Exam candidates should review the education requirements and the exam application steps before applying to take the exam in Virginia. To apply, candidates will create an online account first, submit an application and send official transcripts. Due to the VBOA retention schedule, transcripts provided will only be archived for three calendar years from the date the application is submitted.
All CPA exam candidates must provide a U.S. Social Security number or control number issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to apply.
BEC NTS EXPIRATION: Any BEC NTS issued expired Dec. 15, 2023, the last day that section was offered. No BEC NTS can be extended beyond that date. It is not refundable or transferrable to another section.
Transcripts
All required coursework and degree conferral must be shown on official transcripts. Official transcripts can be mailed directly from the institution to the VBOA or mailed to the CPA candidate in a sealed envelope with the institution’s official signature or seal overlaying the flap of the envelope. The VBOA will not accept any envelope that is opened or appears to have been opened. The VBOA will also accept official electronic transcripts sent directly to boa@boa.virginia.gov by the institution or their elected transcript provider service.
Prior to requesting an official transcript, please confirm with the institution that all required coursework and the degree conferral, if applicable, has been posted to the transcript.
Payment coupon
The payment coupon notification is available in the online National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Candidate portal for the sections of the exam requested when applying online. The payment coupon is valid online for six months from the issue date and must be paid to NASBA in order to receive an NTS (Notice to Schedule).
Payment coupons are generally available to candidates online within three to five business days after the initial application approval is transmitted to NASBA. All subsequent payment coupon requests are generally available to candidates in the NASBA Candidate portal within 48 hours after the request is transmitted to NASBA. Candidates will login to their NASBA Candidate portal to view the documents. Files are processed and transmitted to NASBA the day after an application for taking an exam section is submitted.
Scheduling the exam
Candidates are not scheduling the actual date of the exam section when submitting an online application. Date selection will be made by the candidate after receipt of the NTS.
The NTS provides detailed information to the candidate on how to contact a Prometric testing center and schedule the appointment to sit for the exam section. The NTS notification is also available online in the NASBA Candidate portal after payment is made through the payment coupon. An NTS is valid for 12 months from the issue date.
Re-exam
Candidates who have previously received a payment coupon for an exam section or sat for any part of the CPA exam are considered re-exam candidates.
Special accommodations
Special accommodations can be requested under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The request is reviewed and must be approved by the VBOA before the exam application can be processed. The candidate must submit documentation from an appropriately licensed health care professional that includes a diagnosis of the disability, along with a specific recommendation and justification for the requested modifications.
The evaluation should be no more than three years prior to the examination and it should include a history of previous accommodations. The ADA accommodations request cannot be processed until all required documents are received.
The VBOA is not responsible for any costs necessary to obtain the required diagnosis, recommendation and documentation; however, the VBOA will be responsible for reasonable costs associated with necessary accommodations.
