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What are the requirements to become a CPA in
Connecticut?
GENERAL
There
are four major requirements, conditions,
or steps to receiving a Connecticut CPA
Certificate. These requirements include
Education, Exam, Experience and Ethics.
Upon meeting these conditions or steps
an individual may place an application
before the Connecticut State Board of
Accountancy to obtain a Connecticut CPA
certificate.
1.
EDUCATION
An
applicant who takes the examination for
the first time on or after January 1,
2000 shall have completed 150 semester
hours of college education, including a
bachelor's degree from a four year
accredited college or university. Such
an applicant shall have received credit
for at least 36 semester hours in
accounting education, which may include
basic or an introductory accounting
course, at least 30 semester hours in
economics and business administration
education other than accounting; and at
least 60 semester hours in general
education.
Individuals
with education gathered outside of the
United States must have their education
evaluated for equivalency to U.S.
Standards. Upon request the board will
provide an application form to a foreign
academic credentials evaluation service.
The Board accepts evaluations performed
by any foreign academic credential
service, which is a member of the
National Association of Credential
Evaluation Services. As the education
requirement is a prerequisite for
eligibility to sit for the Connecticut's
CPA exam, those individuals with foreign
academic credentials are cautioned to
have the evaluation or translation to
U.S. standards performed as far in
advance of the anticipated first sitting
for the Connecticut's CPA exam as
possible.
2.
CPA EXAM
Connecticut
utilizes the AICPA Uniform CPA Exam as
its exam requirement for a Connecticut
CPA certificate. Connecticut requires an
individual pass the AICPA Uniform CPA
Exam by sitting for all parts not
previously passed. Passing grades are 75
or better. Partial credit is granted for
two parts passed by scores of 75 or
better with failing scores on the parts
not passed of not less than 50. To be
eligible to sit for Connecticut's CPA
exam an individual must have met the
education requirement which includes
having the bachelor's degree. This means
that individuals who have met degree
requirements but have not had the degree
awarded to them by the college or
university are not eligible to sit for
the CPA exam. Connecticut utilizes an
examination service, a division of the
National Associate of State Boards of
Accountancy, to both process
applications and to administer the CPA
Exam. Applications for the exam may be
received by telephoning (800-CPA-EXAM)
from Connecticut. The CPA exam is given
twice a year typically in the first week
of May and November. *For your
convenience we have included a list of
meeting dates for through the year 2000.
3.
EXPERIENCE
For
an initial CPA certificate Connecticut
requires three years full time
diversified experience involving the
application of generally accepted
accounting principles and the
application of general accepted auditing
standards as a result of employment in
public accounting or the equivalent in
government or industry. All experience
must have been attained while under the
supervision of a U.S. CPA or Public
Accountant licensed in Connecticut.
Public Accounting Employment: The Board
requires that a minimum of 25% of the
three years must be in the areas of
auditing, compilation or review
services, with the remaining time
composed of the other services performed
in and by a public accounting firm, such
as financial statement preparation, tax
services, management services, and
bookkeeping services.
Non-Public Accounting Employment: For
non-public accounting employment in
industry or government to be considered
by the Board as equivalent to experience
obtained in public accounting
employment, all three years must be
devoted principally to diverse financial
field audits that provide opportunities
for the application of generally
accepted principles and auditing
standards to financial record which
culminate in a report.
4.
ETHICS COURSE/EXAM
Connecticut
requires the completion and passage of
the AICPA Professional Ethics for CPA's
self study course. The score of 90% or
higher is required. The exam and course
may be purchased either from the
Connecticut Society of Certified Public
Accountants by telephoning them at (860)
258-4800 or mail a request to CSCPA, 845
Brook Street, Building 2, Rocky Hill, CT
06067-3405 or by telephoning the AICPA
at (201) 938-3000 or mail a request to
AICPA, Harborside Financial Center, 201
Plaza Three, Jersey City, NJ 07311-3881.
5.
RECIPROCITY
Reciprocity
is a method by which Connecticut will
grant a Connecticut CPA certificate to
an individual who holds a CPA
certificate in good standing in another
U.S. jurisdiction. An applicant who
holds a CPA certificate in another
jurisdiction may apply for a Connecticut
CPA certificate by showing that he or
she meets of all of the initial
requirements for Connecticut CPA
certificate, that is Connecticut's
education, exam, experience and ethics
requirements. Or a Connecticut CPA
certificate may be granted to a
candidate who has passed the AICPA
Uniform Exam and who has five years of
experience in the practice of public
accountancy in the last ten years.
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