[ipasscpa]

Hello all,

I just wanted to share my experience quickly because I know a lot of people are or will be in this boat.

I took the CPA exam for New York Jurisdiction, but at the last moment, my superior told me that her license is not active to sign off on the experience requirement. Luckily, Virginia does not require active CPA signatures on the experience form, and no residency is required. The process is quick and simple.

Steps to follow for the Initial CPA license application;

1) Apply online at https://www.boa.virginia.gov/cpalicense/initiallicense.shtml

2) Transfer your CPA exam score from NASBA to VA board. NASBA charge $25 for this.

3) Send all the official college transcripts.

4) You do need to pass AICPA ethics exam with 90 or above and Virginia Ethics Exam.

5) Experience Verification Form: NON-CPA supervisor can sign it.

The board was very helpful to answer my questions over the phone or the email.

Hope this helps!

CPA- VA

[TheHoundThatRides]

“Prior to applying for a license, a person must have been employed in academia, a firm, government, or industry in any capacity involving the substantial use of accounting, financial, tax or other skills that are relevant, as determined by the Board, to providing services to the public using the CPA title or to an employer using the CPA title for a period that is the full-time equivalent of one year. Whether other skills are relevant shall be determined by the Board on a case-by-case basis. Self-employment does not meet the definition of experience in § 54.1-4400, Code of Virginia.”

So I work in government budgeting in California. it uses financial skills but there are no CPA's above me to sign off on hours. So I should contact the Virginia board and hope I'm one of the case-by-case basis people they approve?

Thank you for sharing BTW.

BEC - 78 (August 2015)
FAR - 80 (November 2015)
AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
REG - August 27th, 2016

[ipasscpa]

As long as your work criteria meets the VA board requirements, your supervisor can sign it. Give them a call or email them..
Good luck!!

CPA- VA

[cpa2bks]

I have been very concerned about this. I work for a management company and while I might be preparing 4,000 page monthly financial statements with multi-unit accounting with over 100 locations and $100million in yearly revenues, there are no CPA's. I would be the first. I am lucky that Kansas is a two-tier state, meaning I can have a certificate without having a license, however I can't put CPA behind my name without a license. I hadn't thought about looking for a state that doesn't require the experience requirement. Thank you for posting this!

REG - 85 (8/31/15)
FAR - 82 (10/30/15)
AUD - 84 (11/30/15)
BEC - 77 (5/31/16)

[TheHoundThatRides]

@ipasscpa

So you're planning on transferring your Virginia license to New York?

BEC - 78 (August 2015)
FAR - 80 (November 2015)
AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
REG - August 27th, 2016

[ipasscpa]

@ TheHoundThatRides:

Not at the moment. I have moved to VA as well. However, I will be traveling to New York to provide attest services as an Independent Contractor and because VA and NY have both adopted CPA mobility, no further registration is required.

CPA- VA

[Anonymous]

@TheHoundThatRides Since Virginia just requires that the skills be relevant to being a CPA, not that they be under a CPA, it sounds like you'd be in good shape. I would consider government budgeting to be in that category if I was them. Budgeting is a big piece of financial management and requires an understanding of and use of many accounting principles and tools, even if it isn't directly recording accounting transactions.

Another option for people who don't have a CPA supervisor to sign off is Kentucky. They don't have a residency requirement and have a fairly generous policy regarding what experience counts. Kentucky does require that an active CPA sign off, but not that the CPA be your supervisor. So, for example, of cpa2bks finds that Virginia doesn't think that his/her experience is relevant, s/he might try applying in Kentucky as well if s/he knows any CPAs who would be willing to sign off. The CPA sign off form is just verifying that the applicant did the job duties which the applicant described on the form for the duration of time that the applicant said on the form that s/he did, so the CPA isn't saying “I think this person knows everything they need to know”, only “they did do what they said they did for how long they said they did it”. Then the Kentucky board makes the determination of whether that experience is sufficient or not.

[TheHoundThatRides]

Thank you two. I found out California does not allow this loophole since incoming CPA's still need to adhere to CA's standards for gaining a license. But this is still a good option for people in states that allow that license mobility.

