CPA / Accounting License from North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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, North Carolina → Georgia
| North Carolina (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $100 ($100 reciprocal application fee (the maximum allowed by G.S. 93-12(7a)); a temporary permit issues on receipt of the application and fee. If the package is not completed in time the $100 must be paid again) | $220 (reciprocal license fee payable to NASBA Licensing Services (administers Georgia licensure)) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (Allow ~2 weeks to issue the temporary permit (valid 4 months / ~120 days); the full reciprocal package must be completed within 90 days of the temporary permit) | ~2 weeks (NASBA states it processes a completed file (application, fees and all required materials received) in up to two weeks) |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners | 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 North Carolina CPA license?
Yes — Georgia recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including North Carolina. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina, practice privilege usually covers you with no Georgia license, notice, or fee.
What does the North Carolina-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 North Carolina CPA license after licensing in Georgia?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the North Carolina 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)
- NC State Board of CPA Examiners - Application Package for Reciprocal NC CPA Certificate (must hold current license; $100 fee; NC Accountancy Law course; Interstate Exchange form; temporary permit 4 months / 90-day package deadline; moral character; citizenship) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC State Board of CPA Examiners - Fee Schedule ($100 reciprocal application) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC State Board of CPA Examiners - CPA License Applicants (reciprocal eligibility: currently licensed in another jurisdiction; reside/principal place of business in NC; meet all statutory requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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