Hawaii CPA Exam Requirements

Hawaii CPA exam requirementsHawaii’s education requirement is quite simple but please check with the State Board for work experience required for certificate or licensure.

By the way, if you are thinking about choosing Hawaii because of the tourist attraction, you may be happy to know that you can register in one state and take the exam in another. For example, I registered for Delaware and ended up taking the exam in Guam. Yes, this is entirely possible!

Hawaii CPA Exam Requirements

1. Education Requirements To Sit For The Exam:

  • Bachelor degree or above
  • Accounting courses: 18 semester units in intermediate/advanced level

2. Other Requirements To Sit For The Exam:

  • Applicants are allowed to take the exam within 120 days from meeting the minimum educational requirements (defined by the printing of the NTS (i.e. the ticket) to sit for the exam
  • Miminum age is 18 years old

3. Additional Requirements To Get CPA License:

Education:

  • 150 semester units from an accredited university or educational institution
  • Accounting courses: 24 semester units in intermediate/advanced level

Experience:

  • 1 year of auditing or 2 years of other relevant experience including non-public accounting

Ethics Qualifications:

  • Effective Jan 1, 2012, 4 hours of CPE on ethics is required.

4. Residency & Age Requirements:

  • US citizenship not required
  • Hawaii residency not required
  • Minimum age: 18

5. Fees:

  • First-timers: standard CPA exam fees ($743) + $145 initial application fee
  • Repeaters: exam fees + $65-110 repeat application fees

6. Contact:

Hawaii Board of Accountancy
Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
PO Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801-3469

  • Email: accountancy@dcca.hawaii.gov, cpaes-hi@nasba.org
  • Phone: 808-586-3000
  • Fax: 808-586-2689

Can’t Get Qualified In Hawaii?

Don’t give up, as you may well be qualified to register through other states and sit for the same CPA exam. With the recent Substantial Equivalency (CPA reciprocity) rule CPAs from most states can practice across the country.

Need More Answers?

Please feel to drop me a note on my Facebook page and I will be happy to answer your questions.

* 1 semester = 1.5 quarters
** Photograph courtesy of kubina

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