CPA / Accounting License from Hawaii to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) ↗
Yes — New York recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Hawaii. Apply to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full reciprocity
New York recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Hawaii CPA license clears the bar on its own — the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Hawaii. What remains is New York-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any New York ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if New York is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, Hawaii → New York
| Hawaii (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $139–$215 ($139 if the license issues in an odd-numbered year (Application $25 + License $64 + Compliance Resolution Fund $50); $215 in an even-numbered year (adds half-renewal $26 and higher CRF $100). A separate Permit to Practice fee of $63 (staff) to $155 (sole practitioner/partner) is required to practice.) | $427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee) |
| Processing time | The board does not publish a processing time; an application is deemed abandoned if not completed within one year (HRS 436B-9). | The Office of the Professions does not publish a fixed processing time; review begins once all forms and out-of-state verification are received |
| Licensing authority | Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a CPA license from a US jurisdiction New York recognizes as having significantly comparable (substantially equivalent) licensure standards - all US states and territories are currently on New York's list.
- Certify at least 4 years of acceptable full-time accounting/tax/advisory experience gained since initial licensure and within the last 10 years (Form 4B, completed by a supervising CPA).
- Submit Form 1 (Application for Licensure and First Registration) and Form 3 (Certification of Out-of-State Licensure and Examination Grades).
- Be at least 21 years of age and of good moral character.
- Pay the fees ($427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee)) and allow The Office of the Professions does not publish a fixed processing time; review begins once all forms and out-of-state verification are received.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New York accept a Hawaii CPA license?
Yes — New York recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Hawaii. Apply to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Hawaii to New York?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is never retaken; out-of-state licensure and examination grades are certified to the Department on Form 3 (national lookup at CPAverify.org). New York requires no separate ethics examination for licensure..
Do I need a New York license, or does mobility cover the move?
If New York becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving New York clients from Hawaii, practice privilege usually covers you with no New York license, notice, or fee.
What does the Hawaii-to-New York move cost?
$427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee) ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee).
Can I keep my Hawaii CPA license after licensing in New York?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Hawaii 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.
- NYSED Office of the Professions - Licensure by Endorsement for CPAs ($427 fee; 4 years post-licensure experience within last 10; significantly-comparable-state requirement; Forms 1/3/4B) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED - States with Significantly Comparable Licensure Requirements (all 50 states + DC, PR, Guam, USVI, CNMI; asterisks flag two-tier certificate-only states) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED - Initial License Requirements for CPAs (150 semester hours; one-year experience baseline; good moral character) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy — CPA Requirements: Examination, License and Permit to Practice (CPA-01): exam waived for out-of-state license holders; 150 hours; 10-year/5-year education waiver; fees $139/$215; permit-to-practice $63/$155 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy — Instructions for Filing CPA License / Form CPA-04 (exam waived, education waiver, experience, fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy — Application Forms and Publications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]