CPA / Accounting License from Pennsylvania to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) ↗
Yes — Connecticut recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Pennsylvania. Apply to the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Connecticut recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Pennsylvania CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Pennsylvania. What remains is Connecticut-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Connecticut ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Connecticut is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Connecticut
| Pennsylvania (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | $65 ($65 non-refundable initial-licensure application fee; biennial renewal is $100) | $150 (certificate initial issuance fee; a separate permit to practice / license renews at $565 per year and a certificate registration is $40 per year) |
| Processing time | The Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy does not publish a processing time | the Department of Consumer Protection does not publish a processing time for the reciprocal certificate |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy | Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a CPA certificate/license in good standing from another US state and submit a license verification from that board.
- Either meet Connecticut's current education and ethics requirements, or document at least five years of public-accountancy experience within the immediately preceding ten years (which exempts education and ethics).
- Experience must be verified by a CPA who has held a license or practice privilege for at least three years.
- Pass the professional ethics examination unless exempt under the five-in-ten experience test.
- Pay the fees ($150 (certificate initial issuance fee; a separate permit to practice / license renews at $565 per year and a certificate registration is $40 per year)) and allow the Department of Consumer Protection does not publish a processing time for the reciprocal certificate.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a Pennsylvania CPA license?
Yes — Connecticut recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Pennsylvania. Apply to the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Pennsylvania to Connecticut?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; all four sections must already have been passed with grades of 75 or better and are confirmed through a license verification from your current board. Connecticut also requires passage of a professional ethics examination, unless the applicant qualifies under the five-years-experience-in-ten alternative, which exempts both the education and the ethics requirement..
Do I need a Connecticut license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Connecticut becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Connecticut clients from Pennsylvania, practice privilege usually covers you with no Connecticut license, notice, or fee.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Connecticut move cost?
$150 (certificate initial issuance fee; a separate permit to practice / license renews at $565 per year and a certificate registration is $40 per year) (certificate initial issuance fee; a separate permit to practice / license renews at $565 per year and a certificate registration is $40 per year).
Can I keep my Pennsylvania CPA license after licensing in Connecticut?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Pennsylvania 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.
- CT DCP — Certified Public Accountant Reciprocal Candidate application (hold out-of-state license, five-in-ten experience test, license verification, exam not retaken) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CT DCP — CPA Certificate by Reciprocity (statutory criteria, $150 issuance fee, professional ethics examination) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Pennsylvania Department of State — CPA Licensure Requirements Snapshot (domestic reciprocity, Act 41 endorsement, $65 initial / $100 biennial renewal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy — Board Resources and Documents (CPA Domestic Reciprocity Application: $65 fee, 150 hours, 1 year experience within preceding 5 years, 80 CPE hours; 5-years-without-lapse track) ↗ (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]