Arizona has many demographic trends that tend to drive in new wealth and more people. Arizona has also been a leading retirement destination, and that has risen even further in recent years.
According to the Census Bureau, Arizona is among the fastest-growing states in the country. Data from the Bureau also shows that over 18% of Arizona’s population is over 65, and these retirees often have more wealth and require more accounting and related services.
For CPAs, this represents a goldmine of retirement, investment, and estate planning advisory services. However, you need to become a CPA first. The CPA certification is highly sought-after because of its prestige and reputation.
Every state in the US, including Arizona, has its requirements for becoming a CPA. To achieve what’s considered the zenith of accountancy, you’ll require extensive education and experience as well as pass scores on the four-part CPA Exam and Ethics Exam.
The CPA exam process is thorough and difficult, but it will help grow your professional career in the long run. Below is everything you need to know about becoming an Arizona CPA.
Arizona CPA Requirements
Contents
To qualify for the CPA exam, you must fulfill the state-specific requirements, including:
Personal Qualifications
In Arizona, you don’t need to hold US citizenship to be eligible for the CPA Exam. You also don’t even need a state residency – this is helpful for out of state or international candidates.
Furthermore, the minimum required age to sit for the CPA Exam in Arizona is 18 year old.
Additional CPA exam requirements include a valid Social Security Number (SSN), international programs, and international exams.
Educational Requirements
Arizona’s CPA educational requirements allow candidates to apply for a section of the CPA exam before they graduate their degree program.
Students who are within 18 credit hours of graduation will be eligible to apply for their first CPA exam section.
Here are the full educational requirements to qualify for CPA licensure in Arizona:
A bachelor’s degree (120 total hours of university/college coursework).
Must complete twenty-four accounting semester hours of which:
- Twelve semester hours are intermediate or advanced accounting.
- At least eighteen semester hours in related courses such as Mathematics, Statistics, Business Law, Computer Science, Management, Marketing, etc.
Must complete a minimum of 150 semester hours of education (including B.A.) that includes:
- Minimum of 36 semester hours in accounting courses with at least 30 semester hours of upper-level courses.
- 30 semester hours (minimum) are business-related courses.
Note that you must provide transcripts from every school you attended.
CPA Exam Fees
The CPA exam is administered by the AICPA and includes the following sections:
- Business Environment and Concepts (BEC)
- Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
- Regulation (REG)
- Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)
Since each section of the exam can be taken independently, you pay for each section as you take it. For first-timers, the cost of taking all four parts of the CPA exam in Arizona is $743. Applicants must also pay a one-time application fee of $100.
If you are applying for a retake, you must pay a fee of $50. This is the re-examination registration fee. You still have to pay the examination fees for the section(s) you want to retake.
| Application Fee | $100 |
| Re-examination Registration Fee | $50 |
| Examination Fees | |
| AUD | $195.35 |
| FAR | $195.35 |
| BEC | $176.25 |
| REG | $176.25 |
Once you pay your registration fees, you’ll have 6 months to sit and pass the section you signed up for. Arizona’s “Notice to Schedule (NTS)” expires 6 months after it is issued.
From the period that you pass the first CPA exam section, you’ll have 18 months to sit and pass the other three parts. If you don’t pass all of the exam sections within the allowed time, your first exam credit will expire.
Each of the sections requires a minimum pass score of 75. Therefore it’s critical to ensure that you diligently prepare before sitting for the exam.
Arizona CPA License Requirements
Education: 150 hours (including B.A.)
To qualify for a CPA license in Arizona, applicants must have completed 150 semester hours of undergraduate education, including obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
Work Experience Requirements
Furthermore, the Arizona State Board of Accountancy (ASBA) also requires that prospective CPAs must have sufficient work experience. A minimum of one-year of experience in in public accounting or within government or industry is required.
However, if your supervising CPA is licensed in another state, you need to send a Supervisor Verification Form to the corresponding state board and then return it to the ASBA.
If your supervisor isn’t a licensed CPA, your experience will still be validated. Your supervisor must attach he/her resume and complete job description to your application form to verify that they possess the requisite education and experience to review a prospective CPA.
One approach to establish competency for your supervising CPA who is licensed in another state is to provide signed/dated letters from 3 clients.
Pass the Four-part CPA Exam
You can take the CPA exam sections in any order independently of each other. As highlighted above, you must register and pass all sections of the uniform test within an 18-month window.
Your score in each attempted section must be at least 75% to be deemed successful. Credits for each successful section have a validity period of 18 months from the date the exam was taken.
Exam credit expires one section at a time. Credits outside the 18-month validity period are voided and the corresponding section(s) need to be retaken.
Pass the CPA Ethics Exam
In addition to passing the four-part CPA exam, there’s an additional exam that you’ll need to pass called Ethics Exam. The Ethics Exam is also administered by the AICPA, but it isn’t that difficult.
The Exam is often accompanied by a CD-ROM loaded with the 11-hour self-study CPA exam courses. This prep course contains relevant information to help candidate prepare. The CD-ROM also comes pre-loaded with a 40 question practice quiz.
To pass the exam, you must have a minimum pass score of 90, so make sure you give yourself enough time to study.
Fees
Pay a certification fee of $100.
Paperwork
Submit to your state board all required documents. Transcripts, work experience documentation, and license application are typically required.
Additional Arizona CPA Exam Information
For additional information, including applications and test schedules, visit the Arizona Board of Accountancy website.
ARIZONA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY
100 N. 15th Avenue, Room 165 Phoenix, AZ