How To Register For Ny Cpa Exam

How To Sign Up For The CPA Examination

Learn How To Rapidly Master The CPA Exam Awarding Process And How To Sign Up For The CPA Examination The Right Manner

✎ Updated June 1, 2022
➫ by
Bryan Kesler, CPA

Near THE Writer:

Bryan Kesler, CPA is a CPA Practise Counselor Top 20 Under forty, Licensed Certified Public Auditor, and founder of Ultimate CPA Exam Guide Mentorship, Accountability & Tutoring Platform.

Full Bio >> | Contact Bryan
❯ CPA Exam Format

The CPA Exam Application process is most as hard as the Uniform CPA Examination itself. There are complicated education requirements and confusing rules that vary by state.

In order to become a Certified Public Accountant, you want to make sure you lot fully understand exactly what is required in order to be approved to sit for the CPA examination and avoid your application existence rejected.

The application procedure can accept several months if you lot are non diligient and staying on acme of your state board of accountancy.

This article is for any accounting professional looking to avoid making crucial errors when applying for the CPA examination.

Follow our step-by-step directions beneath to ensure your CPA exam application is approved in the fastest time possible, and then you can start studying and dominating the CPA exam!

Let's get started.

P.South. Be sure to download my Ultimate viii Footstep CPA Exam Application Checklist (click hither to download) so you lot can stay on track every bit you utilise to offset the CPA exam process.

Step #1: Meet Your States CPA Exam Requirements

When determining which state to accept the CPA exam you need to very carefully review their CPA exam requirements to ensure you are eligible to sit down for the CPA exam.

Each state has slightly unlike requirements so be certain to contact your state board for the nigh upwardly to date information merely below let's hash out the primary requirements each state does have.

Am I Eligible To Sit For The CPA Exam?

At that place are four chief categories of requirements that you must satisfy in guild to be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. They include educational activity, residency, age and citizenship requirements.

Let's deep dive into each requirement and then that you have an agreement of what to expect before finding the exact country you want to employ to sit for the CPA exam.

Annotation: These are just a summary of the different types of requirements, gyre to the cease of this step to detect your specific state'south requirements.

What Are The Didactics Requirements To Sit For The CPA Test?

There are the iii major teaching requirements to know earlier signing upwardly for the CPA examination.

Teaching Requirement To Sit:

The biggest requirement to consider is whether your state requires 150 credit hours or 120 credit hours to actually sit for the exam.

This does not mean that you do non demand to complete 150 hours because you are required to complete all 150 hours in order to become licensed.

Types of Classes Affair:

Be sure to check that you have completed the appropriate # of accounting course credits, business organization law credits, and other required classes. Once more these will vary by country.

What Are CPA Exam Residency Requirements?

Did y'all know that you can sit down for the CPA exam in a country where yous don't currently live?

Agreement CPA Exam residency requirements is a crucial requirement if you are planning on working in a unlike state than you currently live. It is possible to sit in a different country and then transfer your CPA credits one time you have established residency and want to become licensed in that country.

What Are The CPA Exam Age Requirements?

Some states require you lot to be a sure age - only don't worry the bulk of states don't take an age requirement and if they do the youngest allowed is 21 and so unless you are trying to exist similar Belicia pictured below, the 17 yr old who passed the CPA exam (yes that is correct she is just 17 and passed the CPA exam!) I wouldn't worry most the historic period requirement.

What Are The CPA Test Citizenship Requirements?

If you are living outside the United States this is a very important footstep when signing upward for the CPA exam.

Certain states permit you to sit for the CPA exam as a Non-The states citizen but some states exercise not. So be aware that you need to identify which states have these requirements.

Refer below for a table with all of u.s. without CPA test Citizenship requirements.

For boosted details about what yous demand to know to apply for the CPA exam as an international candidate, delight spotter this video:

Find The State You Would Like To Sit For The CPA Test Beneath:

Disclosure: Please note that I do my best to keep these requirements up to engagement only seeing as there are more than fifty states and nations with individual requirements it is difficult for me to proceed upwardly with them all. Delight verify each requirement with your state lath of accountancy to ensure 100% accurateness!

Find Your State Here!

