CPA / Accounting License from New York to Louisiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) ↗
Yes — Louisiana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) 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
Louisiana recognizes substantial equivalency, so your New York CPA license clears the bar on its own — the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from New York. What remains is Louisiana-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Louisiana ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Louisiana is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, New York → Louisiana
| New York (current) | Louisiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee) | $120 (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal) |
| 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 | the Board does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) | State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Louisiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active CPA license in good standing from any US (NASBA) jurisdiction.
- Upload a license verification from the originating jurisdiction with the online application.
- Obtain the reciprocal license if you establish your principal place of business in Louisiana.
- Apply through the Board's online Applicant Portal.
- Pay the fees ($120 (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal)) and allow the Board does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Louisiana accept a New York CPA license?
Yes — Louisiana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from New York to Louisiana?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; a license verification from the originating jurisdiction confirming your active CPA license is uploaded with the online application. The Board's reciprocal-license requirements do not list a separate state ethics examination..
Do I need a Louisiana license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Louisiana becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana (Louisiana State Board of CPAs) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Louisiana clients from New York, practice privilege usually covers you with no Louisiana license, notice, or fee.
What does the New York-to-Louisiana move cost?
$120 (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal) (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal).
Can I keep my New York CPA license after licensing in Louisiana?
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.
- Louisiana State Board of CPAs — CPA Resources / CPA Reciprocity ($120 reciprocal license; active license from any NASBA jurisdiction; license verification upload; required when principal place of business is in Louisiana) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana State Board of CPAs — Becoming a CPA (150 semester hours; 1-year / 2,000-hour experience) ↗ (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]