Being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Virginia is a significant milestone, opening doors to a rewarding career in finance and accounting. Whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional looking to enhance your credentials, or someone considering a career switch, understanding the specific requirements to obtain your CPA license in Virginia is crucial.

By providing a clear roadmap, we aim to equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate your path to CPA licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Let’s delve into the CPA license requirements and steps involved in this rewarding journey.

CPA Exam Requirements in Virginia

Want to become a CPA in Virginia? Here are the specific educational, experience, and exam requirements you need to fulfill to obtain your Virginia CPA license.m Requirements Virginia

Virginia CPA Exam Education Requirements

The Certified Public Accountant certification is one of the most prestigious professional certifications available. It indicates that the accountant has satisfied a demanding set of educational, professional, and ethical standards. 

In addition, candidates must pass the rigorous CPA exam in order to earn the distinction of this credential. Before CPA candidates can sit for the exam, they must satisfy their Virginia CPA Exam requirements and qualifications. Each state has its own set of eligibility requirements for the CPA exam, which should not be confused with licensing requirements. 

Here are the Virginia CPA exam requirements:

• A total of 120 Semester hours of education, including a bachelor’s degree
• 24 semester hours of accounting courses above the introductory/foundational level
• 24 semester hours in business courses, excluding accounting courses

Virginia CPA Exam Fees

$120 for the initial application and $20 for the re-exam application. Candidates can take one section of the exam at a time and must pay the following fees to CPA Examination Services at the time of application:

• Auditing and Attestation (AUD): $224.99
• Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): $224.99
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): $224.99
• Regulation (REG): $224.99

Scheduling the CPA Exam in Virginia

Upon successful state application, candidates will receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS), which is valid for one testing event or six months, whichever comes first. The NTS lists the section(s) that the candidate is approved to take, as well as the deadline for testing. An examination appointment cannot be scheduled without a valid NTS. Once candidates receive their NTS, they can then contact Prometric to schedule the examination. All scheduling, rescheduling, or cancellation of testing appointments is done through Prometric.

The CPA Exam is no longer administered via “testing windows” with “blackout dates.” Instead, there is rolling testing. Candidates may schedule their exam appointment at www.prometric.com/CPA or alternatively by calling Prometric at 1-800-580-9648.

Note: Appointments are based on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that you will want to schedule your exam as soon as possible for the best chance to get your preferred location, date, and time. You must have your exam scheduled at least 6 days prior to the exam date, which also means there is no “walk-in” testing.

Preparing for the CPA Exam

Currently, the average pass rate for any given section of the exam is about 50%, which is a great indicator of the exam’s difficulty. This is where a great CPA Review Course is instrumental. Review Courses have been preparing accounting professionals to pass the exam for years. Just about every accountant who has become a CPA utilizes a review program. In other words, they are a worthy investment.

Virginia CPA Exam Score Release

Upon completing each section of the exam, candidates can obtain their scores online after NASBA has released the information. They can also elect to have exam scores mailed to them.

Additional Information

Important Note: To maintain your CPA licensure in Virginia, you must fulfill Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements.

While we do our best to keep all of this information up to date you are welcome to visit and or contact the Virginia Board of Accountancy with any other questions you might have.

Virginia State Board of Public Accountancy
Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 402 Henrico, VA 23233
Phone: (804) 367-8505 Fax: (804) 527-4409
Email: [email protected]
Web: boa.virginia.gov
Application form: Virginia CPA Application Form