CPA / Accounting License from Arizona to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Texas accept an Arizona CPA license?
Yes — Texas recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Arizona. Apply to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full reciprocity
Texas recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Arizona CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Arizona. What remains is Texas-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Texas ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Texas is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What's different between Arizona and Texas
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Texas. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Arizona to Texas (this page): Full reciprocity.
Texas to Arizona (the reverse move): Full reciprocity.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Arizona matter?
Coming from Arizona does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Texas.
- Application fee
Texas lists $100 for an out-of-state applicant and Arizona lists $100 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Education (semester hours)
Texas's first-time-applicant standard is 150 semester hours of education for initial licensure; Arizona's is 150.
The two standards are the same.
- Exam rules on record
Texas and Arizona carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Texas (this move): The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is confirmed through the letter of good standing from your current board. Texas additionally requires a board-approved 4-credit ethics course and passage of an open-book examination on the Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Arizona (the reverse move): The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is accepted through the existing substantially-equivalent license (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Arizona separately requires applicants for certification to show a passing score of 90% or higher on a professional ethics examination (the AICPA ethics exam) taken within the two years immediately preceding application.
What changes, Arizona → Texas
| Arizona (current) | Texas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Education (semester hours) | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $100 ($100 application fee; a separate biennial registration fee (statutory $100-$300; recently set at $275) is due upon approval to activate the certificate; fee waivers available for low-income applicants and qualifying military spouses/veterans) | $100 (reciprocal application fee; fingerprint vendor fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | The Arizona State Board of Accountancy does not publish a standard processing time for certification by reciprocity | TSBPA does not publish a processing time; approval cannot be finalized until the fingerprint background check clears |
| Licensing authority | Arizona State Board of Accountancy | Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Texas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Texas's current requirements on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a CPA license in good standing from another US jurisdiction (letter of good standing required).
- Complete a Texas board-approved 4-credit ethics course within the last six months.
- Pass the open-book examination on the Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Fingerprint-based FBI and Texas DPS background check.
- Meet Texas CPE requirements scaled to length of prior licensure (up to 120 hours).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Arizona to Texas?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license.
Do I need a Texas license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Texas becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Texas clients from Arizona, practice privilege usually covers you with no Texas license, notice, or fee.
Can I keep my Arizona CPA license after licensing in Texas?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Arizona license active (its renewal and CPE run separately) and mobility covers the states where you hold none.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified Arizona 2026-07-21, Texas 2026-10-29.
- TSBPA — Reciprocal Application ($100 fee, exam not retaken, 4-credit ethics course within six months, open-book Rules of Professional Conduct exam, letter of good standing, fingerprint background check, tiered CPE up to 120 hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NASBA — Substantial Equivalency and practice privilege (UAA Section 23; all 55 US jurisdictions substantially equivalent) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TSBPA — New Pathway for CPA Exam and Certification (Pathway B effective August 1, 2026; bachelor's degree, 120 semester hours, two years of CPA-supervised experience) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arizona State Board of Accountancy — Reciprocity (certificate of reciprocity by substantial equivalency; $100 application fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- A.R.S. 32-721 (issuance of certificate; reciprocity/substantial equivalency; exam not retaken; alternative experience pathways) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona State Board of Accountancy — Certification FAQs (professional ethics exam 90% within two years preceding application) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources Arizona 2026-07-21, Texas 2026-10-29
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