Out of State Applicants

Question: I earned my education and took the Uniform CPA Exam through another state, but have not been licensed yet. Can I apply for licensure in California?

Response: Yes. In addition to completing all of the licensure requirements for California, you will need to have your exam grades transferred from the state that you applied to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam through and have all of your official transcript(s) from an accredited institution sent to the California Board of Accountancy. You will also need to ensure that your exam results are eligible for California, meaning that you had 24 units in accounting and 24 units in business-related subjects along with a bachelor’s degree at the time you sat for the exam.

Question: I am currently licensed in another state. Can I transfer my license to California?

Response: Currently, California does not recognize reciprocity. An out-of-state CPA wanting to be licensed in California must submit an application and meet California’s education and licensing requirements (including passing the required ethics exam). However, an out-of-state licensee may be considered to have met the education and experience requirements if they have been engaged in the practice of public accounting as a licensed CPA for 4 out of the 10 years before applying for licensure.