CPA / Accounting License from Arkansas to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) ↗
Yes — Texas recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Arkansas. 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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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Texas recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Arkansas 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 Arkansas. 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 changes, Arkansas → Texas
| Arkansas (current) | Texas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $50 ($50 non-refundable reciprocal license application fee (Rule 12.2); criminal background check fee paid separately; the annual License to Practice registration fee is $110) | $100 (reciprocal application fee; fingerprint vendor fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy does not publish a standard processing time for a reciprocal license | TSBPA does not publish a processing time; approval cannot be finalized until the fingerprint background check clears |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) | 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 ($100 (reciprocal application fee; fingerprint vendor fee paid separately)) and allow TSBPA does not publish a processing time; approval cannot be finalized until the fingerprint background check clears.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas accept a Arkansas CPA license?
Yes — Texas recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Arkansas. Apply to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Arkansas to Texas?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. 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..
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 Arkansas, practice privilege usually covers you with no Texas license, notice, or fee.
What does the Arkansas-to-Texas move cost?
$100 (reciprocal application fee; fingerprint vendor fee paid separately) (reciprocal application fee; fingerprint vendor fee paid separately).
Can I keep my Arkansas CPA license after licensing in Texas?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Arkansas 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 2026-07-21.
- 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 2026-07-21)
- NASBA — Substantial Equivalency and practice privilege (UAA Section 23; all 55 US jurisdictions substantially equivalent) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas Dept. of Labor and Licensing — State Board of Public Accountancy, Reciprocal License Information (license copy + photo ID, exam scores from home-state board, 40/120-hour CPE compliance, one-year/2,000-hour experience affidavit) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy — Rule 12 Fees (Reciprocal License $50; annual License to Practice $110; background-check fee separate) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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