Step By Step to Become a CPA in West Virginia (2022)

CPA

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) play a crucial role in the financial departments of most businesses. These professionals can handle various tasks that can be crucial. These include bookkeeping, accounting, taxation, auditing, etc.

CPAs usually go through educational requirements to get their fundamentals right. Once they do so, they take an exam to test their knowledge. From there, they must meet experience requirements to get their licenses.

However, the journey does not end there for them. CPAs must also continue their education even after obtaining their licenses. Therefore, they know the most relevant and current accounting and finance-related matters.

How to become a CPA in West Virginia?

The first step for CPAs in West Virginia is to prepare their educational requirements. Once they do so, they can take the Uniform CPA exam.

From there, they can work in practical settings to apply their knowledge and gain the required experience for the license. The West Virginia Board of Accountancy handles the overall process.

Educational Requirements

Prospective CPAs must meet the following educational requirements before taking their exam.

  • Candidates must seek a university in West Virginia that offers accounting programs.
  • They must hold a bachelor’s degree with a total of at least 150 semester hours of a college education.
  • Those already enrolled in an accounting program must verify that their credits will count towards the West Virginia academic requirements.
  • They must register for the appropriate classes.
  • They must complete a total of 150 semester hours of education, which must include the following.
    • 27 semester hours of accounting courses, which include:
      • 3 semester hours on taxation
      • 3 semester hours on managerial, cost, not-for-profit or governmental accounting
      • 6 semester hours of financial or intermediate accounting
      • 6 semester hours split between auditing and accounting information systems
      • 9 semester hours of accounting electives
    • 6 semester hours of business law courses
    • 27 semester hours of business and business-related courses which include:
      • 3 semester hours of economics
      • 3 semester hours of finance
      • 3 semester hours of marketing
      • 3 semester hours of management
      • 3 semester hours of statistics
      • 12 semester hours of business-related electives
    • One 3 semester-hour courses in ethics is required and may count among either your accounting electives or business-related electives
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Uniform CPA Exam

Once candidates meet West Virginia’s educational requirements, they can take the Uniform CPA Exam. They must follow the steps below to do so.

  • Candidates must complete the West Virginia Board of Accountancy Initial Application Packet.
  • They must enclose the appropriate documents with their application, which include the following.
    • Their transcripts, which the college must submit directly to the board.
    • Their character witness statements from two non-relatives and one CPA.
    • Their 2” x 2” photo.
  • They must complete their Intent to Sit form and pay exam fees accordingly. They must attach the form to their application.
  • They must schedule their exam once they receive their Notification to Schedule.

Candidates will have to wait for their results, which they will get in their mail. The board also posts a list of successful candidates on its website.

Experience Requirements

Once candidates pass their Uniform CPA Exam, they must also fulfill the West Virginia Board of Accountancy’s practical experience requirements. These include the following.

  • Candidates must indicate that they have completed at least one year of experience during the four years prior to applying for their license. The employee must meet the following requirements.
    • It must occur in government, private practice, non-profit organizations, industry, public practice, or academia.
    • It must be verified by a registered public accountant in West Virginia (or holds out-of-state certification)
    • It must be documented on an Experience Verification Form.
  • They must practice the following competencies during their practical experience.
    • Accounting
    • Attest
    • Audit, review, and compilation of financial statements
    • Consulting skills
    • Financial advisory
    • Keeping books and records
    • Management advisory
    • Taxation
    • Tax research
  • They must choose a registered public accountant or CPA licensed in West Virginia or another state. It excludes Colorado, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  • They must provide their verifying CPA with the Experience Verification form. They must also mail it and their Application for Certification to the West Virginia Board of Accountancy.
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Summary

Below is a summary of how to become a CPA in West Virginia.

  1. Candidates must meet the educational requirements of the West Virginia Board of Accountancy.
  2. After that, they must take and pass the Uniform CPA Exam.
  3. After passing the exam, they must fulfill the board’s experience requirements.
  4. Once they have all these, they must apply for their license using the Application for Initial Certification/License.

References

  1. “West Virginia Board of Accountancy” – https://www.boa.wv.gov/
  2. “Academic Requirements” – https://www.boa.wv.gov/exam/AcademicRequirements.asp
  3. “West Virginia | NASBA” – https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/westvirginia/

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