Get Your First CPA License
To apply for your first Washington State CPA license as a Washington CPA Exam candidate, you will need to:
- Pass the CPA exam.
- Verify that your experience is qualified by completing an Experience Affidavit.
- The completed Experience Affidavit and a copy of your resume or summary of key job responsibilities must be uploaded to your application.
- Complete a course covering the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct (8 hour minimum course length) and achieve a score of 90% or better on the examination.
- The course purchased through the AICPA or WSCPA is titled: "Professional Ethics: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Comprehensive Course (For Licensure)."
- The course completion certificate with a score of 90% or better must be uploaded to your application.
- Watch the video, Washington CPA Essentials.
- Complete the required Continuing Professional Education (CPE), only if it has been more than four years since you passed the CPA exam.
- The CPE course completion certificates or other acceptable CPE documentation, as described in WAC 4-30-138, must be uploaded to your application.
- Review the example of your first CPE reporting period.
- Verify that you have met the good character requirements by answering the questions on your CPA license application.
- Complete and submit the license application through our online services. ***We strongly suggest you use a personal email address to set up your Secure Access Washington account.***
CPA licenses will not be issued between November 1 and December 31 due to the 20-hour minimum annual CPE requirement. Applications can be submitted, but will not be approved until the beginning of January.
You may not use the title CPA until your license has been posted in the Board's licensee search.
If you submit college or university transcripts and CPA exam scores and do not submit an application for initial licensure within two years, your documents will be administratively destroyed per our records retention schedule.
