CPA / Accounting License from Illinois to Nevada: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Nevada State Board of Accountancy ↗
Yes — Nevada recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Illinois. Apply to the Nevada State Board of Accountancy for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Nevada recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Illinois CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Nevada State Board of Accountancy cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Illinois. What remains is Nevada-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Nevada ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Nevada is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, Illinois → Nevada
| Illinois (current) | Nevada (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $120 ($120 Licensed CPA application fee (same for all methods, including endorsement); non-refundable) | $100 (NAC 628 sets the certificate-by-reciprocity application fee at $100 plus the actual cost of the required investigation (billed separately)) |
| Processing time | IDFPR publishes no processing time; an application stays active for three years from receipt. | the Board does not publish a processing time for certificate-by-reciprocity applications |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation | Nevada State Board of Accountancy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nevada sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Nevada's current requirements on the Nevada State Board of Accountancy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Nevada State Board of Accountancy.
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a valid CPA certificate then in effect issued under the laws of another US state or jurisdiction.
- Submit proof of at least 20 hours of continuing education completed within the 12 months before filing the reciprocity application.
- Have passed an examination in professional ethics acceptable to the Board within the prior three years.
- Undergo the Board's required background investigation.
- Pay the fees ($100 (NAC 628 sets the certificate-by-reciprocity application fee at $100 plus the actual cost of the required investigation (billed separately))) and allow the Board does not publish a processing time for certificate-by-reciprocity applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Nevada accept a Illinois CPA license?
Yes — Nevada recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Illinois. Apply to the Nevada State Board of Accountancy for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Illinois to Nevada?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; the Board may accept the applicant's Uniform CPA Examination scores from another state and waive the manner in which they were obtained (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Nevada additionally requires an applicant for certification to have passed an examination in professional ethics acceptable to the Board (AICPA ethics exam) no earlier than three years before filing..
Do I need a Nevada license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Nevada becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Nevada State Board of Accountancy for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Nevada clients from Illinois, practice privilege usually covers you with no Nevada license, notice, or fee.
What does the Illinois-to-Nevada move cost?
$100 (NAC 628 sets the certificate-by-reciprocity application fee at $100 plus the actual cost of the required investigation (billed separately)) (NAC 628 sets the certificate-by-reciprocity application fee at $100 plus the actual cost of the required investigation (billed separately)).
Can I keep my Illinois CPA license after licensing in Nevada?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Illinois 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.
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 628 (NRS 628.310 — certificate by reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nevada Administrative Code Chapter 628 (reciprocity fee $100 + investigation; 20 hours CE within 12 months; professional-ethics exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASBA — Substantial Equivalency and practice privilege (UAA Section 23) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — (065) Licensed CPA Application Checklist / User Guide (Endorsement method; substantial equivalency OR 4 years in 10; $120 fee all methods; no ethics exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — License qualifications for Certified Public Accountant (065), revised 09/2025 (endorsement path; exam certification sent directly to IDFPR) ↗ (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]