Alaska CPA Exam and License Requirements
Published on :
21 Aug, 2024
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Dheeraj Vaidya
Alaska CPA Exam
Alaska CPA (Certified Public Accountant) License is a state-issued legal document granting permission to practice accountancy. The state boasts of a relatively stable finance sector that weathered the COVID pandemic with ease and is likely to flourish in the coming years. So, it is the right time for CPA aspirants to meet the qualifying exam and other license requirements in Alaska to cash in on the lucrative opportunities triggered by the post-pandemic economic revival.
The state authorizes the Alaska Board of Public Accountancy (ABPA) to issue the CPA license to entitled professionals. The license provides the public an assurance of the highest professional competence and ethical conduct of CPAs.
Furthermore, the state observes a one-tier licensing pattern. Therefore, qualified candidates may simultaneously claim the CPA license and certificate after fulfilling the required pre-conditions. Note that Alaska also permits candidates to take the CPA Exam at international testing centers.
The Last Frontier is a wonderful place to bag the CPA license because of the laid-back licensure requirements. In addition, certified accountants can expect to earn an annual mean wage of $71,450, the second-highest in the country as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). All in all, Alaska promises you a gratifying CPA career with a handsome salary and immense possibilities for professional advancement.
Now, let’s get you everything about the Alaska CPA exam and license requirements.
| Particulars | Details | |
| Licensing Agency | Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy (ABPA) | |
| Licensing Pattern | 1-tier | |
| Total Licensing Cost | CPA Examination Cost | $1137.6 |
| Licensure Fees | $500 | |
| Total Cost | $1589.6 | |
| Residency | Not required | |
| Citizenship | Not required | |
| Social Security Number | Required | |
| Education | For Examination | Bachelor’s degree with required coursework |
| For License | 150 semester hours | |
| Examination | Pass the CPA Exam with at least 75 points on a scale of 0-99 | |
| Experience | 2 years of accounting experience | |
| Ethics | Pass the AICPA Ethics Exam with at least 90% |
Contents
Alaska CPA License Requirements
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Alaska Exam Information & Resources
Alaska CPA Exam Requirements
The Uniform CPA Examination is a 16-hour long online series of tests comprising four sections. Each one is 4 hours long with a passing grade of 75 points on a scale of 0-99. You have a rolling 18-month timeline to succeed in the licensure test. It starts from when you attempted the first cleared section.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) administers the exam in partnership with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). The test evaluates the preparedness and ability of a candidate to discharge duties as a CPA.
| CPA Exam sections | Testlets | Multiple-choice Questions | Task-based Simulations | Written Communication Tasks |
| Auditing & Attestation (AUD) | 5 | 72 | 8 | - |
| Business Environment & Concepts (BEC) | 5 | 62 | 4 | 3 |
| Financial Accounting & Regulation (FAR) | 5 | 66 | 8 | - |
| Regulation (REG) | 5 | 76 | 8 | - |
Eligibility Requirements
Alaska exam applicants must fulfill the following requirements.
| Particulars | Requirements | |||
| General Requirements | At least 19 years of age | |||
| Good moral character | ||||
| Educational Requirements | Pathway 1 | Pathway 2 | Pathway 3 | Pathway 4 |
| Pre-requisites | Degree & accounting concentration | Degree & Accounting | Degree in progress & Accounting | Degree & qualifying experience |
| Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) from a regionally authorized institute | Required | Required | Applicant within 18 semester hours of completing a bachelor’s degree | Required |
| Accounting Hours | 24 semester hours | 15 semester hours | 15 semester hours | - |
| Other Coursework | 3 semester hours in business law | - | - | - |
| 3 semester hours in economics | ||||
| 3 semester hours in college-level math, statistics &/or computer science | ||||
| Public Accounting Experience | - | - | - | 1 year of CPA-supervised experience |
After satisfying the eligibility criteria, you must submit the CPA exam application, applicable fees, and documentation to CPA Examination Services (CPAES). Please refer to the NASBA portal for the complete procedure.
Applicants with a degree and qualifying experience must submit a Verification of Supervised Work Experience Form and a Verification of Licensure for CPA Supervisor Form along with the initial application.
