CPA exam and license requirements in District of Columbia
District of Columbia requires 120 semester credit hours to sit for the CPA exam. Licensure requires 150. Administered under the District of Columbia Board of Accountancy. Last reviewed 2026-08-10.
- Credit hours to sit
- 120
- Credit hours to license
- 150
- Exam fee per section
- $262.64
- Exam credit window
- 30 months
- State ethics requirement
- See below
How many credit hours do you need to sit for the CPA exam in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia requires 120 semester credit hours to sit for the CPA exam. Candidates in District of Columbia sit under the rules of the District of Columbia Board of Accountancy.
How many credit hours do you need for a CPA license in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia requires 150 semester credit hours for CPA licensure. That is 30 more than the 120 needed to sit, so candidates can begin testing before completing the licensure requirement.
How much does the CPA exam cost in District of Columbia?
The CPA exam in District of Columbia costs $262.64 per section, a $96 application fee, a $96 education evaluation fee. Four sections at $262.64 is $1,050.56 in section fees alone. These are District of Columbia board and NASBA fees and exclude review course costs and any re-take fees.
How long do you have to pass all four CPA exam sections in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia gives candidates a 30-month window to pass all four CPA exam sections. The clock starts when the first section is passed.
Does District of Columbia require a CPA ethics exam?
District of Columbia: No ethics exam is required for licensure; only 4 hours of ethics CPE are required at each biennial renewal.
What work experience is required for a CPA license in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia requires one year / 2,000 hours of experience earned over 1 to 3 years (within the 10 years before applying) in government, industry, academia, or public practice.
Who regulates CPAs in District of Columbia?
CPAs in District of Columbia are regulated by the District of Columbia Board of Accountancy. Its published requirements are at https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/board-accountancy.
Recent changes and notes for District of Columbia
- 120 semester hours to sit; 150 for licensure (the 150 requirement applies to those who graduated after January 1, 2000).
- On Dec 12, 2025 the Board began recognizing out-of-jurisdiction CPAs licensed via the bachelor's + 2-years-experience pathway as substantially equivalent for reciprocity.
- DC's own bachelor's + 2-year initial-licensure pathway remains pending before the DC Council and is not yet enacted.
- Exam eligibility and licensure are processed through NASBA / CPA Examination Services; biennial renewal by Dec 31 of even years.
Studying for the CPA exam
PocketCPA covers all six CPA exam sections with 5,443 questions, each cited to the specific standard or statute it tests, and 1,012 lesson pages written from primary source text. A full-length FAR mock exam is free and needs no account.
Source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/board-accountancy. Requirements change; confirm with the District of Columbia Board of Accountancy before applying.