If you are an accountant or are thinking about becoming one, you should look into the qualifications in your state for the profession’s highest license: the Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Nebraska, like every other state, has its own set of rules. This article serves as your reference for exam requirements of CPA in Nebraska, and for the most up-to-date information, always contact Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy. Here’s how to become a Certified Public Accountant in Nebraska:
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Residency, regularly employed or have a place of business in Nebraska required? | Yes |
Credit Hours to sit for the CPA Exam | 150 |
Credit Hours in Upper-level Accounting course to sit for the CPA Exam | 30 |
Credit Hours in General Business course to sit for the CPA Exam | 30 |
Bachelor’s Required to sit for the CPA Exam? | Yes |
Ethics Exam Required? | Yes |
Work Experience Required | 1 – 3 Years |
Required CPE Hours Every Two Years | 80 |
Nebraska has no age restrictions for CPAs, however, it does require that you have a Social Security number and live in the state. You must be a Nebraska resident, habitually employed in Nebraska, or have a place of business in Nebraska; you do not need to be a U.S. citizen, but the state will need you to pass an Ethics exam.
To meet the Nebraska CPA education requirements, Nebraska is one of several states that require you to have completed at least 150 semester (225 quarter) hours of postsecondary academic credit and a baccalaureate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university to include:
At the time of application, all educational prerequisites must be met. After completing your study, you will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. You must send authentic transcripts from every college you have attended, even if you just took one course. Official school transcripts must be sent to CPAES by you or the academic institution, and international evaluations must be sent directly to CPAES from the assessment provider.
Official transcripts are those that have been issued by the Registrar’s Office of the institution and bear the official seal of the Registrar. Your official transcript must include your degree. If the transcripts are official, they may be sent electronically. This service is not available at all schools. For more information, contact your local Registrar’s office.
If an email address is required for electronic distribution, please send it to etranscript@nasba.org. Some registrars can deliver official transcripts electronically, but if they cannot, mail the sealed envelope containing your transcripts to:
Transcript photocopies are not authentic and will not be accepted. Please keep in mind that if you haven’t applied yet when you submit your transcripts, your educational records will be kept on file for a year. After that time, the documents will be destroyed, and you will be required to resubmit new educational documents when you apply.
If you took classes at a campus outside the United States for a school in the United States, the official transcript must be provided by the registrar at the United States campus. Transcripts issued by the registrar of a campus outside the United States will not be accepted.
Once all educational requirements have been satisfied you must:
Furthermore, you should be aware that:
If you have completed education requirements at accredited institution outside the United States, you must have your educational credentials (including certificates of completion) evaluated by NASBA International Evaluation Services or any member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
Please allow two to four weeks from the date your file was completed (when your application, fees, and all other needed paperwork were received) for your application to be processed. Unless otherwise specified, you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application. This notification is simply intended to serve as an acknowledgment of receipt of the application.
After completing the eligibility requirements for the Nebraska CPA exam requirements, you are now qualified to sit for the CPA exam. Make certain that you are as prepared as possible. Applicants frequently have to retake all or a portion of the exam before passing it. You could look for non-credit commercial preparatory classes or self-study modules that you can work on at your own pace.
When your transcripts are accepted, you will be notified to schedule an appointment (NTS). The NTS specifies the section(s) for which the candidate has been approved, as well as the testing deadline. Without a valid NTS, it is impossible to organize a CPA exam appointment.
You have six months from the date of receipt of the NTS to arrange and take at least one portion of the four-part exam. If you do not complete one section of the test within that time frame, you must reapply and pay the application cost.
When you have your NTS, contact Thomson Prometric to organize your test appointment at your leisure. Prometric handles all scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation of testing appointments. You can make an appointment by phone or online, and you will be issued a confirmation number.
CPAES advises double-checking your appointment date and time on the internet. The appointment will last 30 minutes longer than the examination. This time is set out for sign-in and the exit survey.
Just as the exam is so difficult, you may encounter people who wish to study in groups to prepare. Nonetheless, you will be expected to demonstrate mastery of the following four components of accounting:
The CPA exam consists of the three core sections and candidates would need to select one of the three discipline to demonstrate deeper skills and knowledge, allowing candidates to choose a specialization.
You may take the required test sections in any order, but you must pass all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination within an 18-month period beginning on the date the first examination section completed was taken. All components must be passed within the 18-month term. Any exam taken outside of the 18-month timeframe will result in a loss of credit.
Many CPA exam candidates choose to purchase a CPA review course to help them prepare for the content on the exams. Most of the time, the concepts on the exam were spread out over multiple different accounting courses, meaning you are unlikely to remember everything from your undergraduate degree. These courses can be costly, making it important to thoroughly evaluate each one, however, some of the popular CPA review courses are:
These review courses mimic the content and layout of the exam through multiple choice questions and simulations, which is important to boost confidence and success going into each exam.
The Nebraska CPA exam cost consists of four main fees: the education evaluation application of $185, a $344.80 per CPA exam section totaling $1,379.20 for all four sections, the active permit to practice fee of $175, and the renewal fee of $175.
