Colorado Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensing Requirements
The B.S. in Accounting degree and M.S. in Accounting degree from Regis University provide pathways toward a career as a CPA.
Requirements to become a licensed CPA in Colorado*:
- Successful completion of all four parts of the CPA exam
- Completion of 150 semester hours (including a baccalaureate degree)
- 1,800 hours of qualifying work experience
- Completion of a written ethics exam on the Code of Professional Conduct
Education Requirements to sit for the CPA Examination**:
- A bachelor’s degree or higher and 120 semester hours
- Twenty-seven total semester hours of non-duplicative accounting course work.
- Twenty-one of these hours must be above the introductory 100-level.
- Of the 21 semester hours, three semester hours must include an auditing course concentrating on US GAAS (Generally Accepted Auditing Standards).
- Twenty-one total semester hours of non-duplicative business administration course work and no more than 6 semester hours can be in any single subject area. Hours in excess of the 6-hour maximum may count toward the 120-hour requirement.
- Twenty-one of these hours must be above the introductory 100-level.
To apply for a CPA license:
- A bachelor’s degree or higher plus 30 additional hours (150 total hours)
- Thirty-three total semester hours of non-duplicative accounting course work. Twenty-seven of these hours must be above the introductory 100-level. Students must have earned a course grade of C (or equivalent) or greater in these courses.
- Six of these hours must be in auditing, which must include a three-semester-hour or more course concentrating on US GAAS
- (example courses: AC 4800, AC 4830, AC 4850 or AC 6050, AC 6140, AC 6190)
- Three of these hours must be in accounting or business ethics
- (example courses: AC 4910 or AC 6910)
- Six of these hours must be in auditing, which must include a three-semester-hour or more course concentrating on US GAAS
- Twenty-seven total semester hours of non-duplicative business administration course work, which includes courses at Regis with a prefix of
- (example courses: BA, EC, FIN, HR, MGT, MKT, PM)
- No more than 9 semester hours can be in any single subject area. Hours in excess of the 9-hour maximum may count toward the 150-hour requirement.
*Visit the Colorado State Board of Accountancy for more details and the most current information. Refer to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for details about requirements in other states.
**Students should consult with an accounting faculty member and an Academic Success Coach to ensure they take the courses needed to prepare for the CPA exam.