CPA / Accounting License from North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Louisiana recognizes substantial equivalency, so your North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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, North Carolina → Louisiana
| North Carolina (current) | Louisiana (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) | $120 (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal) |
| 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) | the Board does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners | 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 North Carolina CPA license?
Yes — Louisiana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including North Carolina. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina, practice privilege usually covers you with no Louisiana license, notice, or fee.
What does the North Carolina-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 North Carolina CPA license after licensing in Louisiana?
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.
- 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)
- 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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