Minnesota - Become a CPA

Becoming a CPA in Minnesota differs somewhat than other states, as Minnesota does not require a candidate to have yet graduated from college before sitting for the Uniform CPA Examination.

Education Requirements

In Minnesota, there are different accounting educational requirements for receiving a CPA certificate and sitting for the CPA exam. For the former, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher that includes at least 24 semester hours of accounting at the junior/senior or graduate level. Courses must include financial accounting, taxation, auditing and management accounting.

For the latter, candidates must have successfully completed at least 150 semester hours, which includes at least 24 semester hours of accounting at the junior/senior or graduate level and courses in financial accounting, taxation, auditing and management accounting, as well as at least 24 semester hours in undergraduate or graduate courses in business or accounting. Of these 48 hours, only six may apply to life experience or internships.

1. Residency requirements

To take the Uniform CPA Examination in Minnesota, the candidate must be either a Minnesota resident or have regular employment in the state. Other options include working in Minnesota to obtain qualifying experience or planning to work in Minnesota within three months of passing the CPA exam.

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Exam Requirements – How to Sit for the CPA Exam

Minnesota allows those who are within six months of completing a degree to apply for the Uniform CPA Examination under its Early Examination program. Once such a student application is accepted, the person may sit for the exam within three months of the date on which the educational requirements are completed. In such situations, the student has 150 days after the exam date to provide the Minnesota Board of Accountancy (MBA) with proof of completion of the educational requirements.

Whether or not the applicant has graduated from college, he or she should visit the website of CPA Examination Services (CPAES), register and download application forms. If the person has not yet graduated from college, they must ask for official college transcripts along with submitting a Certificate of Enrollment form filled out by a college representative that confirms all courses will be completed within four months of taking the exam. Those who have already graduated college must send in the transcripts, and both types of applicants must include a 2” x 2” photo of themselves and a check, money order or credit card number for paying CPAES in their application package. Mail the package to:

CPA Examination Services – Minnesota Coordinator

P.O. Box 198469

Nashville, TN 37219-8469

You will receive your Notice to Schedule (NTS) the Uniform CPA Examination from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). The NTS arrives as per your instructions, either via email, fax or regular mail. When you receive the NTS, visit the Prometric website and schedule the exam at a Minnesota location. Arrive at the test site at least one hour prior to the start of the first exam.

You can find your scores online just 48 hours after taking the exam. You will receive a copy of your score in the mail.

1. Exam sections

The Uniform CPA Examination consists of four sections, each of which sits for four hours, for a total of 16 hours. The sections are Regulation, Financial Accounting and Reporting, Auditing and Attestation and Business Environment and Concepts. You may complete these sections in any order and take them in the same testing window. However, you cannot repeat a test during the same testing window. You must earn a score of at least 75 in each section to pass the exam.

Experience Needed

Before starting the experience requirements, you must pass the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)’s Home Study Course on Professional Ethics.

You must complete one year, or 2,000 hours, of accounting experience before applying for licensure in Minnesota. The experience requirements cannot take less than one year and longer than three years to complete. Candidates must provide the following services:

• • Accounting

  • Attestation

  • Consulting

  • Taxation

  • Financial advisory

  • Compilation

  • Management advisory

While gaining experience, the candidate must work in either industry, government, public practice or academia. A licensed CPA must provide verification of the work done. This supervising CPA must fill out the CPA Experience Verification Form, which is submitted with the application for licensure.

How to Get Your License in Minnesota

Once you have completed your educational requirements, passed the Uniform CPA Examination and finished your experience requirements, you may apply for Minnesota CPA licensure, or certification, as it is known in Minnesota. Start the process by downloading and completing the Application for Minnesota CPA Certificate. Along with the completed CPA Verification Form, give the three personal reference forms found in the packet to the people you choose as personal references. The references mail the forms directly to the MBA. Include a college transcript verifying completion of the 150 semester hours needed. Get in touch with the AICPA to send documentation proving you passed their ethics exam directly to the MBA. Send a check in the amount of $150 to the MBA. Mail the completed packet to:

Minnesota Board of Accountancy

85 East Seventh Place

Suite 125

St. Paul, MN 55101-2143

The MBA’s Exam and Credentialing Committee reviews the documents and contacts the applicant when the certificate is approved. Once you receive certification, you may call yourself a CPA.

1. Reciprocal CPA licenses

If you are licensed in another state with qualifications equivalent to those in Minnesota, you may receive a reciprocal CPA certificate. Currently, in the United States or its territories only the Virgin Islands is not considered equivalent. Minnesota does not require those holding a valid out-of-state CPA license to apply for Minnesota certification or even notify the MBA before beginning to practice in Minnesota. However, if the license is from a non-equivalent area, you may receive a Minnesota certificate if you meet the educational, examination and experience requirements of Minnesota. The application requirements are the same as for those seeking Minnesota CPA certification, except that instead of completing the Application for Minnesota CPA Certificate, you must complete the Application for Minnesota CPA Certificate by Non-Minnesota CPA Examination Candidate. You must also complete the Authorization for Interstate Exchange of Information and Certificate Information, which is included in the application packet. Send this form to the board in the state holding your license. Mail the rest of the application to the MBA.

