The Georgia CPA exam requirements include graduating a 150 college credit hour degree program, passing the CPA exam, and completing a work experience program. After a CPA candidates has completed these requirements, they will qualify to become licensed Georgia.
There are several different certifications for accounting professionals currently available. You might choose financial planning, information systems accounting, forensic accounting, or any other designate alternative for accountants.
However, the top credential for all accounting experts is the Certified Public Accountant (CPA). It’s a state-issued certificate or license that’s considered one of the most demanding professional credentials to achieve in the US.
Becoming a Georgia CPA is will help propel your financial career forward and give you access to tons of opportunities that non-certified accountants can’t get.
If you’re studying accounting, or are already a practicing accountant considering taking your career to the next level, you must know what it takes to become a CPA.
Let’s look at the Georgia CPA requirements and the steps you’ll need to take in order to sit for the CPA exam and become a certified public accountant in State of Georgia.
Georgia CPA Requirements
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Georgia’s general requirements are similar to most other states. You don’t need to be a US citizen or have a state residency in Georgia to qualify for both the CPA exam and licensing.
However, you must be 18 years old or more to be eligible – this should present any issues for students. Additionally, you’ll will require a Social Security Number (SSN) for your application to be considered. You are also not required to take an Ethics course or exam in Georgia.
Asides these CPA exam requirements, you’ll also need the appropriate education, exam scores and work experience to qualify for a CPA license in the Peach State.
Educational Requirements
The educational requirements to become a CPA in Georgia are similar to many other states. To qualify to sit for the Uniform CPA exam, you’ll need 120 semester credits of undergraduate coursework that includes a major in accounting.
To obtain full licensure, you must complete an additional 30 semester hours bringing your total college credits to 150. Make sure that your university or college is fully accredited by an organization recognized by the state, so that your coursework will qualify.
Furthermore, to qualify for a CPA license in Georgia, ensure that your courses satisfy the state requirements, including:
- 30-semester units in intermediate or advanced accounting courses.
- 24-semester units studying business-related courses.
To ensure that you’re preparing yourself for the Uniform CPA exam, you must cover these topic areas:
- Attestation
- Financial analysis and reporting
- Taxation
- Government/non-profit accounting
- Cost accounting
Once you’ve completed 120 semester hours and obtained your bachelor’s degree, you’re ready to apply to take the standardized CPA exam. But first, you will need to pay the registration fees before you can sign up to take a CPA exam section.
CPA Exam and Fees in Georgia
The Georgia CPA exam costs $743 to take all four CPA exam sections. Of course you must also pay the mandatory $135 one-time application fee. Reexamination candidates should look up their application fees from the Board’s website as this varies, depending which sections you’re retaking.
Here’s a breakdown of each CPA exam section’s costs and fees:
| Application Fee | $135 |
| Examination Fees | |
| Auditing and Attestation (AUD) | $195.35 |
| Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | $195.35 |
| Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) | $176.25 |
| Regulation (REG) | $176.25 |
Because each test section is handled separately, you have a pay-as-you-take option until you’ve succeeded in all four sections.
Once your application is accepted and approved, you’ll receive a Notice of Schedule (NTS). Georgia’s NTS for the CPA exam is six months. It means that you have six months to schedule and take your first test.
Scores are available approximately 48 hours after completing a test. You can retrieve your scores online via the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) website.
Georgia CPA License Requirements
Education: 150 hours (including B.A.)
You need to have completed 150 postsecondary education credit semesters (bachelor’s degree included) to be considered for the CPA designate in the State of Georgia.
Pass All Four Sections of the CPA Exam
A minimum score of 75 is required to pass each CPA exam section. The CPA exam is highly demanding and incredibly challenging. That’s why less than 50% of candidates pass the exam each testing window. It’s a good idea to use a CPA study guide to help prepare for the CPA exam no matter which section you are taking.
The exam is too big to try to study for it with old college textbooks and free internet resources. You need a complete CPA exam review course.
Additionally, all four sections must be taken and passed with 18 months. This is the rolling exam window that starts from the day your first passed exam section was taken. Credits outside this window are voided.
Work Experience Requirements
After you pass all four sections of the CPA exam, you’re ready to begin your work experience program. The State of Georgia requires that all CPA candidates have at least one year of work experience (approximately 2,000 hours) in public or non-public accounting.
Your work must be supervised and verified by an active US CPA.
Fees
Pay the CPA License Application Fee
Paperwork
Send the State Board all necessary documents. Documentation requirements generally comprise transcripts, evidence of work experience and licensing application documents.
Georgia CPA Careers
Georgia is a great place for big businesses, and with several big businesses come a lot of accounting works for CPAs. The state is ranked among the top 10 for Top Business Environment by the U.S. News & World Report.
That’s why there’s an abundance of accounting opportunities at big traditional companies in Georgia, including Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and Home Depot. However, Georgia also has numerous tech startups taking advantage of a growing high-tech community and talents coming out of world-class universities around Atlanta.
Hot companies like Florence Healthcare (a clinical research software company) and fin-tech startup Greenlight, don’t only directly hire CPAs but have millionaires in their books that need professional accounting services too.
Additional Georgia CPA Exam Information
For updated information and resources on becoming a CPA in Georgia, visit the Board’s website.
GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY
237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217-3858
Phone: 478-207-2440
Fax: 478-207-1363