CPA / Accounting License from California to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) ↗
Yes — Virginia recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including California. Apply to the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Virginia recognizes substantial equivalency, so your California CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from California. What remains is Virginia-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Virginia ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Virginia is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, California → Virginia
| California (current) | Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $650 ($250 initial application fee + $400 initial license fee (due on approval) = $650; $49 hard-copy fingerprint processing fee billed separately (Live Scan)) | $75 (non-refundable application fee for an out-of-state / reciprocal applicant) |
| Processing time | The CBA does not publish a fixed processing time; licensure cannot be completed until transcripts, transferred exam grades, experience verification, and fingerprint clearance are received | VBOA does not publish a total processing time; it states each submitted document is reviewed within 2-5 business days before the online checklist updates |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Accountancy (CBA) | Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Virginia's current requirements on the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active CPA license in good standing from a substantially equivalent US jurisdiction.
- Create a VBOA online account and apply for a Virginia license.
- Request a Verification of Licensure be sent from the issuing state or jurisdiction.
- Be current with CPE in the issuing jurisdiction.
- Pay the fees ($75 (non-refundable application fee for an out-of-state / reciprocal applicant)) and allow VBOA does not publish a total processing time; it states each submitted document is reviewed within 2-5 business days before the online checklist updates.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Virginia accept a California CPA license?
Yes — Virginia recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including California. Apply to the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from California to Virginia?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is never retaken; passage is confirmed by requesting a Verification of Licensure from the issuing jurisdiction (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Virginia imposes no state rules exam and, since October 28, 2022, the VBOA no longer requires the AICPA professional ethics course for applicants coming in through substantial equivalency..
Do I need a Virginia license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Virginia becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Virginia clients from California, practice privilege usually covers you with no Virginia license, notice, or fee.
What does the California-to-Virginia move cost?
$75 (non-refundable application fee for an out-of-state / reciprocal applicant) (non-refundable application fee for an out-of-state / reciprocal applicant).
Can I keep my California CPA license after licensing in Virginia?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the California 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.
- Virginia Board of Accountancy — License reciprocity (substantial equivalency; AICPA ethics no longer required for SE applicants as of 10/28/2022) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Virginia Board of Accountancy — Fees ($75 application fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Virginia Board of Accountancy — Processing timelines (2-5 business days per document) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CBA — Initial Licensing FAQs ($250 application, $400 initial license, $49 hard-copy fingerprint fee; PETH ethics exam eliminated effective 7/1/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CBA — Applying for a California CPA License (quick tips: 150 units incl. 24 accounting/24 business/20 accounting study/10 ethics study; 12 months experience; fingerprint clearance) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California Business and Professions Code 5087 (out-of-state licensee may be issued a CA license only if the other state's requirements are comparable to California's) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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