Continuing Professional Education Requirements

To maintain CPA certification, Minnesota requires 120 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) every three years, with a minimum of 20 hours completed each year. CPE hours cannot carry over to the next three-year period. Other requirements include:

• • Eight CPE hours in behavioral or regulatory ethics

  • A maximum of 60 CPE hours coming from lecturing or instruction

  • A maximum of 60 CPE hours derived from publishing or serving as author

  • A minimum of 24 CPE hours spent in instructor-led training

  • A maximum of 24 CPE hours coming from personal development

  • A minimum of 72 CPE hours must come from an approved sponsor.

You should keep all records relating to CPE hours for at least five years. Such documentation includes:

• • Attendance dates

  • Program name

  • Program content

  • Program location

  • Number of CPE hours

  • Contact info for sponsor

  • Detailed copy of the program agenda

  • Program presenter and developer biography

  • Your statement attesting to how this program aided your professional competence.

The objective of this post is to give a short, basic introduction of what you need to end up being a CPA. Although numerous individuals understand the standard needs for ending up being a CPA, they might not know the extra requirements that are needed to get their accountant accreditation. While the CPA licensing exam is one of one of the most fundamental parts of coming to be a CPA, it is not the only need.

In order to come to be a CPA, people must likewise complete the needed education and learning training courses that will prepare them for the test. If you do not complete all of the called for academic demands, it can potentially hinder your path towards becoming a CPA.

If you have just recently begun to learn about accounting, you ought to ensure that you put in the time to understand the material that you are being educated. This will aid you in comprehending the ideas, which will enhance your knowledge base and also prepare you for the CPA test.

Several individuals think that even if they are enrolling to learn about accounting, that they do not need to be a CPA. Just like anything else in life, understanding is power. Besides, everyone has actually heard the old stating "You can not go far without knowing where the nearby filling station is."

This is the same in regard to accounting. Without a good understanding of just how the financial globe works, people can not absolutely recognize as well as effectively evaluate the information that they encounter. An individual that does not have a strong understanding of monetary principles will not have the ability to efficiently appraise the information that he or she comes across on the monetary scene.

If you wish to find out the information that you require to come to be a CPA, you need to begin by discovering the terminology. While you may really feel comfortable in reading the Wall Street Journal or a CPA journal, if you do not understand the terminology used, you will certainly not be able to genuinely examine the info that you review. If you do not know what the terms suggest, you will merely not have the ability to have an efficient assessment of the details that you are researching.

You ought to additionally recognize the principles that you need to know in order to do your work well. Comprehending the various elements of monetary accounting is crucial to coming to be a CPA. It will aid you determine areas where you require to end up being extra experienced, as well as identifying locations where you can establish brand-new abilities. Once you recognize the concepts, you will certainly have the ability to apply them in a range of different circumstances.

You ought to likewise comprehend the material that you need to be a CPA. If you have already learnt more about accounting, you need to now be able to identify areas where you can enhance your expertise. For instance, if you find yourself not comprehending the fundamentals of lawful files, it is time to comprehend the terms that it takes to appropriately recognize a legal record.

Many people really feel that if they have actually already been to the library as well as check out complex lawful kinds, that they do not need to learn more concerning the topic. While it holds true that you do not need to be a professional in order to learn about legal documents, you require to understand the fundamentals of exactly how they function.

You ought to also be able to determine basic subjects that you require to comprehend in order to comprehend the first truths that you are discovering. If you do not recognize the fundamental regulations of grammar, you ought to comprehend the concepts of spelling as well as capitalization. This will certainly help you develop an understanding of exactly how these policies are intended to work.

When you recognize the principles of what you require to become a CPA, you need to concentrate on grasping the capability that you need to be a CPA. There are a number of different profession courses that you can pursue after you come to be a CPA. as well as if you do not have the capability to precisely judge monetary data, you must consider one of the career courses that permit you to understand the abilities that you require to be a CPA.

Accounting Abilities & Knowledge Gaining Finishing private and business tax responsibility returns Understanding and also analyzing tax commitment guidelines Maintaining ethical tax commitment records Equips students with the capabilities essential to create and also assess various financial declarations and typically makes use of real-world circumstances research studies. Accounting Capabilities & Know-how Obtained Reviewing the financial wellness of companies Preparing company evaluations Computer complimentary funding Focus discovering on the importance of inner coverage and also precisely just how rate accounting impacts decision-making within business.

Accounting Capabilities & Understanding Got Carrying out suitable methods in recording, coding, as well as reporting cost data Evaluating expense activities as well as also using this data to make enlightened organisation options Advanced budgeting A Master of Audit (MAcc) is a best program for trainees looking to wind up being Certified public accountants or intending to high-level bookkeeping settings within cost effective firms.

Some programs will definitely utilize pupils the alternative to finish a substantial internship program, providing hands-on experience as well as possibilities to make essential calls within the field. Students without previous scholastic experience in audit will likely require to complete a variety of requirement programs before beginning the program. Instances of these include first classes in economic audit, micro/macroeconomics, and also analytical idea together with various other conventional audit classes.