AN ACT TO MODIFY THE EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION AS A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 93‑12 reads as rewritten:

§ 93‑12.  Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners.

The name of the State Board of Accountancy is hereby changed to State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners and said name State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners is hereby substituted for the name State Board of Accountancy wherever the latter name appears or is used in Chapter 93 of the General Statutes. Said Board is created as an agency of the State of North Carolina and shall consist of seven members to be appointed by the Governor, five persons to be holders of valid and unrevoked certificates as certified public accountants issued under the provisions of this Chapter and two persons who are not certified public accountants who shall represent the interest of the public at large. Members of the Board shall hold office for the term of three years and until their successors are appointed. Appointments to the Board shall be made under the provisions of this Chapter as and when the terms of the members of the present State Board of Accountancy expire; provided, that all future appointments to said Board shall be made for a term of three years expiring on the thirtieth day of June. All Board members serving on June 30, 1980, shall be eligible to complete their respective terms. No member appointed to a term on or after July 1, 1980, shall serve more than two complete consecutive terms. The powers and duties of the Board shall be as follows:

…

(5)        To issue certificates of qualification admitting to practice as certified public accountants, each applicant who, having the qualifications herein specified, has passed an examination to the satisfaction of the Board, in accounting, auditing, business law, and other related subjects.

A person is eligible to take the examination given by the Board, or to receive a certificate of qualification to practice as a certified public accountant, if the person is a citizen of the United States, has declared the intention of becoming a citizen, is a resident alien, or is a citizen of a foreign jurisdiction which extends to citizens of this State like or similar privileges to be examined or certified, is 18 years of age or over, and is of good moral character.

To be eligible to take the examination given by the Board, a person shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the person holds a bachelors bachelor's or higher degree from a college or university that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations or from a college or university determined by the Board to have standards that are substantially equivalent to a regionally accredited institution. The degree studies shall include a concentration in accounting as prescribed by the Board or shall be supplemented with courses that are determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent to a concentration in accounting.

The Board may, in its discretion, waive the education requirement of any candidate if the Board is satisfied from the result of a special written examination given the candidate by the Board to test the candidate's educational qualifications that the candidate is as well qualified as if the candidate met the education requirements specified above. The Board may provide by regulation for the general scope of such examinations and may obtain such advice and assistance as it deems appropriate to assist it in preparing, administering and grading such special examinations.

To be eligible to receive a certificate of qualification to practice as a certified public accountant, a person shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that:

a.         The person meets one of the following educational requirements:

1.         The person has completed 150 semester hours and received a bachelors bachelor's or higher degree with a concentration in accounting and other courses that the Board may require from a college or university that is accredited by a regional accrediting association or from a college or university determined by the Board to have standards that are substantially equivalent to those of a regionally accredited institution.

2.         The person has received a bachelor's degree with a concentration in accounting and other courses that the Board may require from a college or university that is either accredited by a regional accrediting association or determined by the Board to have standards substantially equivalent to those of a regionally accredited institution.

b.         The person has the endorsement as to the person's eligibility of three certified public accountants who currently hold licenses in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

c.         The person has one of the following:

1.         One year's Only as to those persons applying for a certificate based on the educational requirements of sub‑sub‑subdivision 1. of sub‑subdivision a. of this subdivision, one year of experience in the field of accounting under the direct supervision of a certified public accountant who currently holds a valid license in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

1a.       Only as to those persons applying for a certificate based on the educational requirements of sub‑sub‑subdivision 2. of sub‑subdivision a. of this subdivision, two years of experience in the field of accounting under the direct supervision of a certified public accountant who currently holds a valid license in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

2.         Four years of experience teaching accounting in a four‑year college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations or in a college or university determined by the Board to have standards substantially equivalent to a regionally accredited institution.

3.         Four years of experience in the field of accounting.

4.         Four years of experience teaching college transfer accounting courses at a community college or technical institute accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations.

5.         Any combination of such experience determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent to the foregoing.

The Board may permit persons otherwise eligible to take its examinations and withhold certificates until the person has had the required experience.

….

SECTION 1.(b)  The State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2026.