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P R O F E S S I O N A L E D U CAT I O N
Table of Contents
About the Oklahoma
Society of CPAs
2
CPA Exam Basics
4
Applying for, Scheduling
and Taking the CPA Exam
6
Receiving Exam Scores and
Applying for CPA Certification
10
Eligibility Checklist
13
This booklet is intended for informational purposes only. The Society is not
responsible for rule and regulation changes. Regularly check the Oklahoma
Accountancy Board’s website at www.ok.gov/oab for updates and changes.
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 1
the Oklahoma Society of
Certified Public Accountants
Who We Are…
The Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA) is the only
statewide professional organization in Oklahoma for CPAs, CPA Exam candidates
and accounting students. Formed in 1918 with a charter membership of 31, we
unite approximately 6,000 CPAs in public practice, private industry, government
and education and more than 500 CPA Exam candidates and accounting
students.
OSCPA Membership
The OSCPA offers professional development and networking for accounting
students and CPA Exam candidates at a low membership rate. Find out more and
join today at www.oscpa.com.
Contact Us
1900 NW Expy, Ste. 910
Oklahoma City, OK 73118-1898
(405) 841-3800 or (800) 522-8261 (toll-free)
www.oscpa.com
email: membership@oscpa.com
Visit www.oscpa.com today or check out the OSCPA’s Exam
Blog at www.oklahomacpaexamblog.wordpress.com.
2 • CPA Exam Guide
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 3
CPA Exam Basics
Entities involved with the CPA Examination
Oklahoma Accountancy Board (OAB)
The Oklahoma Accountancy Board is the governing body for administering the CPA
Exam in Oklahoma. The Board determines eligibility, processes your application and
is the CPA licensing entity.
201 NW 63rd, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
(405) 521-2397
www.ok.gov/oab
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy serves as the gateway for
all parties and maintains the National Candidate Database for all 54 jurisdictions.
150 Fourth Ave. North, Ste. 700
Nashville, TN 37219-2417
(866) MY-NASBA
cpaexam@nasba.org
www.nasba.org
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
The AICPA develops examination content, grades examinations and issues scores.
220 Leigh Farm Road
Durham, NC 27707-8110
(888) 777-7077
cpaexam@aicpa.org
www.aicpa.org
Prometric
Prometric provides computer facilities to take the CPA Examination.
www.prometric.com/cpa
(800) 580-9648
4 • CPA Exam Guide
CPA Eligibility and Transfer of Credits Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• 150 total semester hours consisting of:
ÂÂ 76 upper-division level hours
ÂÂ 30 semester hours in accounting courses above principles and
introductory accounting
ÂÂ One course in auditing or assurance. The auditing or assurance
course must have a concentration on external auditing standards
including, but not limited to, Statements on Auditing Standards
(SAS)
ÂÂ Nine upper-division semester hours from any or all of the
subjects of economics, statistics, business law, finance, business
management, marketing, business communication, risk
management, insurance, MIS or computer science
• Oklahoma resident
• Good moral character, pass national criminal record search and adhere
to the Professional Code of Conduct
NOTE: Education earned outside of the United States must be evaluated by
a national credential evaluation service before submitting the qualification
application.
Difference Between an Applicant and a Candidate
• An applicant is an individual who has applied for eligibility and has not
been approved as a candidate.
• A candidate is an individual who is approved to sit for the exam.
CPA Exam Review Course Provider Discounts
Review course discounts are available to OSCPA Associate and Student
members. For more information, visit www.oscpa.com for discounts with the
following review providers:
•
•
•
•
•
Becker Professional Education
ExamMatrix-MicroMash
Kaplan CPA Review
Roger CPA Review
Lamber’s
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 5
Applying for, Scheduling
& Taking the CPA Exam
Step 1 – Apply for Qualification with the OAB
Complete and file the “Application for Qualification” with the OAB. This form
determines your eligibility to become a candidate. Official transcripts, a
photograph and a $50 fee are required with each application. Other documents
may be required, depending on the circumstances. A background check is part of
the qualification process. You will receive written notice of your approval status
from the OAB within 10 business days.
Step 2 – File Exam Application with the OAB
Once your eligibility is approved, complete the “Candidate for Examination
Application” and file it with the OAB. Each application requires a $50 fee. You
may apply for up to four sections of the exam with each application.
There are no application deadlines. As a candidate, you design your own
deadlines according to the date you want to sit for the exam. Please allow plenty
of time to apply, to make payment and to schedule the exam. You may apply and
sit for each section individually and in any order.
Step 3 – Authorization to Test (ATT) and
Payment Coupons
After your candidate application has been processed, the OAB will send an
Authorization to Test (ATT) to NASBA notifying them of your approval to sit.
NASBA will then send you a payment coupon. Each payment coupon expires
after 90 days. All fees must be paid to NASBA before any section is scheduled,
and all fees are solely your responsibility.
