whatiscpa

CPA requirements in Georgia

Georgia licenses CPAs through the Georgia State Board of Accountancy. Exam eligibility: 120 semester hours including 20 semester hours in accounting above the introductory level. Licensure: 150 semester hours on the standing route, or the HB 148 degree-plus-experience routes. Experience: one year under the 150-hour route; two years under the bachelor's pathway.

$81,900

median accountant wage, GeorgiaBLS OEWS · May 2025

$93,640

mean annual wageBLS OEWS · May 2025

44,020

accounting jobs in the stateBLS OEWS · May 2025

Requirements

The sheet

Exam eligibility (education)120 semester hours including 20 semester hours in accounting above the introductory level
License education150 semester hours on the standing route, or the HB 148 degree-plus-experience routes
ExperienceOne year under the 150-hour route; two years under the bachelor's pathway
Ethics requirementNo separate pre-license ethics exam
CPE after licensure80 hours per two-year cycle, including accounting-and-auditing hours

Compiled 2026-08-02 from the board's published framework. Rules change; Georgia State Board of Accountancy is the source of record before you file anything.

Pathway status

The 120-hour question in this state

Enacted. Georgia HB 148 (April 2025) added master's-plus-one-year and bachelor's-plus-two-years routes effective January 1, 2026. Cross-jurisdiction context: AICPA/NASBA model legislation, May 2025NASBA · May 2025, and NASBA's licensure-pathways list.

Moving

Reciprocity

Reciprocity for substantially equivalent out-of-state licensees.

Neighbouring sheet: CPA requirements in Florida. Path overview: how to become a CPA; exam detail: the CPA exam; all states: the master table.