CPA / Accounting License from North Carolina to Mississippi: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy ↗
Yes — Mississippi recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including North Carolina. Apply to the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Mississippi recognizes substantial equivalency, so your North Carolina CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from North Carolina. What remains is Mississippi-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Mississippi ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Mississippi is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, North Carolina → Mississippi
| North Carolina (current) | Mississippi (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) | $210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable) |
| 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) | Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners | Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Mississippi sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Mississippi's current requirements on the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a valid CPA license from a substantially-equivalent US jurisdiction (or show individual qualifications are substantially equivalent).
- Pass an Accountancy Board background check before the reciprocal license is issued (required for reciprocal applicants since Nov. 1, 2015).
- Required if you are a Mississippi resident or maintain a place for the regular transaction of business / are employed in Mississippi (Miss. Code 73-33-1).
- Comply with Mississippi CPE, including the law/regulations coverage, from first licensure (no first-year exemption).
- Pay the fees ($210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable)) and allow Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Mississippi accept a North Carolina CPA license?
Yes — Mississippi recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including North Carolina. Apply to the Mississippi State Board of Public 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 Mississippi?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is established through the applicant's existing license under substantial equivalency. Mississippi does not require a separate state ethics examination, but every licensee must complete at least 1 CPE hour in Mississippi Public Accountancy Law and Regulations every three years..
Do I need a Mississippi license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Mississippi becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Mississippi clients from North Carolina, practice privilege usually covers you with no Mississippi license, notice, or fee.
What does the North Carolina-to-Mississippi move cost?
$210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable) ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable).
Can I keep my North Carolina CPA license after licensing in Mississippi?
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.
- Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy — Licensing & Exams (reciprocal license, substantial equivalency, exam not retaken, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy — Fees ($110 reciprocal registration + $100 processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy — Frequently Asked Questions (background check, CPE, reciprocal licensing) ↗ (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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