus the initial $247 application fee. The re-examination registration fees vary depending on the number of sections.**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 Wisconsin expires 6 months after issuance.
| Auditing and Attestation (AUD) | $195.35 |
| Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) | $176.25 |
| Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | $195.35 |
| Regulation (REG) | $176.25 |
| Application Fee: | $247 |
Additional CPA Requirements
- Pass all 4 sections of the CPA exam with a score of 75% or higher
- Complete verified accounting work experience
- Pass the Wisconsin Ethics Exam
- Fill out and submit all required CPA license application paperwork
- Pay the CPA license application fee
WI Exam Information and Resources
Wisconsin CPA License Requirements
For more details, please contact:
Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board
P.O.Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708-8935
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Phone: 608-266-2112
Fax: 608-267-381
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!
Bryce Welker is a regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, YEC and Business Insider. After graduating from San Diego State University he went on to earn his Certified Public Accountant license and created CrushTheCPAexam.com to share his knowledge and experience to help other accountants become CPAs too. Bryce was named one of Accounting Today’s “Accountants To Watch” among other accolades. As Seen On Forbes
