18VAC5-22-70. Education.
A. In order for a person to take the CPA examination through Virginia, the person must have obtained from one or more accredited institutions at least 120 semester hours of education, a baccalaureate or higher degree, and an accounting concentration or equivalent prior to taking any part of the CPA examination.
B. For the purpose of complying with subsection A of this section and with subdivision A 1 a of § 54.1-4409.2 of the Code of Virginia, obtaining an accounting concentration or equivalent requires obtaining at a minimum:
1. 24 semester hours of accounting courses that must include courses in auditing, financial accounting, accounting information systems, and taxation; and
2. 24 semester hours of business courses, no more than six semester hours of which could be considered accounting courses.
No more than three semester hours of introductory or foundational accounting courses can be considered in determining whether a person has obtained the 48 minimum number of semester hours required for an accounting concentration or equivalent. A person who has passed the CPA examination in a state other than Virginia and who has met the educational requirements of that state will be deemed to have obtained an accounting concentration or equivalent if the requirements of that state are substantially equivalent as defined in § 54.1-4411 of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-4402 and 54.1-4403 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 24, eff. September 16, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 23, eff. August 9, 2017; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021; Volume 40, Issue 13, eff. March 28, 2024.