Requirements for CPA Exam in Alabama

Alabama requires accountants to pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination for licensure in the state.business accounts blank image by Nicemonkey from Fotolia.com

Certified public accountants in Alabama must pass the uniform certified public accountant examination to qualify for a license to practice in the state. Alabama has requirements in place for those who apply to take the examination. CPAs must be licensed in the state to advertise services as a certified public accountant.

Age and Residency Requirements

The Alabama State Board of Accountancy requires candidates for the uniform certified public accountant examination be at least 19 years old and a U.S. resident. The state does not require a candidate to be a resident of Alabama at the time of application.

Candidates for the CPA examination must have at least a bachelor’s degree to apply. The graduate must have 150 semester hours to qualify. The bachelor’s program must include 33 hours of accounting courses, but introductory courses do not qualify for this requirement. In addition, the candidate must have 27 hours of business-related courses unrelated to accounting and three hours of business law.

Candidates must apply with the Alabama State Board of Accountancy before scheduling the examination. The application requires the applicant to have official transcripts from the school issuing the applicant’s degree. The transcript must have the official seal of the school.

Applicants must pay a $100 application fee and the fees for each section of the uniform certified public accountant examination. The check or money order is paid to the Alabama State Board of Accountancy. The board sends the name of those approved to sit for the exam to the national candidate database.

After the board approves the candidate, a notice to schedule is sent to the accountant. The notice to schedule allows candidates to contact the testing site and schedule the date and time of the examination. Candidates have 18 months to pass all four sections of the test. Accountants who take and pass one test will retain credit for that examination during the 18-month window.