jake123 wrote: Hi everyone, Which state requires the fewest accounting and business courses to be eligible to take the CPA exam? Maine? Maine seems to only require 150 credits with NO accounting/bus classes. New Hampshire? I searched the forums and NH seems to be popular too... Thank you! J

Delaware is 21 accounting credits, Califorinia is 24 credits in accounting and 24 in business, but seems that cali will take some of the finance classes if you have them.

Stay away from NY and PA, VA, DC, MD, NC, SC, FL.  try the US virgin islands also.

Try mid and western US also.

I don't recommend taking the exam though if you have not taken tax or some of the other main accounting classes though, or you will be having a hard time on the test, haha.  I personally am 1 accounting class short to the state I want to apply to, so I am going to try california and/or delaware.  I have about 155 credit hours + all the main accounting classes, except 1 extra.  So I am just 1 class short, but want to take some of the exam before 2011 starts.  Probably BEC, AUD and FAR, then REG in 2011. 

Looks like Maine y, all you need is a bachelors degree and you can sign up, haha thats crazy, I don't know how you can pass with that only.  You need the up to date accounting classes man, seriously.

I wish I knew why each state has such different accounting application guides.  So weird.  I know it depends on the board, etc, but still.

Here are the requirements for NH board. They are also moving towards 150 credits which includes 30 accounting credits plus bachelor's degree.

AFTER JANUARY 1, 2005

RSA 309-B: 5 III, (b) After January 1, 2005, at least 120 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule to be appropriate; provided however, that candidates for a certificate may sit for the examination described in RSA 309-B: 5  IV.  

You must also have a minimum of 12 credits in accounting and 12 credits in business. If you do not have enough accounting or business within the degree/s you may earn the hours needed at an accredited university or college.

AFTER JULY 1, 2014

2014 (For exam and certification-- please review the bold.

RSA 309-B: 5, III (c) On or after July 1, 2014, at least 150 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule to be appropriate; provided however, that candidates for a certificate may sit for the examination described in paragraph IV if they have at least 120 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule to be appropriate. The applicant’s degree (for obtaining a certificate) shall include 30 semester hours of accounting courses. The accounting credits shall include coverage in financial accounting auditing, taxation, and management accounting. In addition, the degree shall include, or be supplemented by, 24 semester hours of business courses other than accounting courses. These business courses may include but not be limited to coverage in the areas of business law, business information systems, finance, professional ethics, business organizations and economics.

What this means is that you may sit for the exam with the bachelors degree, the 120 credits, the 12 credits in accounting and 12 credits in business. However,  before certification can be awarded, you must obtain150 hours of educational credits with 30 hours in accounting and 24 hours in business.