Rhode Island CPA Requirements (2026): Exam and License
Rhode Island exam entry, license pathways, coursework, and fees, with researched changes for your 2027 plan.
Checkpoint 1
Can I take the exam?
Course review
Rhode Island’s NASBA exam instructions list degree and accounting/business subject conditions, but their older 150-credit licensing preface conflicts with the board’s newer license routes.
Check exam entryCheckpoint 2
Can I obtain the license?
Rhode Island’s three routes became effective June 23, 2026. One year is 1,820 hours and two years is 3,640 hours.
Degree, concentration, qualifying experience, and any additional application conditions must be checked together.
Review license choicesPermission to sit
Rhode Island CPA Exam eligibility
Rhode Island’s NASBA exam instructions list degree and accounting/business subject conditions, but their older 150-credit licensing preface conflicts with the board’s newer license routes.
- Use the exam instructions for the exam checkpoint and the current board page for licensing options.
- Obtain board/evaluator clarification if the old licensing preface changes the apparent education answer for your application.
Map your transcript
Rhode Island accounting and business coursework
Read each row as a separate checkpoint. Course level, required subjects, degree status, and exceptions can matter as much as the total. The board or designated evaluator determines which courses qualify.
| Checkpoint | Accounting | Business / related subjects | Degree and other conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | Use the current exam subject option | Use the current exam subject option | Resolve any conflict with the older 150-credit preface |
| License | Qualifying concentration for the selected degree route | Qualifying concentration for the selected degree route | Current board routes control licensing education |
Collect the evidence
Degree award, official transcript, course descriptions, and any required evaluation.
Map accepted subjects
Separate accounting, business, ethics, and other required subjects without assuming overlap.
Resolve the exact gap
Ask about the disputed course or condition before paying for another class or application.
Education plus experience
Rhode Island CPA license pathways
Rhode Island’s three routes became effective June 23, 2026. One year is 1,820 hours and two years is 3,640 hours.
| Route / availability | Education | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s route | Qualifying bachelor’s plus master’s education | 1 year / 1,820 hours |
| Additional-30 route | Qualifying bachelor’s degree plus 30 credits | 1 year / 1,820 hours |
| Bachelor’s route | Qualifying bachelor’s degree | 2 years / 3,640 hours |
- The AICPA ethics examination requires a score of 90%.
- Do not substitute the 2,000/4,000-hour convention used by some other states.
Dates that affect your decision
Planning for Rhode Island CPA requirements in 2027
For 2027, use the June 2026 routes and Rhode Island’s actual hour definitions while resolving the exam-page education framing.
June 23, 2026
EffectiveThree licensing routes
Use Rhode Island’s own experience-hour definitions for all route comparisons.
Worked planning example
Comparing one year with two years of work
Illustrative candidate scenario, not an eligibility determination.
Starting point
You are deciding between a qualifying additional-education route and the bachelor’s route.
What the rules mean
The published experience comparison is 1,820 versus 3,640 hours, together with the corresponding one- or two-year duration.
Next action
Confirm the qualifying work and documentation, and include the 90% AICPA ethics requirement in the license checklist.
From education to an appointment
How to apply and prepare in Rhode Island
The application workflow below retains its 2026-08-24 procedural review. The September research above updates exam and licensing facts; confirm current forms and charges before submitting.
Why this Rhode Island guide exists
Help a Rhode Island candidate identify the correct active education condition before paying CPAES.
Purpose evidence
Rhode Island accountancy regulationNASBA Rhode Island CPA Exam requirements and feesA documented apply-now or resolve-first decision plus the correct CPAES, NTS, and Prometric sequence.
Official evidence for this route
NASBA Rhode Island CPA Exam requirements and feesWhat to have ready
Transcript evidence for the 120-hour gate and the applicable Rhode Island education condition
Official transcripts and any required international education evaluation
CPAES application and NASBA CPA Portal status
Selected sections, eligibility decision, and NTS deadline when issued
- 1
Verify the 120-hour gate and the applicable Rhode Island education condition.
- 2
Follow CPAES, the CPA Portal, NTS, and Prometric in the correct order.
- 3
Keep exam entry separate from the licensing pathways effective June 23, 2026.
Actionable candidate plan
Verify, apply, and move from approval to scheduling
Application owner: CPA Examination Services through the NASBA CPA Portal. CPAES evaluates Rhode Island exam applications and supporting education documents through the NASBA CPA Portal.
- 1
Choose the education condition
Map the transcript to the qualifying Rhode Island degree and coursework condition before opening the paid application.
