At a Glance

  • According to information on state legislature websites, the legislatures of Vermont, Missouri, and Louisiana passed bills last month that effectively relax the educational requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
  • Missouri's bill (SB 1233) was sent to Governor Mike Kehoe for signing on May 28; Louisiana's bill (HB 548) was sent to Governor Jeff Landry on May 26; Vermont's bill (H.588) passed both the House and Senate on May 19.
  • According to the Minnesota Society of CPAs (MSCPA), these three bills still need to be signed by each state's governor to become law. The association has been closely tracking this legislation that offers new certification pathways.

Deep Dive

These moves bring the total number of states that have passed so-called "CPA pathway laws" or modified certification rules to approximately 43, as part of broader licensing reforms.

The new laws do not necessarily eliminate the requirement for CPAs to complete 150 college credit hours, but rather offer an alternative pathway that does not include the credits typically requiring a fifth year of university study.

Alternative certification pathways typically require candidates to complete a bachelor's degree or 120 credits, two years of professional experience, and pass the CPA exam, in lieu of the additional 30 credit hours.

This model, known as "bachelor's plus two years," is also supported by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

According to MSCPA, states that have not yet passed such laws include Wyoming, North Dakota, Maine, Florida, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Michigan.

To track CPA licensing changes, visit CFO Dive'stopic tracker page。