Washington - Become a CPA

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that demand for accountants will outpace the average demand for all other professions between 2016 and 2026. Demand is projected to grow by 10% and bring 139,000 new accountants into the field. In the state of Washington specifically the demand is forecast to grow by 21% by 2024. The median salary for accountants in Washington was $65, 290 in 2016, but with demand being so strong that total is likely to rise rapidly. If you're ready to start on a lucrative and in-demand career path, learn how to become a CPA in Washington.

Academic Requirements for Washington CPAs

CPAs often have specialized expertise, but each one must understand the core concepts of accounting. The Washington State Board of Accountancy (WBOA) requires all CPAs to have acquired minimum levels of education. Follow these steps to satisfy the requirement:

Complete at least 150 semester hours or 225 quarter-hours from a four-year college with approved accreditation. If you are unsure whether an institution is accredited and approved by the WBOA, contact them directly.

Earn a bachelor's degree. An accounting major is not strictly required, but intense coursework in accounting is. Most CPAs who do not have a degree in accounting have on in business instead.

Compete the required coursework. In order for a degree to be recognized by the WBOA it must satisfy the following requirements:

• • 24 semester hours or 36 quarter-hours in accounting subjects. At least 15 semester hours must be in upper-level or graduate level classes. Upper-level classes are typically defined as classes that require students to complete a lower-level course as a condition of admittance. Graduate-level courses count as 1.5 semester hours towards the 24 semester-hour requirement.

  • 24 semester hours or 36 quarter-hours in business administration subjects. Most courses qualify if they are offered by a graduate or undergraduate business department.

If you have earned a degree from an unaccredited institution, outside the state of Washington, or in a country besides the US it may still satisfy the educational requirement. The school and degree must be evaluated by a third-party to determine if it meets the state's requirements. A list of evaluation services is available here.

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Pass the Uniform CPA Exam

The Uniform CPA Exam is administered in almost every state and is designed to demonstrate core competencies and key skills. CPA candidates must register for the exam within 180 days of completing their education. Students are allowed to take the exam while still in school, but they must provide proof of enrollment and be on track to graduate within 210 days after graduation. Once you're eligible, follow these steps:

Apply to take the Exam. The WBOA contracts with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) to handle exam registration. The Certified Public Accountants Examination Services (CPAES) is the specific office that handles examination issues. Register for the exam online, and be prepared to provide the following documents:

• • An official transcript from every school listed on the Uniform Exam application. The transcripts must be sent directly from the school to the CPAES.

  • A Certificate of Enrollment if you are still completing the educational requirements. This must be sent directly from the school to the CPAES.

  • An International Evaluation is you have acquired your education outside the US. International transcripts in both the native language and translated into English are also required.

  • A Testing Accommodation form if you are disabled and required a specialized testing environment.

  • Send all required documentation to CPA Examination Services – WA, PO Box 198469, Nashville, TN 37219

  • Wait to receive your Jurisdiction ID from the CPAES. This certifies that you are eligible to take the test. If you have applied to take the test previously and already have a Jurisdiction ID, continue to use that number for the remainder of the exam process.

  • Find a testing location and pay any applicable fees. The total cost of taking the test is different for first-time test takers compared to returning test takers. Testing sites in Washington are available in these locations:

  • Mountlake Terrace

  • Puyallup

  • Spokane

Study extensively for the exam. Typically the exam is administered within six months of a candidate being registered.

Access your score online after taking the exam. The NASBA reports your score to the WBOA which then notifies you of when and how it's available.

Meet the Experience Requirements

Education is essential for CPAs, but many of their responsibilities are learned on the job. The WBOA requires all accountants to work at lower levels before becoming eligible for a CPA license. These are the specific experience requirements:

• • Complete the Code of Professional Conduct course from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). You will receive information about this course along with your Uniform Exam score. You must pass the course with a score of 90% or above to meet the WBOA's minimum requirements.

  • Acquire the right kind of experience. It must involve the practice of public accounting in either a public- or private-sector organization. Experience in academia may count but it must be reviewed by the WBOA. All other experience must meet these conditions:

  • Take place over a minimum of 12 months measured consecutively or non-consecutively.

  • Include at least 2,000 hours of public accounting. One year of full-time work (40 hours per week) is approximately 2,000 hours.

  • Take place under the supervision of someone with an active Washington CPA license that they have held for at least five years.

  • Obtained within 8 years of when the CPA license application is received by the WBOA.

  • Ensure that work experience covers the skills/topics deemed essential by the WBOA. Those include:

  • Assessing accounting objectives

  • Developing documentation and data to support conclusions

  • Understanding transaction streams and information systems

  • Thinking critically when making decisions and solving problems

  • Communicating effectively in multiple mediums and with a variety of stakeholders

Provide information and documentation to prove that the experience requirements have been met. This information is detailed on an Experience Affidavit. This document is prepared by you but then reviewed by your supervising CPA for accuracy.

Enroll in the course titled Washington State Ethics and Regulation for New CPAs. You must earn a minimum score of 90% and present documentation to the WBOA.

Apply for a CPA License

At this point you have extensive accounting experience under your belt and are ready to apply for an official CPA license. Follows these steps to put the process in motion:

• • Review that you have met all the requirements. Here is a quick rundown:

  • Complete the license application through the online portal. You may begin using the CPA title as soon as the license is granted and listed on the WBOA licensee search.

  • Earned a bachelor's degree with at least 150 semester hours and a concentration in accounting

  • Passed the Uniform CPA Exam

  • Completed at least 2,000 hours of public-accounting work

  • Passed the Code of Professional Conduct course

  • Completed the Washington State Ethics & Regulations for New CPAs course

  • If you are applying for a license from out of state there are additional steps that must be followed:

  • Out of state candidates must prove their education/degree is compliant with Washington's CPA education requirements.

