Texas CPA Requirements

Attaining a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license indicates that an 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 candidates can sit for the CPA exam in 2013, they must satisfy their particular state’s requirements and qualifications. Below, we discuss the requirements for licensure in the state of Texas.

Texas CPA Exam Eligibility Requirements for 2013

The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy has a variety of requirements candidates must meet before they can apply to sit for the CPA exam. Their official website lists that candidates must:

• Be of good moral character.
• Hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from a United States college or university, or an equivalent degree from an institution of higher education in another country.
• Complete 150 college credit semester hours or equivalent quarter hours. Those hours must include 30 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper level accounting courses and 24 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper level related business courses.
• Complete a 3-semester-hour ethics course that has prior Board approval.

Candidates can submit an Application of Intent, along with a $50 nonrefundable fee, to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy in order to determine if they meet the eligibility requirements to take the CPA exam. Unlike some other states, Texas does not distinguish between first-time applicants and those retaking the exam.

Once the Board approves the Application of Intent, candidates can then submit an Eligibility Application. Candidates can also submit the Application of Intent to Transfer Credit, along with a $100 nonrefundable fee, which allows the Board to evaluate an applicant's education to determine if it complies with the Public Accountancy Act and the Board's requirements.

This application can also be used to evaluate a candidate’s moral character and allows the Board to complete a background check. The Application of Intent expires two years after submission, unless the applicant takes the CPA exam or becomes a Texas CPA within the two years.  There is no deadline to submit either of these applications.

Scheduling the Exam in 2013

Once the Board approves the Eligibility Application, candidates have ninety days to remit all applicable examination fees to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). Candidates will receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS) from NASBA once the fees have been paid.

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. Candidates with a valid NTS can schedule the exam with Prometric and proceed to sit for the approved section(s) of the exam.

Candidates may schedule and take each section of the CPA Exam only once during a testing window. Testing windows are as follows:

• January 1 through February 29
• April 1 through May 31
• July 1 through August 31
• October 1 through November 30

Before Scheduing your exam(s), prepare with:

• Instructor-Led Online Reviews
• Self-Directed Online Reviews
• Advanced Self-Directed Online Reviews
• Self-Directed Videos
• Self-Directed Review Text Books and E-Books

CPA Exam Fees

Candidates can take one or more sections of the exam within a testing window and must pay the following non-refundable and non-transferable fees to NASBA at the time of application:

• Auditing and Attestation (AUD):  $195.35
• Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): $176.25
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): $195.35
• Regulation (REG): $176.25

Taking the Exam and Receiving Scores in 2013

The NTS must be presented for entry at the testing center. Applicants arriving without an NTS or with information on their NTS that does not match their identification will be denied permission to take the scheduled test. Applicants will forfeit fees and be required to reapply and pay applicable fees. 

The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy receives scores from NASBA and validates each score before reporting it to the candidate via email. Score reports along with the performance reports are posted to the Board's website and may be viewed by the candidate. Learn the difference between applying for the CPA exam and applying for licensure(link to the page).

If you still have questions about the Texas CPA Exam education requirements for 2013 or need to prepare for the exam, we can help.

If you still have questions about the Texas CPA Exam, education requirements, or the process as a whole, let us help. We can answer your questions and alleviate you concerns. After all, we've been helping exam candidates just like you since 1971. Since then, we've successfully helped more than 150,000 pass! Be sure to mention your interest in our Money-Back Guarantee and Pass Guarantee.