South Carolina Accounting Requirements

Requirements to sit for the CPA Exam

You must meet the following requirements:

(A) An application must be submitted (First Time Candidates or Re-Exam Candidates) to the address indicated on the application form. Re-Exam Candidates can also call 1-800-CPA-EXAM or (615) 880-4250 or apply on-line at On-line Registration. In order for an application to be considered a completed application, all blanks and questions on the application form must be completed and answered and all applicable documentation must be attached and:

(1) the application must be accompanied by the submission of photo identification, fingerprints, or other identification information as considered necessary to ensure the integrity of the exam administration;

(2) application fees must accompany the application. If a check in payment of examination fees fails to clear the bank, the application is considered incomplete and the application must be returned to the candidate;

(3) the applicant must have on record with the board official transcripts (copies will not be accepted) from a college or university approved by the board demonstrating successful completion of one hundred twenty semester (120) hours credit, including:

• (a) at least twenty-four (24) semester hours of accounting in courses that are applicable to a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degree and which cover financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing; and

• (b) at least twenty-four (24) semester hours of business courses that are applicable to a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degree and which may include macro and micro economics, finance, business law, management, computer science, marketing, and accounting hours not counted in item (a).

(B) A candidate must pass all sections of the examination provided for in Section 40-2-35(A) in order to qualify for a certificate.

(1) A candidate may take the required test sections individually and in any order. Credit for any test section passed is valid for eighteen months from the actual date the candidate took that test section, without having to attain a minimum score on any failed test section and without regard to whether the candidate has taken other test sections.

• (a) A candidate must pass all four test sections of the Uniform CPA Examination within a rolling eighteen-month period, which begins on the date that the first test section is passed. The board by regulation may provide additional time to an applicant on active military service. The board also may accommodate any hardship, which results from the conditions of administration of the examination.

• (b) A candidate cannot retake a failed test section in the same examination window. An examination window refers to a three-month period in which candidates have an opportunity to take the CPA examination. If all four-test sections of the Uniform CPA Examination are not passed within the rolling eighteen-month period, credit for any test section passed outside the eighteen-month period expires and that test section must be retaken.

(2) A candidate may arrange to have credits for passing sections of the examination under the jurisdiction of another state or territory of the United States transferred to this State. Credits transferred for less than all sections of the examination are subject to the same conditional credit rules as if the examination had been taken in South Carolina.

Testing Window
Currently the Exam is closed during the third month of each testing window. Therefore, candidates cannot sit for the Exam in March, June, October or December.

REQUIREMENTS TO BE LICENSED AS A CPA
(A) To meet the educational requirement as part of the one hundred fifty semester (150) hours of education, the applicant must demonstrate successful completion of:

• (1) at least thirty-six (36) semester hours of accounting in courses that are applicable to a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degree and which cover financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing, of which at least twenty-four semester hours must be taught at the junior level or above; and

• (2) at least thirty-six (36) semester hours of business courses that are applicable to a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degree and which may include macro and micro economics, finance, business law, management, computer science, marketing, and accounting hours not counted in item (1).

(B) The applicant must satisfactorily pass the uniform CPA examination prepared by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

(C) The applicant must file a Certificate of Experience Form 2102. In general, at least two years of accounting experience under the direct supervision and review of a licensed CPA or licensed public accountant is required. Five years of experience teaching accounting courses in a college or university is generally considered equivalent to the two years of accounting experience. Complete details of required experience may be obtained by going to the forms section of our web site and selecting Form 2202 which includes the experience regulation (1-7) and other information in question and answer format.

(D) After the experience has been approved the applicant will be instructed to download a copy of the Accountancy Law, Regulations and Professional Ethics from the web site and will be mailed an Application for CPA Certificate (Form 2101) which must be returned together with a check or money for a total of $100 ($20 for the Certificate and $80 for License Fee).

APPLICATION PENDING AS OF JULY 22, 2004
A certified public accountant applicant with an application pending on the effective date of this act, with or without partial credit for examination, may continue under that application and the requirements under which the individual applied for licensure for twenty-four months after this act’s effective date (July 22, 2004). After twenty-four months from the effective date of this act (July 22, 2006), an applicant must comply with the requirements for licensure of Chapter 2, Title 40 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Section 1 of this act.

The educational requirements for a reexamination candidate shall be those requirements which were in effect when the candidate first took the examination, provided the candidate has taken the examination at least once each calendar year subsequent to the date of any change in the educational requirement.

Educational requirements must be met at the time of application.

Candidates with foreign educational credentials must have their credentials evaluated by;

Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
International Education Consultants
7101 SW 102 Avenue
Miami, FL 33173
(305) 273-1616 fax: (305) 273-1338
www.jsilny.com email: info@jsilny.com

World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 745 Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113-0745
1-800-937-3895
www.wes.org email: info@wes.org

Foreign Academic Credentials Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 400
Glen Carbon, IL 62034
(618) 656-5291 fax(618) 656-5292
www.facsusa.com

For more information, click here to visit the South Carolina State Board of Accountancy.

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