CPA / Accounting License from New York to Alabama: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) ↗
Yes — Alabama recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Alabama recognizes substantial equivalency, so your New York CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from New York. What remains is Alabama-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Alabama ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Alabama is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, New York → Alabama
| New York (current) | Alabama (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee) | $120 ($120 non-refundable reciprocal certificate application fee (rule 30-X-4-.07); waived for qualifying military spouses and other 'select individuals'; no separate fingerprint fee) |
| Processing time | The Office of the Professions does not publish a fixed processing time; review begins once all forms and out-of-state verification are received | ASBPA does not publish a standard processing time; for 'select individuals' (e.g., military spouses) the board must issue within 30 days or grant a 360-day temporary license (rule 30-X-4-.03(3)) |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) | Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alabama sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alabama's current requirements on the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a valid, unrevoked CPA certificate/license in good standing from another US jurisdiction (verified via NASBA's Accountancy Licensing Database or an Interstate Exchange Form).
- Qualify by substantial equivalency, OR have four years of CPA experience within the ten years preceding application, OR meet Alabama's current or then-applicable certificate requirements (rule 30-X-4-.03(2)).
- Be a US citizen or legally present with federal documentation, at least 19 years old, and of good moral character.
- Reciprocal certificate is issued without re-examination.
- Pay the fees ($120 ($120 non-refundable reciprocal certificate application fee (rule 30-X-4-.07); waived for qualifying military spouses and other 'select individuals'; no separate fingerprint fee)) and allow ASBPA does not publish a standard processing time; for 'select individuals' (e.g., military spouses) the board must issue within 30 days or grant a 360-day temporary license (rule 30-X-4-.03(3)).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama accept a New York CPA license?
Yes — Alabama recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from New York to Alabama?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; the reciprocal certificate is issued without examination once the board verifies the existing license (via NASBA's Accountancy Licensing Database, the issuing state's website, or an Interstate Exchange Form). Alabama does not require a separate state ethics examination for reciprocity (an ethics CPE course applies only at renewal)..
Do I need a Alabama license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Alabama becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Alabama clients from New York, practice privilege usually covers you with no Alabama license, notice, or fee.
What does the New York-to-Alabama move cost?
$120 ($120 non-refundable reciprocal certificate application fee (rule 30-X-4-.07); waived for qualifying military spouses and other 'select individuals'; no separate fingerprint fee) ($120 non-refundable reciprocal certificate application fee (rule 30-X-4-.07); waived for qualifying military spouses and other 'select individuals'; no separate fingerprint fee).
Can I keep my New York CPA license after licensing in Alabama?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the New York 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.
- ASBPA — Certificate by Reciprocity application package ($120 non-refundable reciprocal fee; license verified via ALD/Interstate Exchange Form) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 30-X-4 (rule 30-X-4-.03(2) reciprocal certificate; substantial equivalency + 4-of-10-years experience; 30-X-4-.06(5) issued without exam; 30-X-4-.07 $120 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 30-X-3 (30-X-3-.04 mobility/practice privilege, no notice or fee) ↗ (accessed 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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]