What’s New with the State Board

Greetings! Over the past few years, there have been many changes happening at the Board. First, the CPA Exam moved to continuous testing, allowing candidates to test year-round thus eliminating the blackout periods of testing closures. Additionally, the Board has implemented a new online application for exam candidates to apply and pay for exam sections. These two changes have improved the efficiency of testing for exam candidates in Alabama. One of the biggest changes were the changes in CPE that went into effect October 1, 2019. Such changes included the expansion of CPE reciprocity, the elimination of the limit on self-study CPE, and the addition of 2 hours of ethics CPE. A comprehensive chart of these changes remains on the Board’s website. During the current environment of COVID, the option of unlimited self-study was vital. Another important action in light of COVID was the Board’s acceptance of Peer Review extensions. Please note that if you were granted an extension on your Peer Review from the ASCPA, you also need to reach out to the Board for approval as well. The Board has made great strides toward improving communication through the addition of social media platforms of Facebook and Twitter and with improvements to its website. Some of these improvements include the addition of an exam/licensing quickguide, a CPE quickguide, and disciplinary action documents. Please visit our website often to see archived newsletters, postings about Rule changes, and more. As always, the Board continues to strive toward the ultimate goal of protecting the citizens of Alabama through effective regulation of all CPAs, PAs, and firms practicing in Alabama. If you ever have any questions, please reach out to any of our staff who are always ready and willing to help.