Requirements for Certified Public Accountant Licensure and Exam

Virgin Islands Board of Public Accountancy
Office of Boards and Commissions

REQUIREMENTS FOR PRACTICING CPA IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

Purpose of Licensure:
To set standards of qualifications, education, training, and experience for persons engaged in Public Accounting. To promote high standards of professional performance for those persons working in Public Accountancy.

Period of Licensure:
All permanent licenses are issued on an annual basis from July I to June 30 of each calendar year.

General Qualifications: A CPA certificate shall be issued to any person who is a citizen, or who has duly declared his/her intention of becoming a citizen, of the United States; is a resident of, or employed in, or has a place of business in, the U.S. Virgin Islands; has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years; is of good moral character; meets the specified educational and experience requirements; and passes the Uniform CPA Examination.

Educational Requirement: The minimum educational requirement for the CPA certificate is a diploma from a four (4) year high school.

Candidates who hold degrees from recognized colleges or universities are required to have three (3) years of experience, immediately preceding application in public accounting or in governmental accounting as an auditor or internal revenue agent.

Candidates who hold degrees from recognized colleges or universities and who have completed thirty (30) or more semester hours of study in accounting, business law, economics, and finance (of which a minimum of twenty (20) semester hours are in accounting) must have two (2) years of experience, immediately preceding application, in public accounting or governmental accounting as an auditor or internal revenue agent.

Reciprocity: A reciprocal CPA certificate may be granted to a CPA of another state who meets all of the general qualifications, educational requirements, and experience requirements imposed upon a candidate for an original certificate in the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, the applicant is required to sit a local exam.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Initial Application Requires:
Applicant must be a resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least thirty (30) days immediately prior to submittal of application:  You will need to submit the following:

• A copy and notarized application;
• Three (3) 2x2 photographs of applicant;
• REFERENCES:
  List and submit letters for five (5) references:
  • - Two (2) of which must be residents of the Virgin Islands; and,
  • - Three (3) of which must be practicing Certified Public Accountants, along with copies of current registrations for each practicing CPA used as a reference.
  • - At least (1) practicing CPA must be licensed in the Virgin Islands.
• A certified copy of applicant's college transcript;
• A certified copy of CPA certificate from NASBA (or applicants applying for a Virgin Islands CPA certificate by reciprocity must request a certified copy of their CPA certificate be mailed directly to the Board.)
• NCIC Criminal Background Check;
• A certified copy of applicant's CPA current registration from another state (if applying by reciprocity); and,
• State Board Verification of current license status (if applying by reciprocity);

> Applicant must meet the specified educational and experience requirements.

Renewal of CPA and Firm Permit:
In order to renew both a professional and/or a business license, the licensee must visit the National Association of State Board Accountancy (NASBA’s) website at https://nasba.org/licensure/nasbalicensing/virgin-islands/ and complete the renewal process.

Renewal of Business License:
In order to renew both a professional and/or a business license, the licensee must visit the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs’ (DLCA) website, www.dlca.vi.gov, and provide the following:

• Apply at DLCAs’ website, www.dlca.vi.gov, and register or login. Input or verify the required information, choose your payment option, and obtain a reference “control” number.
• Electronic Tax Approval from the V.I. Bureau of Internal Revenue.
• Payment of required License fees:
• Certified Public Accountant $390.00
• Certification of CPA permit and peer review from NASBA is required.

Examination:
All candidates are required to sit an examination. The examination is comprised of the Uniform CPA Examination and a Local CPA Examination.

CPAs seeking licensure by reciprocity must sit the local CPA Examination.
To sit the Uniform Accountancy test visit NASBA’s website at https://www.nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/virginislands/.

The examination is administered at Prometric test center.
The nearest test center is:

5253: West Indies - St. Thomas
2 John Brewers Bay
CELL Building Room 105
St. Thomas

https://www.nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/examfaq/#test

Educational and Experience Requirements:
The minimum educational requirement for the CPA certificate is a diploma from a four (4) year high school.

Candidates who hold degrees from recognized colleges or universities are required to have three (3) years of experience, immediately preceding application in public accounting or in governmental accounting as an auditor or internal revenue agent.

Candidates who hold degrees from recognized colleges or universities and who have completed thirty (30) or more semester hours of study in accounting, business law, economics, and finance (of which a minimum of twenty (20) semester hours are in accounting) must have two (2) years of experience, immediately preceding application, in public accounting or governmental accounting as an auditor or internal revenue agent.

Reciprocity:
A person holding a valid license or certificate issued by a state or territory of the United States or by a foreign country may upon application be registered in the Virgin Islands. The foreign country must have a national registration board of scope and standing corresponding to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

Required Fees:

	Non-Refundable Application Fee	$150.00
	Local CPA Examination Fee	$100.00
	Non-Refund Deposit for NCIC Check	$250.00
	License Fee	$390.00
	CPA Permit	$  25.00

Uniform CPA Examination Fees:

	Auditing and Attestation	$230.55
	Financial Accounting & Reporting	$218.55
	Regulation	$193.35
	Business Environment & Concepts	$150.78

 

WEBSITES:
www.dlca.vi.gov

https://nasba.org/licensure/nasbalicensing/virgin-islands/

MAILING ADDRESSES:

ST. CROIX
V.I. Board of Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors
Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs
3000 Golden Rock Shopping Center, Suite 9
Christiansted, VI  00820-4311
(340) 713-DLCA(3522) phone
(340) 718-6908 fax

ST. THOMAS
V.I. Board of Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors
Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs
Property & Procurement Bldg.
No.1 Sub Base,
St. Thomas, VI 00802
(340) 714-DLCA(3522) phone
(340) 776-8303 fax

 

BOARD MEMBERS:

Janice V. Hodge, Chair Woman
Leslie Smith, Secretary
Nathalie Hodge, Assistant Commissioner to Boards and Commissions

 

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION:

R evised 06/16 by the Office of Boards and Commissions

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