Education Evaluation Application Fee | $105.00 |
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) | $344.80 |
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | $344.80 |
Regulation (REG) | $344.80 |
Disciplines (ISC, TCP, or BAR) | $344.80 |
Total for all 4 CPA Exam Sections | $1,379.20 |
Active Permit to Practice Fee | $175.00 |
Active Permit Renewal Application Fee | $175.00 |
When you proceed to the test center, you must bring your NTS to the Test Center or you will not be accepted. Bring two kinds of acceptable identification, as specified on the NTS. If you have any questions or concerns after finishing your examination, please contact NASBA’s Candidate Care Department through email at candidatecare@nasba.org. If you have any queries about the exam’s content, please contact the AICPA by fax at 201-938-3443.
Prometric will send your result file to the AICPA for scoring at the conclusion of your testing event. The AICPA will next grade your exam and send the advisory score to NASBA, and NASBA will match your score to your candidate record, generate a score notice, and send it to CPAES. CPAES will confirm that the material is complete and accurate before releasing the scores to applicants via www.nasba.org and the U. S. mail.
You may take the requisite test portions in any sequence, but you must pass all four components of the examination within a rolling 18-month period beginning on the day the first examination section was passed.
Credit for any passed portion will be valid for 18 months from the date the examination sections were taken. Exam credit expires in sections. You will lose credit for any sections completed after the 18-month time has expired, and you will have to retake those sections.
To meet the Nebraska CPA ethics exam requirements, candidates must complete the course Professional Ethics: The AICPA’s Comprehensive Course (For Licensure) and examination prepared by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The exam is open-book and must be passed with a score of 90% or higher. Candidates must also complete the NBPA Ethics Exam available through the state board website.
To meet the Nebraska CPA experience requirements, candidates will have to comply depending on the three types of experience that can be submitted for a Permit to Practice in Nebraska.
Regardless of which type of experience the candidate has, they must be supervised by an active CPA (in any state) the whole time. It is acceptable to combine different types of experience, however, in doing so, the experience requirement increases to 3 years. Only experience earned within the last 10 years will be considered.
Applicants in Nebraska must complete the following qualifications in order to obtain a certified public accountant license:
All individuals who possess a current permit to practice public accounting are expected to meet the continuing education requirements.
To renew your Active Permit to Practice, you must have completed 80 hours of CPE (including 4 hours of ethics) within the previous two calendar years. CPE must be earned by December 31st of the year preceding renewal and reported by January 31st of the following year.
Please keep in mind that Nebraska State Board Course Approval letters DO NOT constitute a certificate of completion or attendance. Also, there are NO CPE requirements for obtaining an initial practice permit. However, evidence of completion of 80 approved CPE hours during the two calendar years preceding renewal is required for the renewal of a practicing permit.
Before acquiring your practice permit, you should consider how/if you will meet the CPE criteria for permit renewal. AICPA Professional Ethics may not be used to fulfill the four hours of ethics required for permit renewal if taken for the certificate requirement.
Here are some commonly asked questions regarding Nebraksa’s CPA exam and CPA licensure requirements.
As for the state of Nebraska, you must pass all four parts of the exam within an 18-month period starting on the day you completed the first one. Any passed component will be recognized for 18 months from the date the examination sections were completed. In sections, exam credit expires. Any portions completed after the 18-month period has passed will lose credit, and you will have to retake them.
You must first fulfill the academic criteria, which include completing four years of college study. Take and pass the Uniform CPA exam in the state where you want to work. You have 18 months to complete all four parts of the exam. Meet the state’s two-year work experience requirement. Obtaining a CPA license in Nebraska will take approximately 6-7 years.
Nebraska, like every other state, has its unique set of CPA exam requirements. You must first determine whether you are eligible to take the exam in Nebraska by providing your Social Security number and a valid address in the state. You must also complete at least 150 semester hours of college coursework to meet the state’s educational requirements. You are now eligible to sit for the CPA test in Nebraska after meeting the eligibility conditions. The experience requirement is the final requirement for the Nebraska CPA test. Prior to license, the state requires two years of experience, although other states just require one.
All educational qualifications in Nebraska must be satisfied at the time of application. You will be eligible to appear for the CPA exam once you have completed your courses. Even if you just took one course, you must send official transcripts from every college you have attended. You or your academic institution must send official school transcripts to CPAES, and overseas assessments must be sent directly to CPAES from the assessment source.
If an email address is necessary for electronic delivery, submit it to etranscript@nasba.org; otherwise, mail your transcripts in a sealed envelope to:
CPA Examination Services – NE
P.O. Box 198469
Nashville, TN 37219
Wait two to four weeks after submitting your application for it to be processed.
CPA applicants in Nebraska must have at least a bachelor’s degree and 150 semester (225 quarter) hours of postsecondary academic credit, with 30 semester (45 quarter) hours allocated to accounting and another 30 semester (45 quarter) hours committed to business courses.
You must pass the AICPA Professional Ethics exam for CPAs after passing the CPA Exam (AICPA). You must score 90 percent or above on the open-book exam. The AICPA distributes advisory scores. The Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy determines whether you will receive credit for a passing grade.
All first-time applicants in Nebraska must pay a $105.00 education evaluation application fee as well as a $344.80 examination cost for each section.