Louisiana CPA Exam

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The State Board of CPAs of Louisiana grants the license to eligible individuals. It lays down the guidelines for licensure and regulates the professional practice of CPAs in the state. It also ensures license holders stay up-to-date in the profession by setting up continuing professional education requirements.

The state observes a one-tier licensing methodology. Accordingly, candidates are not eligible to receive the CPA certificate on passing the CPA ExaminationCPA ExaminationA Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a US state board-issued license to practice the accounting professionread more. Instead, they receive the CPA license after completing the stipulated preconditions. The state also permits candidates to take the CPA Exam at chosen international locations. 

The Pelican State nurtures a wide range of industries – Agriculture, Oil, Natural Gas, Chemicals, and Commercial Fishing. A well-diversified economy requires finance professionals who can plan and execute investments. Hence, there is no dearth of opportunities for CPAs in the state.

To get started on the path, begin with checking out the Louisiana CPA exam and license requirements in detail. 

Contents

Louisiana CPA Exam Requirements

  • Eligibility RequirementsFeesRequired Documents

Louisiana CPA License Requirements

  • Education RequirementsExam RequirementsExperience Requirements

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Louisiana Exam Information & Resources

Louisiana CPA Exam Requirements

CPA Exam is a 16-hour long online licensure test segregated into four sections. It verifies the applicant’s ability and know-how to succeed as a CPA. 

Applicants must successfully finish the examination within 18 months from when they took up the first cleared section. The passing grade for each section is 75 points on a scale of 0-99. 

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the state boards, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), and Prometric oversee the exam administration process.  

The four CPA exam sectionsFour CPA Exam SectionsThe Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam comprises four sections, namely, Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). The unique content, structure, format, and scoring of the CPA exam earn it the title of one of the most challenging professional exams. read more are as follows:

  • Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR ExamFAR ExamThe Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) CPA Exam section tests a candidate’s competency in understanding and applying financial accounting and reporting standards.read more)Auditing & Attestation (AUD ExamAUD ExamAuditing and Attestation (AUD) is one of the four Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam sections to be passed for CPA licensure. With a complex exam format, tricky questions, and an exhaustive list of topics to study, you will benefit from some quick tips on the art of preparing for the AUD CPA exam section.read more)Regulation (REG ExamREG ExamREG CPA Exam (Regulation) exam section tests a candidate’s competency in applying the concepts of federal taxation, business law, and ethics. It is a four-hour exam with 15 minutes break.
  • read more)Business Environment & Concepts (BEC ExamBEC ExamThe BEC CPA Exam (Business Environment and Concepts) exam section evaluates your understanding of the general business environment and your duties and responsibilities as a CPA towards it. It assesses your ability to recognize and scrutinize situations related to Financial reporting, Financial statement audit and attestation and Tax preparation
  • read more)

Each of the sections mentioned above is four-hour long with five testlets. The question types comprise Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs), Task-based Simulations (TBSs), and Written Communication Tasks (WCTs). 

Eligibility Requirements

General Requirements:

  • Good moral character Reference from three Louisiana residents who have known the candidate for at least 12 monthsAcceptable references must be from CPAs or substantial and representative business or professional individualsResidencyContinuous Louisiana residency for 120 days within one year prior to the initial exam date

Educational Requirements:

  • Reference from three Louisiana residents who have known the candidate for at least 12 months

  • Acceptable references must be from CPAs or substantial and representative business or professional individuals

  • Continuous Louisiana residency for 120 days within one year prior to the initial exam date

A baccalaureate degree from a board-recognized college or university, including:

  • 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of business courses (except accounting) with minimum 3 semester (4 quarter) hours in commercial law 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of undergraduate-level OR 21 semester (31.5 quarter) hours of the graduate-level accounting

Candidates must acquire three semester hours in accounting electives from either not-for-profit accounting, advanced financial accounting, or accounting theory.

Ensure to meet the educational requirement at the time of application. Then, apply for the test through CPA Examination Services (CPAES). Please check the NASBA portal for the complete procedure. 

Candidates may also utilize NASBA Advisory Evaluation Service to review the documents and disclose any educational defects before submitting the initial application. 

Fees

Initial applicants:

Re-examination applicants:

In Louisiana, it is impermissible to back off from the exam or request a Notice-to-Schedule (NTS) extension. Howbeit, applicants under challenging situations may contact the state board office and request an NTS extension or a partial exam fee repayment. 

