• Virginia has specific requirements for CPAs.Accounting and finances image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  Certified Public Accountants assist clients with financial matters. CPAs help individuals, businesses, government entities and not-for-profit organizations with tax preparation, budgeting and cost management, payroll calculation and distribution, retirement funds and investments. Becoming a CPA requires fulfilling the three "E" requirements: Education, Examination and Experience. The state of Virginia's CPA requirements include a bachelor's degree, passing the Uniform CPA examination and a minimum one year full-time accounting experience.
  
  

Bachelor's Degree

• Certified public accountants in the state of Virginia are required to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Candidates typically major in business, accounting, economics, finance or a similar subject. Although bachelor's degrees are typically granted after the completion of 120 credits, the Virgina Board of Accountancy requires CPA applicants to have 150 college-level credits for certification eligibility. Some colleges or universities have specially designed curriculum for students who need additional credits for an accounting career while other students earn a master's degree to meet the extended credit requirement.
  
  

Coursework

• In addition to the 150 credit hour requirement, Virginia CPA candidates are required to submit proof of passing specific courses. Applicants must have passed 30 credit hours of accounting classes, including financial or intermediate accounting, management/ cost accounting, auditing and taxation. Applicants are also required to have passed 24 credit hours of business courses, either as an undergraduate or graduate student.
  
  

Examination

• The Virginia Board of Accountancy requires all CPA applicants sit for the Uniform CPA examination. The exam has four sections: Auditing and Attestation, Business Environment and Concepts, Financial Accounting and Reporting and Regulation. Students may take the sections in any particular order. The test sections may only be taken during an open exam window. Windows are open during the following months: January- February, April- May, July- August and October- November. Examinees may take as many sections as they wish during an open window but may not take any section more than once during the same examination window.
  
  

Experience

• Virginia CPA applicants are also required to fulfill an experience requirement. Applicants must submit proof of having worked for at least 2,000 hours over a period of no less than one year (full time) and no more than three years (part time) in accounting or a similar field. Acceptable experience constitutes working in government, academia, public accounting or industry in an accounting, financial, management, tax, consulting or advisory capacity. Experience must be verified by a CPA.
  
  

Fee Requirements

• Individuals applying for a CPA license in Virginia are must pay certain fees before certification. Applicants are required to pay an initial application fee of $120, as well as a separate examination fee for each of the four sections. The examination fees breakdown as follows: Auditing and Attestation: $230.55. Business Environment and Concepts: $180.95. Financial Accounting and Reporting: $218.15. Regulation: $193.35.