You may also avail NASBA Advisory Evaluation service to detect any inadequacies in your education before the final submission.
Fees
First-time applicants:
| Particulars | Examination Fees | Total Fees |
| Application Fee | - | $185 |
| Registration Fee | - | - |
| Exam sections | - | - |
| AUD | $238.15 | - |
| BEC | $238.15 | - |
| FAR | $238.15 | - |
| REG | $238.15 | $952.6 |
| Total Fees | $952.6 | $1137.6 |
Re-examination applicants:
| Particulars | Examination Fees | Total Fees |
| Application Fee | - | - |
| Registration Fee | - | $90 |
| Exam sections | - | - |
| AUD | $238.15 | - |
| BEC | $238.15 | - |
| FAR | $238.15 | - |
| REG | $238.15 | $952.6 |
| Total Fees | $952.6 | $1042.6 |
You can’t request a Notice-to-Schedule (NTS) extension or withdraw from the CPA exam. However, you may request a limited examination fee reimbursement or an NTS extension in dire situations.
Both examination and application fees are non-refundable. Thus, attempt the applied exam section(s) within the six-month NTS expiry period.
Required Documents
Submit the following documents prior to applying for the CPA Exam.
| Documents | Submission Authority |
| General Documents | |
| Educational transcripts (May be submitted electronically) | Academic Institution |
| Special Cases | |
| Certificate of Enrollment Form | Academic Institution |
| International Evaluation Report | NASBA Internal Evaluation Services (NIES) |
| Translated International transcripts | Academic Institution or NIES |
| Verification of Licensure for CPA Supervisor Form | State Board Office |
| Testing Accommodations Request Form | You |
| Verification of Supervised Work Experience Form | Office of the licensed CPA |
Foreign credit transferred to the University of Alaska may be accepted without additional international evaluation.
Note that CPAES does not accept photocopied transcripts and considers them unofficial. Moreover, supervising CPAs licensed in Alaska need not submit the Verification of Licensure for CPA Supervisor Form.
Alaska CPA License Requirements
To obtain the Alaska CPA License, you must:
- Be of good moral character
- Earn 150 semester hours
- Score a minimum of 75 points in each of the four exam sections
- Gain two years of relevant accounting experience
- Pass the AICPA’s ethics exam with at least 90%
Apply for the license through the Alaska state board. Moreover, applicants without an SSN must complete and submit the Request for Exemption from SSN Requirement Form to ABPA. For more information, please check the official website.
Ensure to attach the following documents with your application:
- Licensure Fees
- Initial application fee: $200
- CPA license fee: $300
- Official transcripts
- Verification of experience
- AICPA ethics exam certificate
- Exam scores (if passed in another state)
- License history (if previously licensed in other states)
Education Requirements
Alaska CPA licensure applicants must hold at least a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) from a board-acceptable academic institute. Ensure to complete 150 semester hours with an accounting major or equivalent, including:
- 24 semester (36 quarter) hours in subjects like:
- Intermediate Accounting
- Accounting Principles
- Cost Accounting
- Income Tax
- Advanced Accounting
- Auditing
- Governmental Accounting
- Accounting Theory
- Detection of Fraud
- 9 semester hours (15 quarter hours) in:
- Business Law
- Economics
- Statistics
- Computer Science
- Algebra, Calculus, or Mathematics
Please note that a board-acceptable academic institute refers to either the University of Alaska or an institute accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the University of Alaska.
Exam Requirements
CPA aspirants have a rolling 18-month period to pass the CPA Examination successfully. It constitutes four sections with a passing grade of 75 points in each. Further details are mentioned in the Alaska Exam Requirements section.
Experience Requirements
Candidates must gain two years of accounting experience deemed satisfactory to the board. In addition, an active CPA must verify the required employment. Note that one year of work experience (full-time or part-time) must include at least 2000 hours earned within the 1–4 years.
Here is the list of acceptable areas and services.
| Acceptable Areas | Acceptable Services |
| Industry | Accounting |
| Government | Attest |
| Public Practice | Compilation |
| Academia | Management Advisory |
| - | Financial Advisory |
| - | Tax, or |
| - | Consulting Skills & related training |
Ethics Requirements
You must complete the AICPA ethics course and pass the exam with a score of at least 90%. Candidates who completed a substantially equivalent ethics examination from another licensing state don’t have to sit for this exam.
