If you want to become a CPA in Oklahoma, you have to be aware of the state licensing regulations for accountants. You don't have to be a certified public accountant to work in this state, but if you want the higher credentials, make sure you check the regulations as there have been some changes made since the passing of a Senate bill in 2004. Accountants that have this certification earn a higher salary than those without it and have more possibilities for advancing in their career.
In order to become an accountant in Oklahoma, you must hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited university. You do have to look at the courses work for this degree to ensure that it meets the requirements for the Oklahoma CPA exam. Your degree program should include 150 semester hours of work related to finance and business and at least thirty-six of those hours must be in accounting courses. Since the passing of the 2004 bill, you now only need thirty hours of accounting courses if you have at least one year of work experience. Three semester hours translates into one university course, which makes it easier to determine how many courses you need to take.
There are also specifications regarding the accounting courses you take in university. To meet the requirements of the Oklahoma CPA exam, you must have at least one hour of auditing class and nine hours must be in courses related to business and management. You must also be a resident of Oklahoma with no criminal records in your background. During your year of experience, you need to have a total of no less than 1800 hours of work. Your employer must verify this, but the employer must be a certified public accountant. There are also regulations regarding the type of experience you have. It must include work in auditing, attesting, taxation related work and general accounting duties.
The Oklahoma CPA exam is a fourteen-hour comprehensive exam consisting of four separate sections. This does not mean you have to spend a fourteen-hour stretch taking the exam. You take each of the four sections separately, wait for your score and then move on to studying for the next section if you pass the previous one. This exam is very difficult and less than half the accountants who take it succeed on their first attempt. You can take only one or two exams in a three-month period and if you fail a section, you have to wait three months before you can retake it.
75% is the passing score on this exam. The topics included on the exam to become an Oklahoma CPA are:
- Auditing and Attestation
- Regulations
- Business Environment and Concepts
- Financial Accounting and Reporting
