How to Become a CPA in Nevada? (2022 Requirement Updated)

The Nevada State Board of Accountancy overlooks the licensure procedure for Certified Public Accountants. The steps for obtaining a CPA license in all states are similar.

However, each state’s public accounting board may have unique requirements for each step. The same applies to Nevada and the Nevada State Board of Accountancy.

How to Become a CPA in Nevada?

Prospective CPAs in Nevada must start their journey to becoming a CPA by obtaining formal education.

After that, they must take various sections of the Uniform CPA Exam and pass them. Lastly, they must go through the experience requirements set by the board.

For each step, the board’s conditions will differ. Once candidates meet all those requirements, they can apply for their CPA license.

Educational Requirements

Obtaining formal education is crucial in Nevada. Candidates must enroll in an accounting program in Nevada with an accredited university or college.

There, they must meet the following requirements set by the Nevada State Board of Accountancy.

Candidates must obtain at least 150 semester hours of credit and a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college. The Nevada State Board of Accountancy accepts credits from accredited schools only.
Candidates who have a degree from universities outside the US can also apply. However, they must get their academic credentials evaluated by a foreign credentialing service approved by the board.
During the 150 semester hours, candidates must ensure they include the following.
- 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of accounting courses above the introductory level. It must further include the following.
  - 3 semester hours of auditing
  - 3 semester hours of cost accounting
  - 3 semester hours of Federal income tax
  - 9 semester hours of financial accounting
  - 12 semester hours of Accounting Electives
- 24 semester hours (or 36 quarter hours) of undergraduate or graduate-level business administration courses. It must include the following courses.
  - Behavior of Organizations
  - Business Finance
  - Business Law
  - Communication
  - Computers
  - Data Processing
  - Economics
  - Ethics in Business
  - Legal & Social Environment
  - Management
  - Marketing
  - Oral Communication
  - Quantitative Applications in Business
  - Statistics
- 3 semester hours of business law.
- CLEP, correspondence, or online courses are also acceptable. However, candidates must have earned credits from a regionally accredited institution.
- Community college courses are also acceptable given that candidates receive credits for them from an accredited four-year program.

Uniform CPA Exam

The next step for candidates is to take their Uniform CPA Exam. However, they must have completed the educational requirements first.

Candidates must go through the following steps to take and pass their Uniform CPA Exam in Nevada.

Candidates must apply online or download the CPA Exam Initial Application Form. Along with the form, they must submit the following.
- Official college transcripts.
- The candidate’s recent 2” x 2” passport-sized photo.
- Their preferred method of contact.
- Completed 150 hours checklist.
- $100 application fee.
Candidates must wait to receive a payment coupon from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. They must pay for the payment coupon directly to NASBA.
Lastly, they must schedule their exam after receiving their Notice to Schedule from NASBA.

Experience Requirements

Candidates that pass the Uniform CPA Exam must meet the experience requirements set by the board.

During this period, they must complete the following conditions.

Candidates must obtain qualifying experience, which includes one of the following options.
- 2 years (or 4,160 hours) of public accounting experience. It must include the following.
  - During this period, they must acquire the following skills.
    - Advising/consulting clients about management matters
    - Auditing or accounting
    - Finance
    - Preparing tax returns or giving tax advice
  - Candidates must include a minimum of 1,000 hours of working attestation function of which 700 hours must consist of auditing.
  - A licensed CPA must verify their work and report it on the Public Accounting Experience Form.
  - They must also submit a certificate of attest experience to the board, signed by their supervisor.
- 4 years (or 8,320 hours) of employment in governmental accounting and internal auditing work.
  - This work must be at an approved government agency’s internal audit department.
  - Candidates must also report this experience on the Non-Public Accounting Experience Form.
  - Candidates must submit a certificate of education requirements to the board.
  - The AICPA also sets some requirements for each approved agency in which candidates can work, which they must fulfill.
- 4 years (or 8,320 hours) in governmental accounting and auditing (external or internal) work, not supervised by a CPA.
- Candidates must request an Individual Review of their experience by the board.
- They must report this experience in the Non-public Accounting Experience Form.
Before applying, candidates must complete the board’s ethics requirements. It requires them the AICPA Professional Ethics Comprehensive Course and gets a certificate of completion.

Summary

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

Candidates must start by enrolling in an accredited educational institution in the state. They must also meet the requirements set by the Nevada State Board of Accountancy.
Candidates must then take and pass each section of the Uniform CPA Exam.
They must meet the experience requirements set by the Nevada State Board of Accountancy.
They must apply to get their Nevada state CPA license.

References

“Nevada State Board of Accountancy” – https://www.nvaccountancy.com
“CPA Exam Instructions” – https://www.nvaccountancy.com/cpaexaminstructions.fx
“Forms & Applications” – https://www.nvaccountancy.com/forms.fx
“Nevada | NASBA” – https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/nevada/