Georgia

Educational requirements to apply for a CPA license in Georgia vary depending on the date the applicant initially sat for the CPA Exam.

Requirements for licensure if your initial sitting for the CPA Exam was prior to January 1, 1998:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Twenty (20) semester hours in Accounting above the introductory level

Requirements for licensure if your initial sitting for the CPA Exam was after January 1, 1998:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Total of 150 semester hours of education
• Thirty (30) semester hours in Accounting above the introductory level
• Twenty-four (24) semester hours in business related subjects

The hours credited for each of the first two courses in accounting subjects completed by an applicant to take the CPA examination or an applicant for a license as a CPA are considered as being at the elementary level. These hours will not be counted toward the minimum hours required to take the CPA examination or to apply for license as a CPA. This shall be the case without respect to the title or number under which the course is designated by the educational institution.

Successful passing of the Uniform CPA Exam or IQEX Exam.

• Initial – $140
• Transfer of Grades – $220
• Reciprocal – $220
• Firm – $225
• Firm Late Filing – $475

Public Accounting Experience

Qualifying experience in public accountancy shall mean employment as a staff Accountant by a practicing CPA holding a current license to practice or a firm of such duly licensed accountants certified, registered or licensed to practice public accountancy in this state or by the duly constituted laws of any other sovereign state or country. Public accountancy work for purposes of this section shall mean the performance of any combination of services involving the use of accounting, auditing or attestation skills, one or more types of consulting services, the preparation of tax returns or the furnishing of advice on tax matters. The work must involve the application of appropriate technical and behavioral Standards such as standards contained in the Code of Professional Conduct, Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements , Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services, the Statement on Standards for Tax Services, the Statements on Standards for Management Consulting Services, International Financial Reporting Standards, or other such standards as designated by policy statements of the Board.

• Experience must be at least one year in duration and completed not more than one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application.
• Experience must be full-time and include a minimum of 2,000 hours completed within a 12 month period. Experience completed through part-time work is not acceptable. The same change is needed under Industry Accounting Experience and Government Accounting Experience.
• Experience must be supervised by an individual who holds a license as a CPA during the period of employment being attested to.

Industry Accounting Experience

For qualifying experience in industry or business the applicant must have been employed by an individual or entity in the performance of duties primarily involving the use of financial accounting and auditing skills, which follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

• Experience must be at least one year in duration and completed not more than one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application.
• Experience must be full-time and include a minimum of 2,000 hours completed within a 12 month period. Experience completed through part-time work is not acceptable.
• Experience must have been supervised by an individual who holds a current license or registration to practice public accountancy as a CPA or registered public accountant licensed by this state or by the duly constituted laws of any other state or by the equivalent licensed by another country during the period of employment being attested to.

Government Accounting Experience

For qualifying experience in government, the applicant must have been employed by a federal, state or local government agency which is appropriated public funds and whose employees are considered public employees and which is recognized by the Board as having the responsibility and organizational structure for performing auditing and accounting functions.

• Experience must be at least one year in duration and completed not more than one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application.
• Experience must be full-time and include a minimum of 2,000 hours completed within a 12 month period. Experience completed through part-time work is not acceptable.
• Qualifying experience for an applicant employed by the Internal Revenue Service as an internal revenue agent shall count only experience obtained at or above the GS 11 level.

Teaching Experience

Qualified teaching experience shall consist of teaching in the accounting discipline for academic credit at an accredited four-year college or university. The teaching must include:

• at least two different courses of accounting above the introductory or elementary level.
• One year of experience shall consist of no less than 24 semester hours, or the equivalent in quarter hours, taught in a period consisting of not less than twelve months and not more than thirty-six (36) months.
• Courses outside the field of accounting will not be counted toward full-time teaching. Such courses include, but are not limited to: business law, finance, computer applications, personnel management, economics and statistics.

Click the following links to apply online:

• APPLY ONLINE – Individual License
• APPLY ONLINE – Firm License

Education requirements must be met through academic coursework completed at an accredited institution. Professional training is not acceptable toward these requirements. Coursework completed as part of a Chartered Accountant program is considered professional training and is, therefore, not accepted toward the education requirements for the U.S. Uniform CPA License.

Applicants who obtained their education outside the United States must have their educational credentials evaluated by NASBA International Evaluation Services.

To apply for a firm license in Georgia, a firm must meet the following requirements:

• Partners, members or shareholders owning at least a simple majority of the firm must be a certified public accountant of some state in good standing, except that such partners, members or shareholders who are CPAs and whose principal place of business is in Georgia and who perform accounting services in Georgia must hold a live permit from Georgia. An individual who has practices privileges in Georgia who performs services for which a firm registration is required shall not be required to obtain a certificate or live permit in Georgia
• The firm must be in compliance with all requirements and provisions of state law governing the organizational form of the firm in the state of the firm’s principal place of business
• The firm shall comply with all regulations pertaining to firms registered with the Georgia State Board
• Each office within Georgia shall be under the supervision of a resident manager who may be a partner, principal, shareholder or a staff employee holding a live permit.
• The resident manager of the office of the firm within Georgia and each partner, member or shareholder who is personally engaged within Georgia in the practice of public accountancy must be a certified public accountant of Georgia in good standing
• Any holder of a live permit and any individual who qualifies for practice privileges who is responsible for supervising attest or compilation services and signs or authorizes someone to sign the accountant’s report on the financial statements on behalf of the firm shall meet the competency requirements set out in the professional standards for such services
• Any holder of a live permit and any individual who qualifies for practice privileges who signs or authorizes someone to sign the accountant’s report on the financial statements on behalf of the firm shall meet the competency requirements set out in the professional standards for such services

Non-Licensee Owners

Non-CPA owners of a firm must:

• Be natural persons
• Participate in the business of the firm consisting of providing services to or on behalf of the firm, or a related entity of the firm and the Non-CPA owners cannot be solely or predominately a passive investor in the firm
• Must be of good moral character, meaning fiscal integrity and lack of any history of acts involving dishonesty or moral turpitude
• Not be listed in any advertisement under the heading Certified Public Accountants
• Not be designated as the resident manager of an office of the firm
• Not be the chief executive officer of a firm located in or doing business in Georgia
• Dispose of his entire interest in the firm to a qualified owner within 60 days of the date of disqualification from ownership

Peer Review Requirement

Firms that offer engagement services (audits, reviews or compilations) must enroll in a Georgia State Board-approved peer review program.

Review a list of Board-approved peer review programs.