Montana CPA Exam and License Requirements
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Montana CPA Exam
Montana Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License accredits a professional to pursue public accounting in the U.S. jurisdiction of Montana. For successful CPA licensure, you must fulfill the exam and license requirements specified by the Montana state board of accountancy.
Montana is a one-tier state. Therefore, there is no need to apply for the CPA Certificate. Instead, you may directly apply for the CPA license after fulfilling the CPA Exam and experience requirements. The Montana Board of Public Accountants issues the license to qualified candidates on meeting all the requirements.
Here's the outline of the license requirements in Montana.
| Particulars | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Age | No minimum age |
| U.S. Citizenship | Not required |
| Residency | Not required |
| Social Security | Not required |
| Education requirement for CPA Exam | Upper-division course with • Minimum 24 semester hours of accounting courses • Minimum 24 semester hours of business courses |
| Education requirement for licensure | 150 semester hours |
| Experience requirement for licensure | 2000 hours of accounting or auditing service within 1 year |
| Ethics exam | AICPA Professional Ethics Exam |
Please note that the state also participates in the International Examination Program. Now, let’s view Montana CPA Exam and License Requirements in detail.
Contents
Montana CPA License Requirements
Montana CPA Exam Requirements
CPA Exam is a computer-based series of tests (16-hour long) developed to evaluate your accounting knowledge and skills. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) jointly administer the CPA Exam.
You must pass all four exam sections within the 18-month testing period. This timeline starts from the testing date of the first passed section and ends on the last day of the last month of the 18-month period. Ensure to score at least 75 points on a scale of 0-99 in each section.
- Auditing & Attestation (AUD CPA Exam)
- Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR CPA Exam)
- Business Environment & Concepts (BEC CPA Exam)
- Regulation (REG CPA Exam)
All CPA Exam sections constitute five testlets with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and task-based simulations (TBSs). Only BEC includes an additional segment, written communication tasks (WCTs).
Eligibility Requirements
CPA Exam applicants must complete an upper-division course with:
- A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of accounting courses in the following subjects:
- Financial accounting
- Auditing
- Taxation
- Management accounting
- A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours in general business courses in the following subjects:
- Information systems
- Business law
- Finance
- Economics
- Marketing
- Ethics
- Organizational behavior
- Quantitative applications in business
- Communication skills
Please note that an upper-division course is usually an advanced course taken at the junior or senior level. It excludes introductory accounting courses.
You must apply for the exam online through CPA Examination Services (CPAES) with the required fee and educational transcripts. Also, ensure direct submission of your documents or foreign evaluations from the academic institute or the evaluation service.
Furthermore, applicants may utilize NASBA Advisory Evaluation Service to identify any academic inadequacies in the transcripts before the final submission. Kindly visit the NASBA’s website for the complete CPA application process.
Fees
First-time applicants
| Particulars | Amount | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | - | $245 |
| Examination Fees | ||
| AUD | $238.15 | |
| BEC | $238.15 | |
| FAR | $238.15 | |
| REG | $238.15 | $952.6 |
| Total Fees | - | $1,197.6 |
Re-exam candidates
| Particulars | Amount | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | - | $100 |
| Examination Fees | ||
| AUD | $238.15 | |
| BEC | $238.15 | |
| FAR | $238.15 | |
| REG | $238.15 | $952.6 |
| Total Fees | - | $1,052.6 |
Both application and examination fees are non-refundable. Also, you can’t withdraw from the examination or request a Notice-to-Schedule (NTS) extension. Hence, ensure to sit for the applied section(s) within six months (NTS validity period). Or else you will have to re-apply.
However, candidates may request an NTS extension or partial refund of the exam fees under extreme situations. They can submit the Exception to Policy form for the same.
Required Documents
The following table mentions the documents to be submitted to the CPAES:
| Required documents | Submission |
|---|---|
| Official school transcripts | Your school |
| International Evaluation Summary (if applicable) | You or the evaluation agency |
| Testing Accommodations Request Form (if applicable) | You |
You may also submit the official transcripts electronically.
Montana CPA License Requirements
Here are the pre-requisites for a Montana CPA License:
- Education - Bachelor’s degree with 150 semester hours
- Exam - Pass the Uniform CPA Exam with at least 75 points
- Experience - 1 year (at least 2000 hours) in accounting and/or auditing
- Ethics - Pass the AICPA Professional Ethics course with at least 90%
Note that there is no minimum age, residency, social security, or citizenship requirement to be met.