Alabama	Alaska	Arizona
Arkansas	California	Colorado
Connecticut	Delaware	Washington DC
Florida	Georgia	Guam
Hawaii	Idaho	Illinois
Indiana	Iowa	Kansas
Kentucky	Louisiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan
Minnesota	Mississippi	Missouri
Montana	Nebraska	Nevada
New Hampshire	New Bailiwick of jersey	New Mexico
New York	North Carolina	Due north Dakota
Ohio	Oklahoma	Oregon
Pennsylvania	Puerto Rico	Rhode Island
South Carolina	South Dakota	Tennessee
Texas	Utah	Vermont
Virgin Islands	Virginia	Washington
West Virginia	Wisconsin	Wyoming

If y'all would like a more than detailed checklist to make this process even easier, delight download your Costless CPA Test Application Checklist PDF below:

Stride #2: Use For The CPA Exam

Applying for the CPA exam is a complex procedure that requires a meaning amount of time and planning on your part. Let's discuss the right and incorrect way to apply for the CPA exam that is going to save you the well-nigh time and the about money.

Hither's the step past step procedure I recommend y'all follow:

1) Social club and transport your official college transcripts to your land board of accountancy

Yous need to practise this as before long as you have found the state you are eligible to sit for the CPA exam and you will want to include every college level school you accept attended.

In important to know if you accept completed all of the required didactics requirements before sending your transcripts as it will significantly tedious down your application process if yous demand additional higher credits to be eligible to take the CPA exam.

2) Complete your CPA exam application and include the required application fee

This is a standard application that asks for you to prove your residency, age and citizenship etc... and y'all should await the fee to be between $100-$200 depending on your state.

iii) Obtain your Say-so to Test (ATT) from your State Lath Of Accountancy

In one case your awarding is processed, about states requite you 90 days to decide which section you want to take first. Be enlightened that if you don't decide within 90 days and pay for the section(south) all your fees will exist forfeited and you will have to start over.

Here'due south the link to use when signing upwardly for sections of the CPA exam on NASBA's website - merely please don't sign upward until you lot have read the next step!

FYI - Look to pay between $600-$1,000 in CPA Exam fees for all 4 sections. More than on this in a moment in stride 4.

4) Obtain Your Notice To Schedule (NTS) from your state board of accountancy

Once y'all take remitted your payment for the section(s) you wish to sit for first, you lot will receive a Notice To Schedule from NASBA.

Sample Notice To Schedule For Reference:

This is your official "ticket" to sit for the CPA exam in the Us

Typically it takes between 2-vi weeks to receive your NTS by paper but some states take moved to an online arrangement that can be candy inside 24 hours.

Depending on your state you will have vi months from the date your NTS is issued to sign upwardly for the sections of the CPA exam you paid for.

Note: There are exceptions to this rule from the post-obit states:

Texas 90 days from application date
California ix months from NTS issue engagement
Hawaii 9 months from NTS issue date
Louisiana 9 months from NTS issue date
Utah ix months from NTS result date
North Dakota 12 months from NTS issue engagement
S Dakota 12 months from NTS issue date
Virginia 12 months from NTS issue engagement

At present question of the day...

Since information technology's cheaper to sign up for all four sections of the CPA exam at once that's the right matter to practise correct?

NO!

Here's why....

Biggest CPA Exam Scheduling Mistake Y'all Tin can Brand

When I first signed up for the CPA examination I made the biggest mistake of my unabridged CPA exam feel.

I signed up for all 4 sections in a row.

I was over-confident, I saw all my friends passing on their first endeavor and I had better grades than some of them even!

I was so sure that I would pass the 1st time through that I didn't fifty-fifty consider what would happen if I concluded up failing a section.

So lets dig into the details for why this was the biggest mistake I could have made when signing up for the CPA exam.

Once your transcripts and application have been canonical, your state board will send y'all a notice to schedule (NTS).

Depending on which state you are in yous will likely be given six to 9 months to sit for all the parts you signed upward for.

If you sign up for all 4 parts, y'all will be given a borderline of half-dozen months to schedule and sit for each department in that time period or you will lose your CPA exam fees.

Totally off-white right!

So are you starting to see how this could cause issues if you fail a department?

Game Changing CPA Exam Scheduling Tip

What is the right mode to schedule the sections of the CPA test?

Elementary answer is...

Sign up for i section at a fourth dimension.

That way yous take your 1st section, outset studying for your 2nd section and then subsequently about a month or less, you will discover out the scores for your 1st exam. Pass or fail y'all go all out for your second section and take it and depending on whether you passed or failed your offset exam you either resign up or sign up for section 3 ASAP.

Does that make sense?

What happened to me was that I signed up for all iv sections and after I failed the 1st I was locked in to take the 2nd, and so when I failed the 2nd I was locked into the tertiary then when I failed the 3rd I was locked into the fourth so by the time I had failed all 4 sections I had to kickoff all over!

Talk nearly a waste product of time and a waste material of $1,000.

And did I mention that my scores ranged from 67 to 72, consummate heart interruption.

Don't make the same mistakes I did and but sign up for 2 at a fourth dimension!

