CPA exam and license requirements in Kansas

Kansas requires 120 semester credit hours to sit for the CPA exam. Licensure requires 150. Administered under the Kansas 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 Kansas?

Kansas requires 120 semester credit hours to sit for the CPA exam. Candidates in Kansas sit under the rules of the Kansas Board of Accountancy.

How many credit hours do you need for a CPA license in Kansas?

Kansas 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 Kansas?

The CPA exam in Kansas 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 Kansas 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 Kansas?

Kansas gives candidates a 30-month window to pass all four CPA exam sections. The clock starts when the first section is passed.

Does Kansas require a CPA ethics exam?

Kansas: Pass the AICPA Professional Ethics exam (or an equivalent recognized from California, Colorado, or Texas) before the Kansas certificate is issued.

What work experience is required for a CPA license in Kansas?

Kansas requires one year of accounting experience verified by an actively licensed CPA for the 150-hour and master's pathways; the new bachelor's-only pathway requires two years.

Who regulates CPAs in Kansas?

CPAs in Kansas are regulated by the Kansas Board of Accountancy. Its published requirements are at https://ksboa.kansas.gov.

Recent changes and notes for Kansas

• Two-tier state: a CPA certificate is issued after the exam, then a separate permit to practice after the experience requirement; only permit holders may serve the public.
• Residency required to sit: must be a Kansas resident or permanently employed by a Kansas public accounting firm.
• HB 2573 (effective April 23, 2026) added a third pathway: bachelor's + accounting concentration (no 150-hour requirement) + 2 years experience.
• A bachelor's degree (about 120 hours) with an accounting concentration is sufficient to sit; 150 hours remains the traditional licensure route.

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://ksboa.kansas.gov/faqs. Requirements change; confirm with the Kansas Board of Accountancy before applying.