[CoachEmUp]

This is a post for future searches from people like me, and I could never find a good answer.

I qualified to take the test in Illinois and ended up moving to Michigan this fall. I was able to take my last test in Michigan (you can take the CPA test anywhere even if you’re a candidate in another state). I would not have qualified to take the test in Michigan because (at the time) they had a non profit accounting course requirement which I didn’t have. Either I looked that up wrong this May or they have since changed that and eliminated that requirement.

The changing of that non profit accounting course was key in my opinion to why I got licensed here. Had they still had that, I probably would have had to become a CPA in Illinois, then transfer my license here after a few years. Best part: Michigan is one of the few states left that doesn’t require the ethics exam! So I was able to skip out on that.

Anyways, for those interested, here was the process in Michigan:

1. Go to the state’s “LARA” website and fill out your application, get your 1 year work experience signed off by a CPA, and submit the check to their office.
2. Contact the state you took the test in and get them to send your results to Michigan. This took longer then I thought, I had them send snail mail, but I should’ve had them send an email.
3. After waiting for 4 weeks I’m finally licensed!

It is a relief to finally have cleared every hurdle. From the education requirement hoops to jump through, to the mind f*** this test is, to now the hoops I had to jump through to get licensed after passing all four tests… it’s finally over! It hasn’t really sunk it yet, but all I can say is I’m thankful to be done.

[Ne’O]

CoachEmUp,

Thank you for this write-up guide of your experience.
I am in the middle of a similar experience, and I could never find a good answer.

In my case, we expected to move to Massachusetts (MA). Therefore I began the process for being licensed in Massachusetts.
During the 18 months of studying and exams, our family there passed away and our friends there moved to Hong Kong for significant work promotion and life quality improvements for both. Then MA also did away with the non-attestation license. Just to make sure that we totally gave up the intent to move to MA, right after passing the 4th exam the Dec 2017 Tax Reform cleared Congress. With our business' financial structure, moving from Florida (FL) to MA would have resulted in nearly twice the taxation.

Thus after taking the tests to be licensed in MA, I am applying in Florida.
In the MA to FL switch, I qualify in both states via the hours requirements. FL is not yet with NASBA (https://nasba.org/) like MA, but NASBA does have an online ability to request the scores be transferred. FL does require some physical paperwork to do this, but it can be submitted either electronically or via snailmail to NASBA and they will process it.

Newbie CPA Candidate

[MIsconnie]

Congrats CoachEmUp!

I actually grew up in Michigan, but am sitting in WI right now. I am still debating on which state to get licensed in as I would like to be closer to family in MI. No ethics exam sure is tempting!

[CoachEmUp]

@Ne'O Yea Illinois is not a NASBA state either. I will say that their office has their stuff together though. They were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and professional in all my dealings with them through the years. In my experience it's about the only good government organization in the entire state. Best of luck! Sounds like it's just going to be an extra bit of money and then you'll be good to go. It sucks but oh well.

@MIsconnie Your username makes sense! To be honest the no ethics thing was more of just a bonus at the end (and was about the only bonus I received during this entire process). If anything it just saves the extra money it would've cost… if you can get the answers from the back of the book on the practice test then there's not much of a point to me. I'm not planning on going into public so I could've been licensed in Illinois, but while I'm interviewing here it's nice to say I'm licensed in Michigan (thus showing my commitment to living here).

[kls32333]

Hi,

I am about to start the same exact process and have just accepted a full time offer in MI and I qualify to take the IL exam and not MI (missing govt. accounting course).I had no luck with anyone (BOE, counselors, even replies to a post I created) as they gave me mixed answers on if I would be able to get my license in Michigan even if I don’t have that ONE class. This is the only post/resource that I have found that helped me at all and I would love to ask you questions regarding this process because frankly, I am lost and confused because of the mix of answers from people (as expected).

[Simone]

Did you have any issue getting licensed in Michigan? I need to get my Michigan license but took the exam in Ohio as I didn't meet the education requirements (changed while I was in school and wasn't aware!). I would love to know! I have one more exam to take and am now getting nervous that I won't be able to get licensed.

[Author]

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