And if y'all don't believe me that this is what yous should do, cheque out what Roger Phillip, CPA of UWorld Roger CPA Review recommends all their students do.

Pace #3: Pick Order To Sit down For The CPA Examination

What Is The Best Gild To Sit down For The CPA Test?

In my opinion, I recommend starting with Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR). It's the largest section in terms of material tested and it'south a great one to get out of the way showtime.

That existence said... the uncomplicated answer is that information technology doesn't really affair what department you sit for starting time, the only wrong answer is to procrastinate taking ANY section of the CPA exam.

At the cease of the day, no affair what order you have the exam it's going to be painful and will stress you out to the max!

All your friends may take their theories every bit to which society to take the CPA examination, simply it is really up to you to figure it out.

What CPA Exam Order Works All-time For YOU?

In college I e'er heard about three different theories on the lodge yous should have the CPA exam. I have listed them beneath and given reasons why the theories are flawed.

i) Start with what you call up is hardest or easiest start.

The problem is that until you start studying you won't know what department is really hardest/easiest for you.

2) Start with FAR and cease with BEC.

This is probably one of the more pop orders to go with. Over again you but never know if BEC is going to be the hardest function for y'all to laissez passer, simply if you lot can handle the massive amount of material from FAR then hypothetically you shouldn't have whatsoever trouble with BEC.

iii) Start with BEC offset simply to get one section under your chugalug.

The problem with this is that once you pass your first section the 18 calendar month countdown begins earlier you lose your first section. So while BEC has the highest pass rate it might make sense to get the others washed first and so you don't run a risk losing BEC if yous struggle with the others.

Merely again I struggled with BEC and then you but don't know.

My Advice

As someone who struggled to pass the CPA exam, I had no idea at first what order to accept the CPA exam.

I started with BEC considering I thought it was the "easiest" considering it was and so brusque.

Unfortunately due to the random mishmash of information it turned into one of the about difficult sections for me. And so practice not gauge your order based on whether a exam is shorter.

I would recommend starting with a topic that you are most familiar.

If your major is taxation then take REG kickoff and and then along.

If you are fresh out of college, a section volition truly be "easier" for you if you are able to have what yous learned in college and translate information technology to the CPA exam material.

Another piece of advice is to care for all examination sections every bit equals and don't change up how much you study only because you Retrieve a sure section volition be easier.

It never hurts to over-study but ALWAYS hurts to understudy.

Step #four: Find A CPA Review Course

Without a doubt the well-nigh important pace in passing the CPA exam is picking a CPA review course that maximizes how you learn best.

If your course isn't designed based on how you lot actually acquire it will lead to busy work and inefficiency.

To avert this delight follow my 7 Steps To Picking The Best CPA Review Class For You:

Stride 1: How Exercise You Larn Best?

Recall back to college and write downwardly at to the lowest degree three of your study strengths and three weaknesses.

PRO TIP: Focus on identifying study activities that were efficient and helped you lot actually understand materials.

Example: I preferred to read the text and solve the problems on my own (class was NOT a learning feel for me) and I discovered that making in-depth outlines of my textbook was really busy work and not productive studying.

Step ii: Are You lot A Visual Learner or Self-Studier?

Based on how you determined y'all studied best would you say that you prefer to study on your own and teach yourself the material OR practice did you practise your best learning in the classroom?

Stride 3a: If Y'all Are A Self-Studier...

If you determined you are more of a self-studier then y'all need to focus on finding a CPA review form that focuses on providing a solid textbook, pre-made flashcards, and tons of multiple option and minimal video lectures.

I personally recommend the following CPA Review Courses if this describes you:

Gleim CPA Review

Wiley CPAexcel Review

Surgent CPA Review

Step 3b: If Yous Are A Visual Learner

If yous adamant that you did your best learning in the classroom then you need to focus on finding a CPA review course that provides you with the BEST video lectures or perhaps find a live/virtual class to attend, a programme that links the multiple option very well with the lectures, and a course that has an in-depth report planner to keep you structured.

If you fit this clarification all-time, then here are the CPA courses I recommend nearly:

UWorld Roger CPA Review

Yaeger CPA Review

Wiley CPAexcel

Step iv: Complete Your CPA Review Course Research

Caput to my Top 10 All-time CPA Review Courses Comparison Folio and filter past Cocky-Studier or by Video Lectures and read my assessments of each class.

