Virginia adds additional path to CPA licensure

Virginia, Pennsylvania and Minnesota made headway this week in adding alternative paths to CPA licensure.

The Virginia House and Senate passed legislation Monday, backed by the Virginia Society of CPAs, that creates an additional pathway to licensure and ensures practice mobility for out-of-state CPAs, effective Jan. 1, 2026. This makes it the second state, behind Ohio, to create a new CPA pathway.

HB 2042 and SB 1042 allow CPA candidates to achieve licensure with a baccalaureate degree with the required accounting coursework, two years of experience and passing the CPA exam. Candidates can still follow the older pathway, which entails 150 hours of education, one year of experience and passing the exam, but “the new path allows accountants to opt for more real-world experience rather than take an additional 30 hours of education,” according to a news release.

“Increasing the options accountants have to become licensed has been a major focus of the VSCPA and the profession nationwide,” VSCPA president and CEO Stephanie Peters said in a statement. “With declining college enrollments and new majors like data analytics, the competition to attract students to the accounting profession is strong. Corporations can’t run without finance teams, and businesses rely on their CPAs for valuable tax planning and strategic advice. It’s crucial we develop new ways to get accountants licensed as CPAs to become the trusted business advisors that help keep our economy running.”

The VSCPA worked with Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Fairfax, with support from VSCPA member and Del. Joe McNamara, CPA, R-Roanoke. Both bills passed the full General Assembly unanimously. The VSCPA does not currently see any barriers to Gov. Glenn Youngkin singing the legislation. 

Pennsylvania and Minnesota

Pennsylvania introduced a Senate bill to add an extra pathway to CPA licensure, allowing CPA candidates to achieve licensure with 120 college credits, two years of relevant work experience verified by a Pennsylvania CPA and passing the CPA exam. The existing pathway requiring 150 credits is still available for candidates.

“At a time when the accounting profession faces a variety of pipeline challenges, it is crucial to create innovative pathways that meet the needs of today’s workforce while safeguarding the public trust and high standards that define the CPA designation,” PICPA CEO Jennifer Cryder said in a statement.

“We believe these updates are critical to the future of the accounting profession,” she added. “By working together with our stakeholders, we can modernize licensure laws without compromising the core principles that define the CPA profession.”

The initial memo introducing the bill was led by Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-Venango, and Sen. Nick Pisciottano, CPA-inactive, D-Allegheny. A companion bill is set to be introduced in the state House by Rep. Ben Sanchez, D-Montgomery, and Rep. Keith Greiner, CPA, R-Lancaster.

Meanwhile, Minnesota introduced a Senate bill to add two more pathways to licensure, which would allow CPA candidates to achieve licensure with a bachelor’s degree along with two years of general work experience and passing the CPA exam, or a master’s degree with one year of experience and passing the exam.

The legislation also ensures automatic practice mobility and changes regulations to make the Minnesota State Board of Accountancy the entity determining substantial equivalency, not NASBA’s National Quality Appraisal Service.

A companion bill in the Minnesota House is expected to be introduced later this week.