Applying for the Uniform CPA ExaminationThe first step when applying for the Uniform CPA Examination through CPA Examination Services is to familiarize yourself with this jurisdiction’s ‘Eligibility Requirements’ and ‘Materials to be Submitted.’ You must read the Candidate Guide before submitting any applications. Once you are ready to begin the application process, sign up for an Okta account through https://dashboard.nasba.org. You will receive an email to verify your Okta account creation. You can log into your application dashboard and click the CPA Portal button. Next, there will be an option to select ‘New Candidate,’ where you can enter your new candidate information, or ‘Existing Candidate,’ where you can enter information to match the application information we already have on file. You will receive a second email verifying your enrollment into the CPA Portal. Once completed, you will have access to your CPA Portal, where you can submit online applications and payments, maintain your candidate information, and view and print your receipts, Notice to Schedules (NTS), and Score Notices. When applying for Exam sections, you may only do so for one Exam section per exam section application. You may submit more than one Exam section application but are only allowed one NTS per Exam section. You should only apply for the Exam section if you are ready to take it within the next six months. New candidates who require an educational evaluation and plan on taking BEC before December 15, 2023, must submit their educational evaluation no later than October 1, 2023. Once you have been found eligible for the CPA Exam, you must complete your Exam Section Application for BEC no later than November 12, 2023. Re-exam candidates that have already been approved for a prior NTS (any section) must apply for a BEC NTS before November 12, 2023. Eligibility RequirementsEligibility for ExaminationYou must be of good moral character and meet the following educational requirements:
**If the required intermediate accounting course is at the graduate level, the total number of accounting credit required is 21 semester hours. Education must be complete at the time of application. Note: In order to qualify for licensure, you must have completed a minimum of 150 semester (225 quarter) hours of postsecondary, graduate or postgraduate education at an institution(s) recognized by the Board. 150 Hour RequirementIf you obtained a baccalaureate degree before 1992 from a Louisiana college or university which includes a concentration in accounting, please contact the Board to determine if you qualify for an exemption. If you took an examination approved by the Board prior to December 31, 1996, you remained eligible to take the examination until December 31, 1999. If you earned conditional credit which expires after December 31, 1999, you remain eligible until your conditional credit expires. The educational requirements cannot be circumvented by taking the CPA examination as an applicant of another state. Additional information about the 150 hour requirement is available upon request. If you are applying for the Exam as a candidate of Louisiana and wish to transfer scores from another state, you must meet the Louisiana Board rules that were in effect at the time you applied for the Exam in your original jurisdiction. If you did not meet the Louisiana Board rules prior to August 1, 2016 (150 hour requirement) but were a resident of another state which did not have a 150 hour requirement and you met that state’s rules, the Louisiana Board will consider accepting the transfer of scores after you complete the education requirement for Louisiana. If you did not meet the 150 hour requirement prior to August 1, 2016 and qualified as a candidate of another state but you were a resident of Louisiana, your transfer of scores will not be accepted. You will need to become licensed elsewhere and may then apply for a reciprocal license in Louisiana. TranscriptsIf you who have completed the educational requirement at the time of application:
If you have completed educational requirements at institutions outside the U.S. at the time of application, you must:
Course Requirements
ReferencesAs a first time applicant, you must submit reference signatures from three individuals that can attest to your moral character. References should be from CPAs or substantial and representative business or professional individuals. They should NOT be submitted by the following individuals:
> Download the Reference Signature Form ResidencyYou must have maintained continuous residency in Louisiana for 120 days within one year preceding the application date to take the examination. Materials to be Submitted
Please allow two to four weeks from your file completion date (when application, fees and all additional required materials have been received) for your application to be processed. Acknowledgment of receipt of application will be sent to you via email, unless otherwise indicated. This notice is sent only as acknowledgment of receipt of application. Applicants with DisabilitiesIn accordance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, examination administration accommodations are available, should you qualify. Please download the Testing Accommodations Request Form for more information. FeesEducation Evaluation Application Before you can apply for an exam section you must first be deemed eligible for the CPA Exam. Your Evaluation Application will determine if you meet the educational requirements needed to take the CPA Exam for your selected jurisdiction. Education Evaluation Application Fee: $90.00 Exam Section Application Once you have been found eligible for the CPA Exam you may then apply for a specific exam section. You can only apply for one exam section per application. You are advised to only apply for the exam section if you are ready to take it. Your Notice to Schedule will be valid for a limited amount of time, and you must take the exam section listed on the NTS within this time frame or you will lose those fees paid. Exam Section Application Fee: $344.80 Refund PolicyThere is no provision for withdrawing from the examination and/or requesting an extension of your current Notices to Schedule (NTS). Application and/or examination fees are not refundable. If you have an extreme circumstance, you may request an NTS extension or a partial refund of your examination fees under specific circumstances by contacting the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana’s office at sitemaster@cpaboard.state.la.us. Exam CreditYou may take the required test sections individually and in any order, but are required to pass all four sections of the examination within a rolling 18 month period, which begins on the date the first examination section passed was taken. Credit for any section passed shall be valid for 18 months from the actual date the examination sections were taken. Examination credit expires by section. You will lose credit for each section passed outside the 18 month period, and will have to retake those sections. Transfer of Examination CreditIf you wish to transfer credit(s) from another jurisdiction into Louisiana, you must have earned credit under the same rules as are in effect in Louisiana. If you have passed one or more sections of the CPA examination under another jurisdiction, you shall be given conditional credit by this board provided you have established residence in Louisiana and are still eligible to be considered a re-examination candidate in the original state where credit was earned. |
USEFUL LINKSCandidate Guide FORMSReference Signature Form CONTACT US800-CPA-EXAM (800-272-3926)International: (615) 880-4250 Email Inquiries: contact-us Mail Inquiries: Louisiana Coordinator CPA Examination Services PO Box 198469 Nashville, Tennessee 37219-8469 |
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