Link: https://www.cpaexamguide.com/best-cpa-review-courses

Step 5: Try The CPA Review Courses You Have Identified

After identifying two-3 CPA review courses that match how you acquire all-time, requite each class a trial run either past finding the free trials in my review or past using the free trial links of my 4 about recommended courses below:

Wiley CPAexcel Trial
Roger CPA Trial
Gleim CPA Trial
Surgent CPA Trial
Yaeger CPA Trial

You can as well compare some of the most popular courses individually at the links below:

Wiley CPAexcel vs Becker CPA Review

Becker vs UWorld Roger CPA Review

Wiley CPAexcel vs UWorld Roger CPA Review

Gleim CPA vs Becker CPA Review

Yous can also learn step by pace what y'all demand to do to laissez passer the CPA test past specific CPA review course. All CPA courses are not created equally and y'all need to understand how to use them the right way.

How To Pass The CPA Exam With Wiley CPAexcel

Stride 6: Discover The Largest Discount Available For Your CPA Review Course

Once y'all find the CPA review course for you then head to my CPA Exam Guide Review Course Discounts Page and ensure you are getting the best bargain possible!

Recall, investing in a CPA Review Class is an investment in your future. Within two years of passing the CPA examination I was able to negotiate a $25K/twelvemonth increase in annual salary.

This $2-3K investment in the RIGHT CPA Review Course for you will pay dividends for the rest of your career if you play your promotion cards right.

Be smart though, don't pay total price for any CPA Review Course! Utilise the link beneath.

Link: https://www.cpaexamguide.com/best-cpa-review-discounts

Step 7: Sign Up For My Complimentary CPA Exam Mentoring Course To Learn How To Maximize Your CPA Review Course

Join my gratis Ultimate CPA Exam Guide and I will requite you lot a PDF copy of my 7 Stride Procedure to picking the Best CPA Review Class for yous AND my costless CPA Examination Mentoring Video Series. See you lot on the inside.

Stride #5: Schedule Your First CPA Exam Section

The terminal step in completing your CPA exam awarding is to schedule your outset CPA test section.

Once your CPA test awarding has been approved and you have received your NTS, it'southward time to schedule your test at a Prometric Center.

Step one) Get to the Prometric Website and click the "schedule my test" button

Step ii) From your NTS you lot volition need to enter your examination section ID and the beginning four letters of your last name

Footstep 3) And then yous will select the date, location of Prometric Center nearest y'all and the section(s) of the CPA exam y'all want to schedule.

What To Await at the Prometric Middle

Take you ever been to Fort Knox?

If not, you will take a somewhat similar experience visiting your local Prometric Testing middle.

They take adulterous that seriously (No Joke!).

Prometric is a national standardized test taking center that works with NASBA to proctor your exams.

Hither is a quick listing of everything you need to know before entering a Prometric Center:
1) No calculators
ii) No pen, paper or whatsoever other textile
three) No electronic device whatsoever
4) No watches (no covert spying device)
five) Expect TSA style ID cheque and scan (includes security wand check)

Boosted Data Specific to CPA Candidates (SOURCE)
1) Bring two forms of ID that lucifer your NTS (ID = Drivers License, valid credit menu passport, etc...)
ii) Make it at to the lowest degree thirty minutes early on to ensure you have fourth dimension to sign in and go through the security process.
3) A locker will exist provided for y'all to identify all personal property.

What To Practise Once You Start Your Exam (SOURCE)
i) Your test volition have a countdown timer for you to track your full time remaining
2) Afterwards each test-let you will be given the option to take a short intermission, but call up that the clock keeps ticking! Cull your time wisely.

What If Y'all Demand To Reschedule A Section Of The CPA Exam?

Life happens. Mayhap you don't feel prepared enough or something happens at work that puts you behind on your studies and you lot merely can't sit for the CPA test.

What now?

Thankfully it'south fairly uncomplicated to reschedule your CPA exam sections if necessary.

Here'southward a breakdown of the fees you lot tin expect to take to pay:

i) xxx days or more than before your exam, no fee

2) v-thirty days before your exam: $35

iii) i-5 days before your exam: you will be charged the total price of the department

iv) Less than 24 hours earlier your examination: rescheduling is not allowed, you must reapply and repay your CPA exam fees.

What's The Next Step In Becoming A CPA?

Signing upwardly and applying for the CPA exam is only the kickoff step to becoming a CPA.

If you want to learn how to written report for the CPA test, how to prepare for what happens if y'all fail a section of the CPA exam and learn what you need to exercise to save time and truly empathize the CPA examination material being tested, I highly recommend that you take our free CPA exam written report personality quiz.

Not only volition information technology assistance you lot make up one's mind how you learn all-time, but it volition assist yous apply your study personality to your CPA review class so that you tin can tailor information technology to fit your specific needs.

Accept the study personality quiz here