CPA / Accounting License from Massachusetts to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Georgia State Board of Accountancy ↗
Yes — Georgia recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Massachusetts. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Accountancy for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Georgia recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Massachusetts CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Georgia State Board of Accountancy cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Massachusetts. What remains is Georgia-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Georgia ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Georgia is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, Massachusetts → Georgia
| Massachusetts (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $499 (reciprocal application fee for an applicant licensed/certified/chartered in another jurisdiction; nonrefundable) | $220 (reciprocal license fee payable to NASBA Licensing Services (administers Georgia licensure)) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a processing time; incomplete applications are held open 180 days and then treated as abandoned | ~2 weeks (NASBA states it processes a completed file (application, fees and all required materials received) in up to two weeks) |
| Licensing authority | Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy (Board of Registration in Public Accountancy) | Georgia State Board of Accountancy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia State Board of Accountancy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia State Board of Accountancy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active CPA license in good standing in the state you are reciprocating from.
- Meet Georgia's 150-semester-hour education requirement (satisfied through your existing licensure and documented via NASBA).
- Document qualifying accounting experience (upload resume and previous experience verification).
- Apply through NASBA Licensing Services, which administers Georgia licensure and processes reciprocal applications.
- Pay the fees ($220 (reciprocal license fee payable to NASBA Licensing Services (administers Georgia licensure))) and allow ~2 weeks (NASBA states it processes a completed file (application, fees and all required materials received) in up to two weeks).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia accept a Massachusetts CPA license?
Yes — Georgia recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Massachusetts. Apply to the Georgia 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 Massachusetts to Georgia?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is confirmed through verification of your existing license/exam scores (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Georgia does not require a separate state ethics or rules-of-conduct examination for licensure..
Do I need a Georgia license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Georgia becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Georgia State Board of Accountancy for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Georgia clients from Massachusetts, practice privilege usually covers you with no Georgia license, notice, or fee.
What does the Massachusetts-to-Georgia move cost?
$220 (reciprocal license fee payable to NASBA Licensing Services (administers Georgia licensure)) (reciprocal license fee payable to NASBA Licensing Services (administers Georgia licensure)).
Can I keep my Massachusetts CPA license after licensing in Georgia?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Massachusetts 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.
- Georgia State Board of Accountancy — Reciprocal License (must hold active out-of-state license and meet GA education; apply through NASBA) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASBA Licensing — Georgia (reciprocal license fee $220; up to two weeks to process a completed file) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia State Board of Accountancy — Frequently Asked Questions (reciprocal applicants; NASBA-processed) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASBA — Substantial Equivalency (UAA framework; all 55 US jurisdictions substantially equivalent) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mass.gov — How to apply for a Reciprocal Accountancy License ($499 fee, 4-of-10 experience track, eLIPSE portal, CORI) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 252 CMR 2.00 — Requirements for Certification (reciprocal certificate to holder of a substantially-equivalent state's certificate; 150 hours) ↗ (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]