CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
CPA is a globally recognized financial course offered by AICPA (The American Institute of Public Accountants ) USA.
A CPA is a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals
All CPAs are accountants, but not all accountants are CPAs.

How to become CPA?

3 E s are required for licensure:

Education
Exam or Uniform CPA Examination
Experience
State Boards of Accountancy determine the laws and rules for each state/jurisdiction

Education
Requirements vary by state/jurisdiction (see state requirements)
Most states now require 120-150 semester hours
Number of accounting hours (in the 150 total) is dependent on state requirements

Uniform CPA Examination
Computer-based format
Consists of 4 sections

Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC)
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)
Regulation (REG)
Same test no matter where it is taken
Passing score is 75 on a 0-99 scale
Question types include multiple choice, simulation and written communication
Eligibility to sit for exam depends on state
Examination Center
Prometric centers in UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Japan & Brazil subject to conditions.

Exam Format

Subjects Exam Details
TIME M T WCT
Paper 1 : Auditing & Attestation 4 36 2 8
Paper 2 : Financial Accounting & Reporting 4 33 2 8
Paper 3 : Regulation (Law & Tax) 4 38 2 8
Paper 4 : Business Environment & Concepts 4 31 2 2 3

MCQ Multiple Choice Questions 2 Test lets
TBS Task Based Simulations
WCT Written Communication Task

Experience

A candidate is an applicant for a CPA license
Many states require the candidate to have 1 2 years experience under a CPA
Additional requirements vary by the candidate s
Education e.g., Graduate degree vs. 150 hours of undergraduate
Employer(s) e.g., Public accounting firm vs. industry
Type of work e.g., Tax professional vs. auditor