New Jersey CPA exam application process
To sit for the CPA exam as a first-time four-part candidate in New Jersey, follow these steps: Before applying for the exam, evaluate your current credentials. You must be 18 years of age and you will need:
- A graduate degree in Accounting from a program that has been granted Level 3 accreditation by an association recognized by the State Board, or
- A graduate degree from a college of business that has been granted Level 2 accreditation by an association recognized by the State Board, to include at least 24 hours of accounting at the undergraduate level or 15 hours at the graduate level which included financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting, or
- A Bachelor's degree from a Level 2 accredited institution with 24 hours in accounting, to include courses in financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting, and 24 hours in general business courses at the undergraduate level, or
- A bachelor's degree, or higher, from a Level 1 accredited institution with 30 hours in accounting and 24 hours in general business courses per ##3 above.
If you meet the educational requirements, submit your application to the CPA Examination Services New Jersey Coordinator in Nashville, Tennessee. The application fee will be $225, the exam fees will total $743.20, and the process may take as long as eight weeks. Your name on the application should exactly match your name on your primary form of identification, which is usually your driver's license. At this time you should also begin planning your study approach by making inquiries into CPA reviews available in your area. The Becker CPA Review offers classes live, online or self-study to accommodate the needs of all candidates.
Contact any educational institutions attended and request that transcripts be forwarded to CPA Examination Services for their evaluation. Candidates who have obtained Accountancy Qualifying Certificates (AQC's) from the Bureau of Academic Credentials in Trenton should forward their original AQC's with their applications. They do not need to have transcripts forwarded to CPA Examination Services. If you do not expect any problems in processing your application it is best to make plans to start your review at this time. The Becker CPA Review will significantly increase your chances of passing the exam.
After receiving the required information, CPA Examination Services will issue your Authorization to Test (ATT) to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). You will receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS) which is good for six months; however, since every third is non-testing, the NTS covers four testing months.
Your NTS allows you to start scheduling your exams. You can sit for the exam parts in any sequence so you can plan your reviews to coincide with your exam scheduling. The most efficient approach is to sit for two parts in each exam window; however, exam fees paid for parts not taken are not refundable. Exam times are scheduled with Prometric and can be set up online at www.prometric.com/cpa . You can take the exam at a site in Clark, Deptford, Fairlawn, Toms River, Trenton, West Orange, or any other Prometric location that is convenient to you.