Both application and examination fees are non-refundable. So, schedule and pay up for the section(s) attemptable within the NTS window, i.e., nine months. Effective January 1, 2022, the NTS will remain valid for six months from the issuance date. 

Required Documents

Submit the following documents to CPAES. 

The evaluation agencies for foreign credential evaluation are:

  • NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES)Foreign Academic Credentials Service (FACS)

The college or university may also deliver e-transcripts directly to NASBA. However, please refrain from sending photocopies of documents as they are viewed as unofficial and, thus, unacceptable. 

Louisiana CPA License Requirements

Here lie the required qualifications for a Louisiana CPA License:

  • At least 18 years of ageGood moral character150 semester hours of educationSuccessfully passed the Uniform CPA Exam1 year of relevant work experienceState residencySocial Security Number (SSN)Execution of a board-prescribed oath

Submit the CPA licensure applicationCPA Licensure ApplicationThe CPA application process often leaves aspirants with a lot of questions. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination is a license issued by 55 states and territories in the USA. After obtaining the CPA license, you can practice as a certified financial advisor.read more through the Louisiana state board with the required fees ($100) and necessary documents. For more information, kindly visit the state board website. 

Education Requirements

Louisiana CPA licensure applicants must gain at least 150 semester hours (225 quarter hours) of postsecondary, graduate, or postgraduate education at the board recognized institute(s) along with:

  • 24 hours in specific non-duplicative accounting courses24 hours in specific non-duplicative business courses

Applicants must fulfill the educational requirements within five years after passing the CPA Exam. Or else their exam scores stand nullified. 

Exam Requirements

Candidates must pass the Uniform CPA Examination within the rolling 18-month period. Each of the four sections has a passing grade of 75 points on a scale of 0-99. Refer to the Louisiana CPA Exam Requirements section for further details. 

Experience Requirements

Louisiana CPA aspirants must obtain one year of relevant work experience verified by a licensed CPA. The required employment may be full-time (at least 1 year) or part-time (2000 hours), or a combination of these.  The experience can be obtained inside or outside Louisiana.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

It is mandatory to complete 20 CPE credit hours annually and 80 hours within the rolling two-year period to renew the Louisiana CPA License. Note that credits earned from programs sponsored by the NASBA National Registry are admissible. 

Let’s view all the details here. 

Louisiana has four Prometric testing centers in Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Bossier City, and Metairie (New Orleans). Candidates can opt for the nearest one as per their preferences. Moreover, they can keep looking for significant CPA exam and license requirement updates through the Louisiana state board website.

Being a geographically well-endowed state, Louisiana houses several natural resource-based industries. As a result, industrial electricity and natural gas rates are low, reducing overhead costs for businesses and residents.

Besides the affordable lifestyle, the Bayou State accords an open and adaptable economy, conducive business climate, and low-tax environment. These factors attract CPAs to settle here, enjoy a peaceful life, and pursue a worthwhile career. So, in a nutshell, gaining the professional title in this state is indeed a smart move! Learn more about CPE Credits for CPACPE Credits For CPAAs a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you need to acquire Continuing Professional Education or CPE credits for sustaining your license. This ensures that you are actively involved in improving your know-how of the profession by engaging in learning activities.read more

Louisiana Exam Information & Resources

  1. State Board of CPAs of Louisiana (http://cpaboard.state.la.us/)

Pan American Life Center

601 Poydras Street, Suite 1770

New Orleans, LA 70130

Ph: (504) 566-1244

  1. Society of Louisiana CPAs (https://www.lcpa.org/)

3850 N Causeway Blvd, Suite 1650

Metairie, LA 70002

Ph: 504-464-1040

Email: [email protected]

  1. NASBA (https://nasba.org/)

150 Fourth Ave. North

Suite 700

Nashville, TN 37219-2417

Tel: 615-880-4200

Fax: 615-880-4290

CPAES

1.800.CPA.EXAM

[email protected]

  1. AICPA (https://www.aicpa.org/)

220 Leigh Farm Road

Durham, NC 27707-8110

Ph: +1.919.402.4500Fax: +1.919.402.4505

A Guide to Louisiana CPA Exam & License Requirements. Here we discuss its education requirements, fees, eligibility criteria, required documents etc. You may also have a look at the below articles to compare CPA with other examinations –

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