- 2
Create the official account
Create the required NASBA account and open Rhode Island enrollment in the CPA Portal.
- 3
Send documents and apply for evaluation
Have official education documents sent directly to CPAES and submit the $96 Eligibility Evaluation Application.
- 4
Apply for one exam section
After CPAES marks you eligible, submit one Exam Section Application and pay the listed application and section charges.
- 5
Schedule with the NTS
Retrieve the NTS from the CPA Portal, check its deadline, and use it to schedule Prometric.
Candidate decision
Plan X if your path is clear, Plan Y if one gate remains unresolved
Plan X
If: Your official records clearly satisfy one Rhode Island education condition and the 120-hour gate.
Do: Submit the CPAES eligibility application and complete one Exam Section Application after approval.
Then verify: Confirm CPAES eligibility and the exact NTS deadline before scheduling.
Plan Y
If: Your degree condition, subject coverage, transcript delivery, or international evaluation remains uncertain.
Do: Pause the exam-section payment and resolve the specific education-document issue with CPAES.
Then verify: Proceed only after CPAES confirms eligibility in the CPA Portal.
Keep every owner in its lane
Who decides each part of the Rhode Island candidate journey
CPAES
Rhode Island exam eligibility evaluation and education-document review
Not responsible for: CPAES does not provide the learner's exam preparation program or grant the later Rhode Island license.
NASBA and the CPA Portal
Official application workflow, payment, notices, and NTS access
Not responsible for: The CPA Portal does not replace Rhode Island Board requirements for the later license.
Prometric
CPA Exam appointment scheduling and test-center administration
Not responsible for: Prometric does not evaluate Rhode Island education eligibility.
CPAPass
Reviewed practice samples, saved account practice, and study planning
Not responsible for: CPAPass cannot evaluate transcripts, decide eligibility, collect official fees, issue an NTS, schedule an appointment, release scores, or grant a license.
CPAPass handoff
Continue with saved CPA Exam practice
A free account lets you continue into section practice, retain submitted practice results, and use those results in your study planning. CPAPass does not turn practice into an official score or decide your state eligibility.
Budget separate charges
Rhode Island CPA exam and application fees
These are individually sourced charges, not a complete licensing budget or an official 2027 fee schedule. Evaluation, section applications, testing, ethics, background checks, international testing, rescheduling, and licensing can be separate costs.
| Charge | Published amount | What it covers | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education evaluation | $96.00 | Evaluation charge listed by NASBA. Foreign-education evaluation may be separate. | Verify this charge |
| Exam section application | $96.00 | Follow the jurisdiction’s section-application rules. Do not assume one application charge covers all four sections. | Verify this charge |
| Each exam section | $268.59 | One section’s examination charge, separate from its application charge. | Verify this charge |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the Rhode Island CPA Exam requirements in 2026?
- Rhode Island’s NASBA exam instructions list degree and accounting/business subject conditions, but their older 150-credit licensing preface conflicts with the board’s newer license routes. Use the exam instructions for the exam checkpoint and the current board page for licensing options. Obtain board/evaluator clarification if the old licensing preface changes the apparent education answer for your application.
- Does Rhode Island require 150 hours for CPA licensure in 2026?
- Rhode Island’s three routes became effective June 23, 2026. One year is 1,820 hours and two years is 3,640 hours. Master’s route: Qualifying bachelor’s plus master’s education; 1 year / 1,820 hours. Additional-30 route: Qualifying bachelor’s degree plus 30 credits; 1 year / 1,820 hours. Bachelor’s route: Qualifying bachelor’s degree; 2 years / 3,640 hours.
- How should I plan for Rhode Island CPA requirements in 2027?
- For 2027, use the June 2026 routes and Rhode Island’s actual hour definitions while resolving the exam-page education framing.
- Are Rhode Island exam eligibility and licensing the same?
- They are separate checkpoints. The published experience comparison is 1,820 versus 3,640 hours, together with the corresponding one- or two-year duration. Confirm the qualifying work and documentation, and include the 90% AICPA ethics requirement in the license checklist.
- What should I confirm before applying in Rhode Island?
- The exam education framing needs reconciliation with the older NASBA licensing preface; no universal 150-credit exam claim is made.
- Does a CPAPass account apply for my Rhode Island license?
- No. CPAPass provides CPA Exam practice and study planning. The state board and its designated services evaluate education, approve exam applications, and issue licenses or permits.
Evidence and review dates
Official Rhode Island requirements sources
Core research date: . Licensing review date: . Proposed rules, effective dates, and unresolved details remain labeled in the relevant sections. Official authorities decide eligibility; this guide helps you prepare the questions and records.