Let’s view all the details here.
| Particulars | Requirements | |
| Course Title | Professional Ethics: AICPA’s Comprehensive Course (For Licensure) | |
| Exam Format | Self-study | |
| Course Vendor | AICPA | |
| Passing Score | A minimum of 90% | |
| Question Type | MCQs | |
| Exam Mode | Online | |
| Exam Fee | AICPA Members | $189 |
| Non-AICPA Members | $245 | |
| Passing Score | 90% | |
| Availability | 1 year | |
| Course Content | Independence Requirements | |
| Conceptual Framework | ||
| Integrity, Objectivity, & Professional Conduct | ||
| Ethics | ||
| AICPA Code of Professional Conduct | ||
| Ethics Interpretations | ||
| Activities Dishonoring the Profession |
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Alaska CPA titleholders must renew their licenses with 80 CPE credit hours every two years. The state accepts the CPE program credits offered by National Registry Sponsors.
Here is everything you must know about Alaska CPE Requirements.
| Particulars | Details | ||
| Renewal Date of License | December 31 (odd years) | ||
| Reporting Period for CPE | January 1-December 31 (Biennially) concluding on odd years | ||
| General CPE Requirement | 80 hours | ||
| Minimum 20 hours annually | |||
| Ethics Requirement | 4 hours | ||
| Credit Calculation | Instruction | Credit = Presentation + Preparation (maximum 2 times presentation) | |
| Repeat instruction is allowed only if the material is substantially challenged | |||
| University/College | Credit Courses | 1 semester hour = 15 CPE hours | |
| 1 quarter hour = 10 CPE hours | |||
| Non-credit Courses | 1 classroom hour = 1 qualifying hour | ||
| Credit Limitations | Other Organizations’ Programs | Maximum 16 hours | |
| Instruction | Maximum 30 hours | ||
| Published Material | Maximum 20 hours for authorship | ||
| Other State Policies | Grace Period | Licensees with 80 CPE hours but who have not met the 20-hour annual requirement must earn 8 extra CPE hours before or within 180 days after license renewal | |
| The extra 8 hours may not be used to fulfill the CPE requirements for subsequent license renewal | |||
Alaska has a well-structured tax system with no individual income or state sales tax. As a result, the state secured a third position in the Tax Foundation’s 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index. It certainly proves the tax-friendliness of the state.
Also, the U.S. BLS lists Alaska’s nonmetropolitan areas among the top-paying places for accountants and auditors. Hence, Alaska is the ideal pick for candidates eyeing decent pay and a pro-tax environment.
Besides, to become an Alaska CPA, you don’t have to reside in the state. Therefore, it gives foreign applicants a perfect opportunity to gain the title from anywhere globally. In a nutshell, the state permits you to pursue the profession without any extra baggage.
For the latest updates on the CPA exam and license requirements, keep checking the Alaska state board website. We wish you all the best on this extraordinary professional journey of yours! Learn more about CPE Credits for CPAs
Alaska Exam Information & Resources
1. Alaska Board of Public Accountancy (https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofPublicAccountancy.aspx)
Anchorage
Mailing/Physical Address
550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1500
Anchorage, AK 99501
BoardOfPublicAccountancy@Alaska.Gov
Fax:(907) 269-8156
Juneau
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Physical Address
333 Willoughby AVE, 9th FL
State Office Building
Juneau, AK 99801-1770
Phone: (907) 465-2550
Fax: (907) 465-2974
2. Alaska Society of CPAs (https://www.akcpa.org/)
2600 Cordova Street, Suite 211 Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone:907-562-4334 or 1-800-478-4334
Fax: 907-562-4025
Email: akcpa@ak.net
3. NASBA (https://nasba.org/)
150 Fourth Ave. North
Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37219-2417
Tel: 615-880-4200
Fax: 615-880-4290
4. AICPA (https://www.aicpa.org/)
220 Leigh Farm Road
Durham, NC 27707-8110
Fax server: 800.362.5066
Phone number: 888.777.7077
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