Rhode Island (RI) CPA Exam Requirements

Rhode Island (RI) CPA Exam requirements state that you must be declared eligible for the CPA Exam and then licensed by the state. A candidate becomes eligible for the CPA Exam by meeting specific requirements that are determined by the board of accountancy for their specific jurisdiction. Below are the various Rhode Island CPA Exam requirements:

Rhode Island CPA Exam Education Requirements

Minimum education requirement

All CPA Exam candidates in Rhode Island must have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. In order to meet the Rhode Island CPA requirements for the exam, candidates are required to complete 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours in various course subjects, including:

• 24 semester hours in accounting
  • 6 semester hours in both fundamental accounting and intermediate financial accounting and reporting
  • 3 semester hours in each of the following:
    • Advanced financial accounting and reporting
    • Tax accounting
    • Auditing
• 24 semester hours in business courses (other than accounting courses)
  • Must include 3 semester hours in both business law and economics

Rhode Island CPA License Requirements

Minimum experience requirement

• One year (minimum of 1,820 hours) experience required.

• The applicant must demonstrate to the Board that they have obtained experience, verified and supervised by a licensee, consisting of providing any type of service or advice involving:
  • Accounting
  • Attestation
  • Management advisory
  • Financial advisory
  • Tax
  • Consulting skills

• The applicant must also show to the satisfaction of the Board that experience obtained has included all of the following:
  • Understanding of the Code of Professional Conduct promulgated and adopted by the Board of Accountancy as demonstrated by a grade of 90 or above in the Professional Ethics, the AICPA’s Comprehensive Course;
  • Ability to assess the achievement of an entity’s objectives by demonstrating knowledge of various business organizations, understanding of the objectives and goals of business entities, ability to develop and analyze performance measures and critical success factors, and understanding of the economic and regulatory trends that affect an entity’s environment;
  • Experience in preparing work papers that include sufficient relevant data to support the analysis and conclusions required by the applicant’s work
  • Experience in the preparation and analysis of financial statements together with explanations and notes thereon;
  • Understanding transaction streams and information systems, including the ability to understand how individual transactions aggregate at the organizational level, to infer how transactions impact the organization as a whole, and to evaluate the integrity and reliability of various client information systems, including relevant computer aspects.

• An applicant who has not achieved experience of the variety and diversity set forth above must bear the burden that the experience submitted is of sufficient quality and diversity that it fulfills the entry requirement objective as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-3.1-5(a)(5).
• The experience required under R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-3.1-5(a)(5) must consist solely of experience within activities generally performed by a licensee. 

Ethics exam

Understanding of the Code of Professional Conduct promulgated and adopted by the Board of Accountancy as demonstrated by a grade of 90 or above in the Professional Ethics, the AICPA’s Comprehensive Course.

Rhode Island CPA Exam Age/Residency Requirements

Age Minimum: None

• U.S. Citizenship Required: No
• Must be a resident, employee OR have office in the state? Yes

Rhode Island CPA Application Process

The CPA application process in Rhode Island involves the following steps:

1. Education Requirement:
   Candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. This must include specific coursework in accounting and business subjects, totaling 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours.
2. Apply for CPA Examination:
   Submit an application through NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) or the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy to determine eligibility to sit for the CPA Examination.
3. Transcript Submission:
   Arrange for official transcripts to be sent directly to NASBA or the Board from all educational institutions attended, confirming completion of required coursework.
4. Receive Notice to Schedule (NTS):
   Upon approval of the application, NASBA will issue a Notice to Schedule (NTS), allowing candidates to schedule and take the CPA Examination sections at Prometric testing centers.
5. Schedule and Take CPA Examination:
   Use the NTS to schedule and sit for the CPA Examination sections at a Prometric testing center within the designated timeframe.
6. Ethics Examination:
   Pass an ethics examination covering professional ethics and conduct, either integrated into the CPA Examination or administered separately as required by the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy.
7. Experience Requirement:
   Fulfill the professional experience requirement as specified by the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy. This typically involves verification by a licensed CPA.
8. Submit Experience Verification:
   Provide documentation verifying completion of the required professional experience to the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy.
9. CPA License Application:
   Once all CPA Examination sections are passed and experience requirements are met, submit an application for CPA licensure to the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy.
10. Receive CPA License:
    Upon approval of the application, receive your CPA license from the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy, enabling practice as a Certified Public Accountant in the state.
11. This structured process ensures that candidates meet Rhode Island’s requirements for becoming licensed CPAs, emphasizing educational attainment, examination competency, and professional experience.

Rhode Island CPA CPE Requirements

Rhode Island CPAs must renew their license every 3 years. The cycle occurs January 1 – December 31 triennially.

CPAs in Rhode Island must complete Continuing Professional Education (CPE) within the three calendar years preceding license renewal.

Each CPA is required to accumulate at least 120 CPE credit hours approved by the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy during this three-year period.

Self-study programs are capped at a maximum of 80 CPE hours for the reporting period.

Approved CPE subjects include accounting and auditing (such as governmental accounting and auditing), technical business topics (including business law, finance, and management advisory services), specialized knowledge and applications (like computer science and economics), taxes, personal development and marketing (covering areas such as communications and human resources), and ethics (both behavioral and regulatory).

These requirements ensure CPAs maintain proficiency in relevant fields and adhere to ethical standards essential for professional practice.

Rhode Island CPA Exam Fees

For more information, visit:

Official State of Rhode Island – Dept. of Business Regulation