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Below you will find the basic prerequisites, test center locations, exam fees, resources, and contact information to help you better understand all California CPA requirements. There may be additional qualifications including continuing education or work experience. For help with further requirements, we offer FREE U.S. CPA Exam Eligibility Assessments. We will provide you with continued support throughout the application process at no additional charge.

The data on this page was last reviewed and updated in January 2024.

CPA Exam Requirements in California

Education


Baccalaureate degree is required
120 total semester hours
24 semester hours of accounting
24 semester hours of business

View Other California Education Requirements.

Residency


US citizenship is not required.
California residency is not required.

Age


NO Age Requirements.

Exam Fees:


Initial Application Fee $100.00
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) $254.80
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) $254.80
Regulation (REG) $254.80
Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR) $254.80
Information Systems and Controls (ISC) $254.80
Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP) $254.80
Total: $933.60

*Registration fee for re-examination depends on the number of parts you are retaking. Fees are
always subject to change.

Contact Information:


Christopher McGrath
Wiley CPAexcel Eligibility Advisor
Email: chmcgrath@wiley.com


CPA License Requirements in CA

Education


150 semester hours (including 20 additional semester hours of accounting)

10 semester hours of ethics

Work Experience


1 Year of Work experience is required.

Other Qualification


Social Security Number required.

Pass the AICPA Ethics Exam.

Getting your CPA license in California can mean that additional requirements must be met. Since fees, requirements, and rules may change on a frequent basis, we highly recommend contacting the California State Board of Accountancy for complete licensing information.

Now that you know if you qualify to sit for the CPA exam, it’s time to choose CPA prep that’s right for you. Try our course free for 7 days and discover what makes our CPA review courses better than the competition.