CPA / Accounting License from Ohio 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 Ohio. 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 Ohio 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 Ohio. 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, Ohio → Louisiana
| Ohio (current) | Louisiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $100 (reciprocity application fee (RC 4701.06); a triennial Ohio permit fee (set by the board, up to $150) and the BCI/FBI records-check vendor fee are paid separately) | $120 (reciprocal license application fee, submitted through the online Applicant Portal) |
| Processing time | The Accountancy Board of Ohio does not publish a processing time; issuance cannot be finalized until the criminal records check clears | the Board does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications |
| Licensing authority | Accountancy Board of Ohio | 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 Ohio CPA license?
Yes — Louisiana recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Ohio. 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 Ohio 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 Ohio, practice privilege usually covers you with no Louisiana license, notice, or fee.
What does the Ohio-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 Ohio CPA license after licensing in Louisiana?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Ohio 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)
- Ohio Revised Code 4701.10 — issuance of a CPA certificate by reciprocity and by substantial equivalency (criminal records check per 4701.08; PSR course within 12 months) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Accountancy Board of Ohio — Fees (reciprocity fee $100 under RC 4701.06; triennial permit fee up to $150) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASBA — Substantial Equivalency (UAA Section 23 practice privilege vs. reciprocal license) ↗ (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]