CPA / Accounting License from New York to Montana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Montana Board of Public Accountants ↗
Yes — Montana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Montana Board of Public Accountants for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Montana recognizes substantial equivalency, so your New York CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Montana Board of Public Accountants cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from New York. What remains is Montana-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Montana ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Montana is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, New York → Montana
| New York (current) | Montana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $427 ($427 Form 1 licensure and first-registration fee) | $200 (license by credentialing (transfer of grades and licensure) application fee per ARM 24.201.410) |
| 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 | no processing time published; a complete application must be received at least 15 business days before a scheduled board meeting, and applications not completed within 12 months are void |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Public Accountancy) | Montana Board of Public Accountants |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Montana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Montana's current requirements on the Montana Board of Public Accountants website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Montana Board of Public Accountants (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active, current, unrestricted CPA license from a substantially-equivalent jurisdiction.
- Provide verification of licensure from every jurisdiction where you hold or have ever held a professional license.
- Complete the AICPA comprehensive ethics course.
- Meet Montana's experience requirement (ARM 24.201.502).
- Pay the fees ($200 (license by credentialing (transfer of grades and licensure) application fee per ARM 24.201.410)) and allow no processing time published; a complete application must be received at least 15 business days before a scheduled board meeting, and applications not completed within 12 months are void.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana accept a New York CPA license?
Yes — Montana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Montana Board of Public Accountants for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from New York to Montana?
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 (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Montana requires completion of the AICPA comprehensive ethics course rather than a Montana-specific rules exam..
Do I need a Montana license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Montana becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Montana Board of Public Accountants for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Montana clients from New York, practice privilege usually covers you with no Montana license, notice, or fee.
What does the New York-to-Montana move cost?
$200 (license by credentialing (transfer of grades and licensure) application fee per ARM 24.201.410) (license by credentialing (transfer of grades and licensure) application fee per ARM 24.201.410).
Can I keep my New York CPA license after licensing in Montana?
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.
- Montana Board of Public Accountants — Becoming a CPA by Transfer of Licensure ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Montana Administrative Rules 24.201.410 — Fee Schedule ($200 license by credentialing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Montana Board of Public Accountants — Education Requirements ↗ (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]