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NASBA Experience Verification Service: How Does It Work?

Have you considered how to meet the CPA experience requirement if you don’t have a CPA to verify your work? Well, the NASBA Experience Verification Service is one of the latest initiatives that helps qualified candidates get a CPA license. In short, it’s for CPA candidates who need to have their experience evaluated and verified before applying for the CPA license. And for candidates who aren’t directly supervised by an actively licensed CPA, it can be difficult to find someone to help with this step. But now, NASBA will help to verify your experience so you can achieve licensure.

NASBA CPA Experience Verification Service is Available in 11 States

NASBA’s program is for candidates who don’t have a CPA to supervise them. As of January 2024, NASBA Experience Verification is available in the following states and jurisdictions:

  1. Arkansas
  2. Guam
  3. Kentucky
  4. Michigan
  5. Montana
  6. New Hampshire
  7. South Carolina
  8. Virginia
  9. Washington
  10. Washington DC

And candidates who have sat for the CPA exam in other states may be eligible to transfer CPA scores to these jurisdictions, too.

However, don’t worry if your state is not listed. Because based on how NASBA has rolled out its services in the past, more state boards will likely join once it proves to be successful.

NASBA Experience Verification Prerequisite

Before exploring this service, please make sure you have the following:

  • Passed 4 parts of the CPA Exam or the International Qualification Examination (IQEX)
  • Fulfilled your state board’s education requirements for licensure
  • Completed 1-2 years of accounting experience (at least 2,000 hours) in a time frame specified by the state board of accounting in your state or jurisdiction
  • The ability to hold a conversation in English (there will be an interview)
  • Access to online video communications (like Zoom or Skype)

Service Fees for the CPA Experience Verification Service

So, what is the cost of the NASBA Experience Verification service? Although this service is very handy, keep in mind that some costs are associated with it. If you need this service, you should include it in your total CPA Exam costs.

  • NASBA Experience Verification for Domestic CPA Candidates: $600
  • International CPA Candidates NASBA Work Experience Verification: $800

Payments can be made by credit card via an online portal.

How the NASBA Experience Verification Works

Given the price, this service is designed to be an (almost) hassle-free experience with personalized guidance. Let’s check out the steps.

1. NASBA contacts you

A NASBA Client Manager calls you within 2-3 business days of your application. This person will assess your eligibility and help you in selecting/switching state boards if necessary. Basically, this person will guide you through the entire process.

These managers come from the NIES team. They have lots of experience in state board rules and credential evaluation.

2. NASBA arranges to have your experience verified

Your experience will be reviewed and verified by a local provider. This step takes about 2 to 6 weeks. In the meantime, though, you can prep your NASBA interview questions (see the next step below).

3. NABSA experience verification interview

In order to determine if you’ve met the CPA experience requirements, you will be interviewed by an active US CPA. Basically, the interviewer will ask questions about your day-to-day responsibilities as well as the organizational structure of the company where you work.

The interview will be conducted either over the phone or through a video conferencing platform like Skype. Unfortunately, translation services are not available at the moment. As a result, all interviews are held in English.

4. NASBA submits a report to your State Board

NASBA will prepare a report and submit it to your state board. The process typically takes about 4 to 6 weeks but can last up to 12 weeks.

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Source: NASBA

Contact Information

This is Too Expensive! Are There Alternatives?

A few states and jurisdictions have more flexible experience requirements. And you can try to figure this out for yourself and arrange for exam credit transfers on your own, although that is a lot of leg work. So if you can afford it, the NASBA Experience Verification service can save you a lot of time and hassle.

1. Research CPA Experience Requirements on Your Own

We have a post that explains the background, common issues, and solutions for meeting the CPA experience requirements. In that post, you’ll find suggestions on how you can find additional info from the NASBA database.

You are almost done with your CPA journey. Best of luck!

NASBA Experience Verification FAQs

How long does the NASBA experience verification take?

As you’ll note in the text above, each step in this process can take several weeks. So please keep that in mind when you’re planning your CPA Exam schedule. Also, some users have reported that April is a busy month for this service.

Can anyone use the NASBA work experience verification?

Yes! This service is available to domestic and international candidates alike.

What are the NASBA Experience Verification interview questions?

The questions will be related to the work you have completed that pertains to the 1-2 years of experience you need for the CPA license. For instance, the interviewer might go over your resume, ask about your accounting background, and inquire about the daily accounting tasks that you engage in.

More information about the NASBA Experience Verification

Because this is a newer service, let’s see how it works in this video:

 

About the Author Stephanie Ng

I am the author of How to Pass The CPA Exam (published by Wiley), and I also passed all 4 sections of the CPA Exam on my first try. Additionally, I have led webinars, such as for the Institute of Management Accountants, authored featured articles on websites like Going Concern and AccountingWeb, and I'm also the CFO for the charity New Sight. Finally, I have created other accounting certification websites to help mentor non-CPA candidates. I have already mentored thousands of CPA, CMA, CIA, EA, and CFA candidates, and I can help you too!

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