How Do I Become a CPA?

What degree do I need?

In Delaware, you can become a CPA with an associates degree, bachelors degree or masters degree.

What courses do I need?

To qualify to take the CPA exam in Delaware, you must have an associates degree, bachelors degree or masters degree with a concentration in accounting. According to the Delaware law, the concentration in accounting must include at least 21 semester hours of accounting, auditing, and federal taxation, either as part of your associate, bachelors or master's degree program. Each applicant must have completed courses in accounting (including introductory, intermediate, advanced, and cost accounting), auditing, and federal taxation as components of the 21-hour concentration in accounting. Courses in other business subjects, such as banking, business law, computer science, economics, finance, insurance, management and marketing will not be accepted as accounting courses. You should contact your academic advisor, accounting or business department chair, and your individual professors for more information on the requirements at your school.

What is the CPA Exam?

The CPA Exam is a uniform licensing examination given to qualified individuals who want to become CPAs. The CPA Exam used to be a paper and pencil exam given twice a year throughout the United States. In April 2004 the exam changed to a computer-based test given at test centers throughout the United States eight months out of the year. For all of the information you need on the CPA Exam, go to the official CPA Exam web site at www.cpa-exam.org. You can take a sample test, get test tips, take a tutorial which covers the exam's format and navigation functions, and apply online to take the test. When you pass the CPA exam and the AICPA self-study Ethics Exam, you can apply to the Delaware State Board of Accountancy for a CPA certificate.

How do I study for the CPA Exam?

There are several companies that will help you prepare for the CPA Exam. The DSCPA offers its student members a discount with Yaeger Lambers CPA Review. To apply for student membership in the DSCPA, go to http://www.dscpa.org/membership_info/student_application.php.

Do I need to get experience before I take the CPA Exam?

In Delaware, you do not need to get experience before taking the CPA Exam. Each state has its own qualifications to sit for the CPA Exam, so be sure to check with the state board of accountancy of the state where you want to sit. For a list of all of the state boards of accountancy, go to http://www.aicpa.org/yellow/ypsboa.htm.

What is the difference between a CPA certificate and a CPA permit to practice?

Each state has its own laws and rules governing the CPA profession. Each state also has its own Board of Accountancy that monitors the CPAs that it licenses. In Delaware, the Delaware State Board of Accountancy monitors CPAs in Delaware. You submit your application for a Delaware CPA certificate and a Delaware permit to practice to the Delaware State Board of Accountancy. The Board of Accountancy is located in Dover and has its own web site. This site is a very helpful resource with information about how you get licensed in Delaware, and we suggest that you bookmark it for future reference. For a list of all of the state boards of accountancy, go to http://www.aicpa.org/yellow/ypsboa.htm.

Before January 2006, Delaware had what is known as a "two-tier licensing structure" which means that there are two levels of "CPAs". The first level are "certificate holders". The second level is those who hold a "certificate" and a "permit to practice." You would obtain a certificate before you could get a permit to practice. Under this prior law, once you have passed the CPA Exam and the AICPA ethics exam, you could apply to the Delaware State Board of Accountancy for a CPA certificate. Certificate holders could work in industry, government or education. They could also work for a public accounting firm while they are getting their experience to qualify for a "permit to practice." If you wanted to work in public accounting, Delaware required that you have a "certificate" and a "permit to practice."

After January 2006, Delaware requires that anyone who applies to sit for the CPA exam after January 2006 must complete all requirements for both a certificate and permit to practice. You can no longer obtain a certificate only. Therefore, once you have graduated with either an associates degree, bachelors degree or masters degree, you apply to sit for the CPA exam. Once you have passed the CPA exam and the AICPA ethics exam, you must complete your experience requirement before you can apply for your certificate and permit to practice. The amount of experience you need is based on the type of degree you have. For example, someone who graduates with a bachelors degree with a concentration in accounting must have 2 years of experience to qualify for a permit to practice. Note that the type of experience required varies with the type of degree that you have.