You can choose to receive your Payment Coupon by email. If you decide to
receive your information by email, pay close attention to your spam and junk
email settings. Some Internet and email providers may flag the information as
junk email or delete them completely. If you think there is a problem with your
Payment Coupon or Notice to Schedule, call NASBA at (800) CPA-EXAM.
6 • CPA Exam Guide
Step 4 – Notice to Schedule (NTS)
Once NASBA has received full payment, they will issue a Notice to Schedule
(NTS) for each exam section you are approved to take, which contains the
Examination Section ID numbers. You need these numbers to schedule and
attend the CBT. The NTS expires after 180 days.
Computer-Based Test Costs (as of January 2012)
Section(s) Applied For
Application Fee Other Costs
Total
AUD, FAR & REG
AUD, FAR & BEC
AUD, REG & BEC
FAR, REG & BEC
50.00
50.00
50.00
50.00
566.95
566.95
547.85
547.85
616.95
616.95
597.85
597.85
All Sections
50.00
743.20
793.20
BEC
REG
FAR
AUD
50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 176.25
176.25
195.35
195.35
226.25
226.25
245.35
245.35
Step 5 – Scheduling Your Exam
To schedule an exam section, visit www.prometric.com/cpa and receive an email
confirmation, or call the Prometric Candidate Services Contact Center at (800)
580-9648. You may schedule your exam at any one of the Prometric sites located
within the exam jurisdictions. You must have your NTS when scheduling your
exam.
You must allow at least six full business days between scheduling and taking the
exam. To receive your first choice of date, time and location, it is recommended
that you schedule at least 45 days before your preferred test date. Be prepared
with a second and third preferred time and date.
Oklahoma Prometric Testing Centers
Prometric Testing Center/Sylvan Learning Center
2224 N.W. 50th, Ste. 196
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
(405) 843-8378
Prometric Testing Center/Star Training
3015 E. Skelly Dr., Ste. 254
Tulsa, OK 74105
(918) 747-9333
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 7
CBT Testing Windows
The computer-based test is offered in three-month “windows.” Each window
contains two months in which testing is allowed and a third month in which
testing is not allowed because the exam questions are being updated. If you
fail or do not show up for a section, you can not re-apply or retake that section
again within the same three-month testing window.
CBT Window Schedule
Open For Testing
January-February
April-May
July-August
October-November
Closed
March
June
September
December
If you do not sit for an exam section within 18 months of your initial approval
or within 18 months of your last exam section, your candidacy will become
inactive.
Appointment Changes
• All changes to your exam appointments must be done by calling Prometric
at (800) 580-9648, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The OAB
cannot reschedule your appointment or refund your money if you fail to
show up.
• If you reschedule and give less than 30 days notice, you will be charged
rescheduling fees by Prometric. The OAB cannot waive these fees.
No cancellations or reschedules are allowed within 24 hours of an
appointment time.
• If you cancel an exam appointment and do not reschedule, your fees will
not be refunded.
• If you do not show up for your exam appointment, you will be considered
a no-show. You will not receive a refund.
Step 6 – Take the Exam
Checking In
• You must arrive at the Prometric Test Center 30 minutes before your
scheduled exam time. If you are more than 30 minutes late, you will be
considered a no-show. You will not receive a refund.
• You must bring your NTS, which contains required log-in information.
8 • CPA Exam Guide
• You will need two forms of ID. The primary form of ID must be
government-issued and include a recent photo and signature (e.g., driver’s
license or passport). The second form of ID must have a signature (e.g., a
different government-issued ID or a credit card). A Social Security card is
not acceptable. Both forms of ID must be current. Expired forms of ID will
not be accepted.
• At least one ID must show your name exactly as it is shown on the NTS.
• A digital photo and biometric fingerprint will be taken at the test center.
• You will be issued pre-numbered scratch paper and pencils.
Taking Your Exam
• Upon check-in, you will be given a key to a locker. You will need to place
all of your personal belongings (i.e., purses, wallets, ID, watch, keys) in this
locker.
• You will not be allowed to bring your watch to the exam. The CBT exam
clock will show you the time remaining for your exam.
• Your exam will be monitored by test center proctors.
• You will not be allowed to bring food, drinks or candy to your test
workstation. A brief break will be allowed between test sections and
simulations. The test time clock will not stop during your break.
Completing Your Exam
• After completing the exam, log off the computer and return all scratch
paper.
• Retrieve your personal belongings from your locker, return the locker key
and sign out.
• If you experience any problems during the exam with computer
equipment or the test process, you need to report it to testing center
personnel before leaving the testing center and notify NASBA’s Candidate
Care Unite at candidatecare@nasba.org.
• Keep the Confirmation of Attendance form you receive after the
examination, as it provides valuable contact information.
