Arizona CPA Exam

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The Arizona State Board of Accountancy (BOA) is the state’s licensing and regulatory body for CPAs. It seeks to protect the public interest by ensuring the CPAs conduct themselves professionally. In addition, the board undertakes to establish guidelines for licensure.

Note that Arizona is a one-tier state. Applicants don’t bag any professional certificate after passing the Uniform CPA Exam. Alternately, they receive the CPA License only after satisfying all the qualifying preconditions. Besides, the U.S. province also administers the CPA ExamCPA ExamA Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a US state board-issued license to practice the accounting professionread more at international Prometric testing centers. 

Known for its modest taxes, Arizona has a pro-business environment that fosters numerous possibilities for finance professionals.  Being the highest accounting honor in the state, CPA must be the go-to certification for professionals aiming to improve their job prospects. So, let’s start by understanding the exam and license requirements for earning the Arizona CPA License.  

Contents

Arizona CPA Exam Requirements

  • Eligibility RequirementsFeesRequired Documents

Arizona CPA License Requirements

  • General RequirementsEducation RequirementsExam RequirementsExperience RequirementsEthics RequirementsReference Letter Requirement

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Arizona Exam Information & Resources

Arizona CPA Exam Requirements

The CPA Exam is a standardized set of four tests to be passed with a stipulated time period. It evaluates your expertise in practicing the profession as a new entrant. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), and Prometric undertake a 3-way partnership to deliver the examination.

Each section constitutes five testlets with a specific number of questions. The question format includes Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs), Task-based Simulations (TBSs), and Written Communication Tasks (WCTs). Each of the four sections tests candidates’ higher-order thinking skills to ensure they possess the qualifications to hold the license.

  • Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR CPA ExamFAR CPA ExamThe Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) CPA Exam section tests a candidate’s competency in understanding and applying financial accounting and reporting standards.read more)Regulation (REG CPA ExamREG CPA ExamREG CPA Exam (Regulation) exam section tests a candidate’s competency in applying the concepts of federal taxation, business law, and ethics. It is a four-hour exam with 15 minutes break.
  • read more)Business Environment & Concepts (BEC CPA ExamBEC CPA ExamThe BEC CPA Exam (Business Environment and Concepts) exam section evaluates your understanding of the general business environment and your duties and responsibilities as a CPA towards it. It assesses your ability to recognize and scrutinize situations related to Financial reporting, Financial statement audit and attestation and Tax preparation
  • read more)Auditing & Attestation (AUD CPA ExamAUD CPA ExamAuditing and Attestation (AUD) is one of the four Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam sections to be passed for CPA licensure. With a complex exam format, tricky questions, and an exhaustive list of topics to study, you will benefit from some quick tips on the art of preparing for the AUD CPA exam section.read more)

Arizona exam applicants must pass the licensure test by scoring a minimum of 75 points in each of the four CPA exam sectionsCPA Exam SectionsThe Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam comprises four sections, namely, Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). The unique content, structure, format, and scoring of the CPA exam earn it the title of one of the most challenging professional exams. read more. Candidates must secure the passing grade in all sections within 18 months from when they sat for the first passed section. 

Eligibility Requirements

You must hold at least a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with 120 semester hours accompanied by: 

  • Minimum 24 semester hours of non-duplicative accounting courses with 12 hours of upper-level coursesMinimum 18 semester hours in related courses

Submit the exam application to Arizona BOA. Please visit the official website to know the complete process. 

Fees

Both initial and re-exam candidates must pay the application fee to the Arizona State Board. At the same time, the examination fees are payable to NASBA via the NASBA payment coupon within the 90-day validity period.

The Notice-to-Schedule (NTS) expires six months after issuance. Thereby, candidates must only apply for the section(s) feasible to sit within the said duration. 

Required Documents

You must complete the Transcript Request Form and send a copy to each academic institution you attended to obtain transcripts. On receiving them, do not unseal the envelope with transcripts and send them directly to the state board. The official electronic transcripts can also be sent directly by the institution to the BOA. 

Arizona BOA requires you to submit the following documents. 

Arizona CPA License Requirements

Let’s view the Arizona CPA licensure requisites in detail.

As soon as you attain all qualifications, apply for the license through the Arizona state board. Ensure to attach the licensure fees ($100) and required documents. Refer to the official website for a detailed procedure. 

General Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of agePossess good moral characterBe a U.S. citizen

Education Requirements

Candidates must earn 150 semester hours with at least a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, along with:

  • 36 semester hours of accounting courses (non-duplicative) with: Minimum 30 hours of upper-level coursework (non-duplicative)30 semester hours of related courses including:StatisticsBusiness administrationEconomicsComputer science, information systems, or data processingManagement FinanceCollege algebra or more advanced mathematicsBusiness lawAdvanced oral communicationAdvanced written communicationGeneral ethicsMarketingOther board-approved courses related to the accounting subject

Exam Requirements

CPA aspirants must complete the CPA Exam within the rolling 18-month period. It entails passing each of the four parts with at least 75 points on a scale of 0-99. Further information is specified in the Arizona Exam Requirements section. 

  • Minimum 30 hours of upper-level coursework (non-duplicative)

  • Statistics

  • Business administration

  • Economics

  • Computer science, information systems, or data processing

  • Management

  • Finance

  • College algebra or more advanced mathematics

  • Business law

  • Advanced oral communication

  • Advanced written communication

  • General ethics

  • Marketing

  • Other board-approved courses related to the accounting subject

Experience Requirements

Arizona CPA licensure applicants must obtain a minimum of 2000 hours of paid or unpaid accounting experience. They may gain the required employment before or after passing the Uniform CPA Exam. Any combination of part-time, full-time, internship, or volunteer is acceptable, provided that it meets the prerequisite.

The experience must include critical inquiry and evaluation of financial accounting details (income statements, balance sheets, tax returns, and cash flow statements) and communicating the outputs to a third party. 

Moreover, an active CPA or a professional with equivalent education and experience must supervise your work experience. A non-CPA supervisor must also attach a resume and job description to verify their experience and education. 

Lastly, submit the Certificate of Experience (COE), duly signed by the supervisor, along with the application. 

Ethics Requirements

You must take up and pass the “Professional Ethics: The AICPA’s Comprehensive Course (For Licensure)” exam with a score of 90% or beyond. Ensure to complete the examination within two years before applying for the license. 

While attempting the ethics exam, candidates must mention that they are taking the exam for Arizona State Board Certification. They can order the ethics exam booklet through the Arizona Society of CPAs (ASCPA). The booklet details instructions for completing the test.

Here lie all the details.

Reference Letter Requirements

Submit a reference letter dated and signed by either a CPA or a professional with likewise education and experience. In addition, the non-CPAs must add a job description and resume to denote the equivalence of their education and experience to a CPA. 

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Arizona CPA Licenses are renewed biennially with 80 CPE credit hours. Please note that there are no pre-approved CPE programs of the Arizona BOA. The CPE programs must be formal professional courses that add to the professional competence of the licensees.

Check out all the information here. 

Undoubtedly, the accountancy sector has evolved and thrived over the last few decades. This unprecedented growth has intensified the need to secure the prestigious CPA title. Moreover, Arizona is a gold mine for aspiring CPAs as it houses several well-known accounting firms. 

Arizona CPA aspirants must pay due attention to the state-specific exam and license requirements. In addition, they may subscribe to the AICPA, ASCPA, NASBA, or Arizona BOA newsletter for regular updates. Also, candidates can obtain ASCPA membership and enjoy plenty of benefits and discounts. Learn more about CPE Credits for CPACPE Credits For CPAAs a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you need to acquire Continuing Professional Education or CPE credits for sustaining your license. This ensures that you are actively involved in improving your know-how of the profession by engaging in learning activities.read more

Arizona Exam Information & Resources

  1. Arizona State Board of Accountancy (https://www.azaccountancy.gov/)

100 N. 15th Avenue, Suite 165Phoenix, AZ 85007[email protected]Ph: (602) 364-0804Fax: (602) 364-0903

  1. Arizona Society of CPAs (https://www.ascpa.com/)

4801 E. Washington St. Suite 180 Phoenix, AZ 85034

Ph: (602) 252-4144

AZ Toll-Free: (888) 237-0700

Fax: (602) 252-1511

  1. NASBA (https://nasba.org/)

150 Fourth Ave. North

Suite 700

Nashville, TN 37219-2417

Ph: 615-880-4200

Fax: 615-880-4290

  1. AICPA (https://www.aicpa.org/)

220 Leigh Farm Road

Durham, NC 27707-8110

Ph: 888.777.7077

Fax: 800.362.5066

A Guide to Arizona CPA Exam & License Requirements. Here we discuss all the prerequisites to the Arizona CPA exam and license. You may also have a look at the below articles to compare CPA with other examinations –

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