BEC - 78 (August 2015)
FAR - 80 (November 2015)
AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
REG - August 27th, 2016

[makiu]

@ipasscpa
Congratulations for your new project. I'm also starting to launch my business. I got a question and if you can assist me any further, I will really appreciate. In regard the CPAMOBILITY… please see link below, and please make sure that NY does not require a firm permit. I will suggest you to contact the target state ( New York) just to be safe. According to this site and please correct if I'm wrong NY would require a firm permit to perform attest functions. I'm also searching to perform services in FL and Puerto Rico and I'm using this tool as a guideline. Please let me know what you think may be I'm missing something.

Thank you

https://www.cpamobility.org/.

Licensed CPA-VA

[Anonymous]

@TheHoundThatRides This wouldn't ever allow you to be a CA CPA, but would allow you to be a CPA, and you could live in CA. So, for working in industry/government/private, you could list yourself on your resume as TheHoundThatRides, CPA, and under Certifications list that you're a CPA of Virginia. For working in public accounting, though (performing attest or tax services), you'd need to be licensed in CA to perform CPA services in CA, unless CA has a reciprocal/mobility agreement with the state you're licensed in.

[FIFOisbetterthanLIFO]

That's pretty high and might of California to not recognize reciprocity. Sucks for Cal people because that probably means most states don't grant California CPAs reciprocity either. Usually, states only allow it if the other extends it to their own state. Talk about pigeonholed for a UNIFORM EXAM.

FAR - Passed (82)
BEC - Passed (76)
AUD - Passed (89)
REG - Passed! (81)
AICPA Ethics

Licensed CPA

[TheHoundThatRides]

@ Lilla

Thank you for the advice. I didn't consider that it would still be a big resume booster to be licensed in another state. If I won't be doing specific CPA work, why not? For now I'll focus on finishing the last 2 sections I have left and I'll see where I go from there. Thanks again for making me reconsider.

BEC - 78 (August 2015)
FAR - 80 (November 2015)
AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
REG - August 27th, 2016

[sacpa]

ipasscpa, thanks for starting this thread. I am in CA & trying to fulfill the requirements for CPA license. I am yet to pass a section.

Lilla, thanks for pointing the requirements for working as CPA in CA with a non CA license. So after passing the exams, I can transfer my scores to another state, get that state's license & work in CA? In CA you need around 2000 hours – equivalent to one year of experience. So I was strictly following that to meet those requirements. I have logged 1600+ hours working in CPA firms for the past 3 tax seasons.

Also, with the added education requirements for CA CPA license, I need to take some more Accounting courses if I need a CA license. But if I am transferring my score to another state to get a license, then it will be enough if I just meet the education requirements for that state.

TheHoundThatRides, looks like we are in the same boat, except I have 4 sections to pass. Got to focus on passing them & then check out options for license.

FAR - < than 75, 10/2013, 2/2015
BEC - < than 75, 10/2013
AUD - < than 75, 8/2015, 1/2016

~ Winners fail until they succeed. Losers quit when they fail. - Robert Kiyosaki
~ I survived because the fire inside burned brighter than the fire around me.
~ Something will grow from all you are going through. And it will be YOU.
~ Right now you may not be where you intend to be, but it's where you need to be in order to get where you want to go.

[Anonymous]

@makiu, HOLA! I am so happy to see that you are done and licensed…I have a few weeks before I take my (hopefully) last exam. If you want a business partner for your PR business, let me know. I have been thinking about trying to do some work there remotely. We were in PR for Christmas and Los Reyes and we meant to get over to the Colegio to see about equivalency between VA and PR CPA licenses but never got around to it.

[makiu]

@Erika
Muy bien G.A.D., Ya estas al otro lado. Certainly, let's talk about it and let's brainstorm this goal. Let me know how I can reach you or ask Jeff for my email. Wish your best for BEC in the forthcoming test.

Makiu, CPA,MST,EA

[Anonymous]

@makiu, awesome! So glad to finally have a potential partner in this…I have been trying to get my husband on board forever with no luck! There are so many opportunities right now, especially with Hacienda cracking down!

[Author]

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