Certified Public Accountants are professionals who work in the accounting field. They work in various departments, such as accounting, taxation, consulting, etc.

CPAs can get better earnings than other accountants and bookkeepers. However, they must go through a licensure procedure that requires them to go through several steps. The process for licensure differs for each state.

In Mississippi, the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy handles the licensing process. As with other states, the board requires applicants to go through three steps, education, exam, and experience.

The board also has specific requirements for each step that aspiring CPAs must fulfill. Going through these requirements is mandatory for everyone.

How to become a CPA in Mississippi?

Aspiring CPAs in Mississippi must start with obtaining formal education. During the process, they must also meet the requirements from the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. Once they are done with that, they must take and pass the Uniform CPA Exam.

Once they do so, they must start acquiring practical experience in a relevant work environment. During this process, they also have to satisfy the requirements set by the board.

Once applicants go through all of the above procedures, they can apply for their CPA license in Mississippi. A description of what each step within this process is and its requirements is as below.

Educational Requirements

Applicants must go through formal education to understand the fundamentals of the accounting profession.

This education also helps them in passing the Uniform CPA Exam and during their practical experience period.

During this process, applicants must also fulfill the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy’s educational requirements. These are as below.

• Applicants must enroll in an accredited college or university that offers an accounting program. They must complete 150 semester hours of college credit and earn a bachelor’s degree.
• Applicants must also meet the Mississippi residency requirements. For that, they must complete one of the following.
  • Be a resident of Mississippi.
  • Have a place of business in Mississippi.
• Applicants must sign up for the right courses. Within their 150 semester hours of college credit, they must include the following.
  • 48 semester hours of upper-level undergraduate (or graduate) courses in accounting and business subjects. Within these, 24 semester hours must be as follows.
    • 3 semester hours in Auditing
    • 3 semester hours in Financial Accounting
    • 3 semester hours in Government/Nonprofit Accounting
    • 3 semester hours in Management Accounting
    • 3 semester hours in Taxation
• Applicants who have already enrolled in or graduated from a college or university can also apply. However, they must ensure the board will accept their college credit.

Uniform CPA Exam

The next step for applicants is to take and pass the Uniform CPA Exam. For applicants who have obtained the relevant education, the exam should be straightforward.

However, only applicants who have met the educational requirements set by the board can take the exam. Applicants must go through the following steps to take their Uniform CPA Exam.

• Applicants must fill out the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy’s Application for the CPA Examination. They must also include the following as a part of their application packet.
  • A 2” x 2” passport-sized photo.
  • A copy of their current driver’s license.
  • Proof of residency, which may include.
    • Copy of voter registration card.
    • Copy of vehicle registration documents.
    • Copy of Mississippi State Resident Income Tax Return.
    • Copy of qualification for Homestead Exemption in Mississippi or copy of real estate taxes payments to Mississippi.
    • Transcript showing graduation from a university or college within Mississippi or other states or countries. Applicants must request their college or university to send it directly to the board.
  • Applicants must also include all necessary application fees and exam fees for each section they intend to take.
  • Applicants must schedule their exam through Prometric after receiving their notice to schedule.

Experience Requirements

The last step before obtaining a Mississippi CPA license is to fulfill experience requirements from the board. Therefore, applicants must go through a practical experience period to meet these requirements. These include the following.

• Applicants must fulfill at least one year of full-time, supervised accounting experience. They must ensure the experience meets the following requirements.
  • It must be paid or volunteer work.
  • It must have occurred within five years of their application.
  • It must consist of one year of full-time work or equivalent to part-time work.
  • It must be supervised by a licensed CPA who will also verify the work.
  • It must involve the use of accounting and auditing skills, which may include the following.
    • Consulting services
    • Financial advisory services
    • Furnishing tax advice
    • Issuing reports on financial statements
    • Management advisory services
    • Preparing tax returns
• Applicants must complete a Request for Employment Verification for all employers they claim under the experience requirement and submit it with their licensure application.

Summary

Given below is a summary of how to become a CPA in Mississippi.

• Applicants must fulfill the educational requirements set by the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy.
• They must take and pass their Uniform CPA Exam.
• They must complete the experience requirements set by the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy.
• They must apply for their Mississippi CPA license.

References

1. “Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy” – https://www.msbpa.ms.gov/Pages/Home.aspx
2. “Statutes, Rules and Regulations” – https://www.msbpa.ms.gov/Pages/Rules.aspx
3. “Forms and Documents” – https://www.msbpa.ms.gov/Pages/Forms.aspx
4. “Mississippi | NASBA” – https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/mississippi/