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 9
Receiving Exam Scores &
Applying for CPA Certification
Getting your Exam Scores
Scores on all sections are not released at the same time or in the same order in
which the sections are taken. Your scores will be released by the AICPA to NASBA
and then released to the OAB at the end of each window in various timing
stages.
• You can view your unofficial scores on the OAB website. To access your
scores, you will need your OAB user ID and password. These items are
assigned to you after initially applying with the OAB.
• You will receive your official scores via mail after the OAB certifies them.
Granting of Exam Credit
• You receive credit for an examination score of 75 or above.
• The credit you receive for each passed section is retained for a rolling
18-month period.
Keeping Candidate Status
• To maintain active candidate status, you must sit for at least one exam
section within 18 months of last sitting for a section.
• After you register for a section, you must show up. A no-show does not
count as sitting for a section.
• Your Payment Coupon and/or NTS expiration dates cannot override or
extend the 18-month rule.
• If you lose active status and would like to become active again, you
will need to reapply for qualification and meet all current eligibility
requirements.
10 • CPA Exam Guide
Retaking the Exam
• If you fail any section of the exam, you may retake that section in a future
testing window.
• You may not repeat any section within the same three-month testing
window.
• You may reapply for a failed section by using the OAB’s online services at
www.ok.gov/oab.
Applying for CPA Certification
• You need to successfully complete all four sections of the CPA Exam.
• You need one year of work experience in accounting. One year of
experience is equal to 1,800 hours of full- or part-time employment.
Your experience must be verified by a CPA, PA or other individual who is
approved by the Oklahoma Accountancy Board. Your experience may be
obtained up to four years prior to or after successfully completing the CPA
Exam.
• You need to complete Professional Ethics: The AICPA’s Comprehensive
Course with a minimum score of 90 percent. The course is recommended
for eight hours of CPE credit. The OSCPA offers the course to all OSCPA
members at a deeply discounted price of $95. For more information, visit
the CPE section of www.oscpa.com.
Becoming Certified
• Once a candidate’s experience has been verified and approved by the
Board, an application for certification will be sent.
• The application for certification and ethics exam results must be returned
with the appropriate fee. Upon receipt by the Board, the successful
candidate’s name will be put on the next scheduled Board meeting agenda
for approval.
• Notification of approval will be sent after the Board renders a decision.
Questions?
Oklahoma Accountancy Board
201 NW 63rd Street, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
www.ok.gov/oab
(405) 521-2397
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 11
Mobility vs. Reciprocity
If you do not plan on staying in Oklahoma after you pass the CPA exam, you
will need to check into mobility and/or reciprocity requirements for whatever
state(s) you plan on working or living in. As you probably have realized by now,
CPAs earn their licenses on a state by state basis. There is not a “nationwide”
CPA license. Therefore, to not restrict CPAs from doing business across state
lines, the AICPA and NASBA created the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA) to
provide a uniform approach to regulation of the accounting profession. Plus,
mobility and reciprocity laws have been established in most states.
Mobility is a privilege for CPAs practicing in public accounting that generally
permits a licensed CPA in good standing from one state to do work in another
state without having to apply for a license in that state.
A majority of US states have adopted mobility laws; however, not all have. To
learn more about mobility requirements for a specific state, visit CPAmobility.
org or visit that state’s accountancy board website.
Reciprocity is a way for a CPA to obtain a license in a different state other
than where he/she passed the CPA exam without having to retake the exam in
that state.
A reciprocal license is usually required of CPAs when they move to a new
state and either plan to practice as a CPA or promote themselves as a CPA
in that state. A reciprocal license is also required when a CPA does business
in a particular state that does not have any mobility laws. In these cases,
it is required that you apply for a reciprocal license through that state’s
accountancy board.
For more information on reciprocal licenses, please visit the AICPA’s website
or visit a particular state’s accountancy board website.
12 • CPA Exam Guide
Eligibility checklist
On the OAB website, there is a full version of the checklist with a transcript
worksheet if needed.
FF Baccalaureate degree is posted on official transcript.
FF Completion of a minimum of 150 semester hours of college education.
FF Completion of 76 semester hours of upper-division level course credit.
FF Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of accounting that is
above principles of accounting or introductory accounting.
FF Completion of at least one course in auditing or assurance.
FF Completion of a minimum of nine semester hours from any or all of
the subjects of economics, statistics, business law, finance, business
management, marketing, business communication, risk management,
insurance, management information systems or computer science at
the upper-division level.
FF Currently a resident of the state of Oklahoma.
FF Completion of the Application for Qualification. (Please do not leave
any questions unanswered.)
FF An official transcript for each college attended (required).
FF A current 2x2 passport-type photograph (required).
FF Application fee of $50 (included).
FF Completion of the Affidavit for Lawful Presence in the United States
(signed and notarized).
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 13
NOTES
14 • CPA Exam Guide
NOTES
Oklahoma Society of CPAs • 15
NOTES
16 • CPA Exam Guide