Education Requirements
You must earn 150 semester hours, including
- a baccalaureate degree with an accounting major or its equivalent from a nationally or regionally accredited institution
- at least 24 semester hours of accounting courses
- at least 24 semester hours of business-related courses
Exam Requirements
Candidates must pass all four CPA Exam sections within the rolling 18-month testing period. As specified above, they are required to score at least 75 points in each section. Please check out the Exam Requirements section for detailed information.
Experience Requirements
CPA Licensure candidates must gain one year (at least 2000 hours) of accounting and/or auditing experience. Here are more details.
| Particulars | Details |
| Qualified areas | Public Accounting, Industry, Government, and/or Academia |
| Required hours/time | A minimum of 2000 hours (one year) |
| Experience acquired | Within three years immediately before the license application date |
| Experience verification |
|
Ethics Requirements
Lastly, ensure to pass the AICPA-developed Professional Ethics for CPAs course with at least 90%. The details are outlined in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
| What to Study | Professional Ethics: AICPA’s Comprehensive Course |
| Type | Self-study course |
| Mode | Online and text version |
| Price | • AICPA members – $179 • Non-members –$189 |
| Topics covered | • AICPA Code of Professional Conduct • Conceptual framework • Principles of ethics and independence • Regulatory rulesImportance & organization process of the AICPA Code |
| How to Study | • Take the course • Purchase the online or text version of the course • Go through the learning material • Attend the exam |
| Minimum passing mark | 90% |
Licensing Fees
Submit your licensure application with the required fees to the Montana State Board.
| Particulars | Fees |
|---|---|
| Initial license | $150 |
| Reciprocal license | $200 |
| Transfer of grades from a substantially equivalent state for licensure | $200 |
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Montana CPA License holders must earn 120 CPA CPE credit hours every three years. They should earn credits through only the programs offered by the NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors.
Go through this brief checklist to know everything.
| Particulars | Details | |
| License Renewal Date | December 31 (Annually) | |
| CPE Reporting Period | January 1 – December 31 (Triennial Rolling) | |
| CPE Requirements | 120 CPE hours (3 years) | |
| Ethics Requirement | 2 hours (AICPA’s Professional Ethics Course) | |
| Other Requirements | 60 hours in technical fields (You may include the Ethics Requirement) | |
| Credit Limitations | Instruction | Maximum 60 hours |
| Published Materials | Maximum 30 hours | |
| Reviewer | Maximum 16 hours | |
| Technical Reviewer | Maximum 60 hours |
Credit Calculation
| Programs | CPE Hours | |
| Instruction | 1 Credit hour = Presentation + Preparation (maximum 2 times of presentation) | |
| Must be claimed once per course triennially | ||
| University/College Credit | 1 Semester Hour = 15 CPE Hours (Credit courses) | |
| 1 Classroom Hour = 1 Qualifying Hour (Non-credit courses) | ||
| Self-Study | CE Credits = Amount granted by the sponsor (for NASBA-recognized Sponsors) | |
| CE Credits = Half of the amount granted by the sponsor (for other Sponsors) | ||
| Partial Credit | Group programs & blended learning programs | At least 1 hour & then in 0.5 or 0.2 increments |
| Self-study | At least half credit initially & then in 0.5 of 0.2 increments | |
| Nano learning | At 1/5th credit hour |
Now that you know how to become a CPA in Montana start prepping up ASAP! First, devise an intelligent study schedule and equip yourself with suitable prep material. Then, take the CPA Exam and meet other state-specific requirements of Montana before applying for the license.
Remember to keep a tab on AICPA, NASBA, and the State Board website for updated information. Contact the concerned department in case of any queries. Once you attain the license, ensure its renewal and keep enjoying the rewards of being a CPA!
Montana CPA Exam Information & Resources
1. Montana Board of Public Accountants (Montana Department of Labor & Industry) (https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/)
Mailing Address:
Board of Public Accountants
PO Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Physical Address:
Board of Public Accountants
301 S. Park Avenue
4th Floor
Helena, MT 59620
Contact:
Ph: (406) 444-6880
2. Montana Society of CPAs (https://www.mscpa.org/)
46N Last Chance Gulch Ste 2D
PO Box 138
Helena, MT 59601/59624
3. AICPA (https://www.aicpa.org/)
Phone:
888-777-7077 (U.S. toll free)
+ 1 919 490 4300 (international)
Fax Server:
800-362-5066
Mailing Address:
AICPA
220 Leigh Farm Road
Durham, NC 27707-8110
4. NASBA CPA Licensing Services (https://nasba.org/)
NASBA Licensing Services
PO Box 198589
Nashville, TN 37219
Toll Free: (866) 350-0017
5. NASBA CPA Exam Services for Montana (https://nasba.org/)
Mail Inquiries:
Montana Coordinator
CPA Examination Services
PO Box 198469
Nashville, Tennessee 37219-8469
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