It is not enough to be a graduate with a baccalaureate degree in accounting to be a Certified Public Accountant, or CPA. You have to pass a licensure examination to qualify. Inquiries must be made through the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, or NASBA. If you took an accounting course to become a CPA, you should waste no time in applying for CPA Examination. Be informed, with all the details, so that you know how to be a CPA before acting on it.

1. Make yourself familiar with the examination set-up. Enrolling to a review center should expose you to the content, structure, format and procedure of the exam. If you decide to do it on your own, search for online information to guide you.

2. Know the responsibilities that you must meet in order to qualify for the exam. Get hold of the Candidate Bulletin. This will serve as your reference while preparing yourself for the upcoming licensure test. It will also give you a clear view on how the examination is conducted. Materials from previous licensure examinations will serve as ideal examples.

3. Update yourself with all the developments regarding the upcoming licensure examination. Make sure that you’ve already decided on which jurisdiction you would like to apply to as CPA before gathering the requirements, as they differ from state to state.

4. Apply for the examination by completing the application form, submitting the required documents and paying all applicable fees. Academic transcripts are required for first-time applicants. If you need special accommodation with regards to disabilities, this is the time to make it known, because it is subject to advance board approval.

5. Watch out for the NTS, or Notice to Schedule. You can only get a schedule of the CPA examination and be admitted for it if you have an NTS. Verify the details on the NTS to avoid problems at the test center. It is better to schedule your test as soon as possible by phone or through NASBA test centers. Notice that the NTS has a 2-month validity window. Do not go over the validity date specified.

6. Be well prepared before you take the examination. Arrive at the test center 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time, with your NTS. Pass all the four sections to the best of your ability. It is crucial to follow instructions, and to stay within the specified time limit. Do the best that you can, using what you have learned in your years of studies. Being knowledgeable about accounting-related current events is also helpful.

7. You’ll receive scores for the four sections. If you’ve done a good job, you will have passed all of them. Should you miss some, don’t worry. You have 18 months to retake any failed sections to give yourself another chance to pass. You’ll get your certificate once you’ve passed all of the sections.

8. Enhance your qualification as a Certified Public Accountant by passing the American Institute of CPA’s professional ethics exam, with a score of at least 90 percent. You can add this to your credentials, together with letters of recommendation from the State Board of Accountancy, from a notable CPA or from past employers in the field. You can offer your services independently to business people or form a corporation to handle various clients.

Paying attention to the details of how to be a CPA is a must for all CPA candidates. In any case, accounting students are trained from the start how to be analytical with the details. It’s actually the nature of most accountants to use scrutiny with whatever they do.  You can continue to collect references from present and past clients, together with their recommendation letters to make sure that you have an ever increasing number of clients.