  • Candidates who passed the Uniform Exam more than 4 years ago must prove they have completed 120 of continuing professional education within three years of applying for licensure. At least 4 hours must be on ethics and regulations and must be completed within 6 months of applying for licensure.

  • Candidates who have a CPA license in another state or from another country may be able to expedite getting a license in Washington state. However, these candidates must be able to prove they have completed equivalent requirements for education, examination, and experience.

Keep Up With Continuing Education

Every CPA in Washington is required to renew their license every three years. As a condition of renewal, CPAs must meet these requirements for continuing professional education (CPE).

In the first three-year reporting period after you are granted a CPA license you must complete 120 hours of CPE. At least four hours must be in ethics, and no more than 24 hours may be in non-technical subjects. CPAs must complete 80 hours of CPE within the first year and 40 hours within the second.

• • After the first three-year reporting period you must still earn 120 hours of CPE every three years. However, there is no requirement for how many hours you earn in any specific year.

  • Seek out CPE opportunities from approved sources. Some that the WBOA recommends include:

  • The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)

  • State accounting societies

  • University courses in accounting or business

  • Trade and professional associations

  • In-house training and programming

  • CPAs are only required to submit formal proof of completing CPE if they are selected for an audit. However, all professionals are required to maintain records of all CPE for at least three after the credit was completed. Failure to maintain and supply accurate records could lead to loss of license.

If you are in the market for a Certified Public Accountant, you may have a few questions on getting your CPA license. The term CPA appears to be a little bit complicated because of its various definitions. It is really essential to bear in mind that you are not the only one in your office who doesn't understand what a CPA is. Ask any fellow accountant how to obtain licensed CPA before you delve into the field without understanding the basics initially.

CPA is a phrase for Certified Public Accountant. It is a main licensing demand for those who want to work as Certified Public Accountants. With this qualification, individuals will certainly have the ability to assist preserve records and also meet other duties connected with such workplaces. Once they are accepted, they can get a CPA permit.

There are several kinds of CPA licenses to choose from. Each permit is different due to the fact that they are all made to meet various requirements and also requirements. This write-up covers both most usual: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as well as Licensed Public Count On Accountant (CPT).

The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a type of accounting that uses higher degrees of education than many CPA license owners. The education and learning is available in both publications as well as online courses. Like any other CPA certificate owner, they are anticipated to fulfill various other criteria to be qualified for the CPA license. It is likewise needed that they take and also pass a state exam in order to receive the license. Once they are authorized, they will start examining as well as passing the state examination, which is given by the state board.

Because the CPT is a branch of accountancy, it has various requirements than the CPA certificate. The CPT is referred to as a much more technological location of book-keeping that needs a lot of innovative research study and also training. Due to the need for particular credentials, a CPT requires people to take and pass the same examinations as CPA licenses. These examinations are travelled through programs and onsite screening.

Just like CPT, the CPA license is accepted by everyone. It needs individuals to be able to do several of the more intricate accounting tasks that are related to this sort of certificate. A CPT, on the other hand, does not. It is many times a holdover from the days when accounting was seen as a much easier field of work that didn't require any kind of unique training.

Even though lots of people might feel that they do not have the time or the desire to study to come to be a CPA, these qualifications are still quite vital. For example, someone who is aiming to start their own organisation needs to have certifications to prove their abilities as a CPA. They are likewise required to verify the stability of business that they are opening, particularly in an economic crisis.

When thinking about exactly how to get your CPA permit, there are a few different things to consider. One of one of the most essential things is the certificate itself. A license is often essential and also it will be required before a person can open up an organisation of their very own.

An additional point to think of is what sort of qualifications to look for when getting your CPA permit. You wish to ensure that you study in books, yet you additionally wish to make sure that you research onsite at a college. Courses in institutions can be useful, yet they can also be costly. Having your CPT taken by an onsite establishment can be also cheaper.

Even after you have your CPT, you should not stop there. The CPT is not the only point that will certainly be called for when you make an application for your CPA certificate. Make certain that you recognize everything that is needed to get a license, to ensure that you don't have any kind of problems in the future.

If you are unclear regarding what it takes to get your CPA license, you can call a neighborhood state board. They can be handy in making certain that you pass the state examination, as well as every little thing that comes along with it. They are responsible for accepting the tests, ensuring that people who will get the certificate are experienced about the CPT and the subject of public accounting.

Accounting Abilities & Recognizing Gotten Developing declarations of capital Monetary statement analysis Receivables Payables Durable possessions as well as liabilities Amortization Informs trainees just exactly how to care for financial accounts, be it on their own or for clients seeking individual tax obligation prep work. Book-keeping Skills & Proficiency Got Budgeting Creating a prepare for saving Own a house along with considerable investing in Insurance coverage Preparation for retired life Provides foundational understanding of the ideas along with terminology connecting to tax obligations; generally supplied as a survey program to familiarize trainees with the a number of various types of taxes.

This degree of education may be suitable for trainees who are not seeking to find to be certified public accountants (Certified Public Accountant), as the accreditation calls for added coursework at the graduate level. Graduates of a book-keeping level program will absolutely have a thorough and alternative knowledge of the firm cycle and also the accounting principles controlling accountable techniques.

Accountancy Abilities & Understanding Obtained Finishing individual and also business income tax return Comprehending as well as additionally assessing tax obligation policies Maintaining honest tax records Attires pupils with the skills vital to create in addition to examine various financial declarations as well as normally draws on real-world instance studies. Accounting Abilities & Understanding Got Assessing the monetary wellness of companies Preparing business assessments Computer system totally free cash money actions Focuses learning on the relevance of interior protection and likewise specifically how cost bookkeeping affects decision-making within companies.