Idaho opened three new licensing routes on July 1, 2026. You can now get licensed with a bachelor's degree that includes an accounting concentration and two years of experience. Another route adds 30 semester hours to the bachelor's and needs one year.
A third uses a postbaccalaureate degree and one year. The 150-hour and master's routes still exist. The bachelor's and 30-hour routes need 24 non-introductory accounting hours and 24 business hours. Start with the Idaho State Board of Accountancy to see which route fits your degree.
How to Get a CPA License in Idaho
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in Idaho.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | Postbaccalaureate degree with an accounting concentration | One year | In effect since July 1, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 30 hours | Bachelor's degree plus 30 more semester hours in a program with an accounting concentration | One year | In effect since July 1, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | Bachelor's degree in a program with an accounting concentration | Two years | In effect since July 1, 2026 |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in Idaho
Under the current rule you need a bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours of business, at least 20 of them accounting beyond the introductory level. Idaho's new pathways from July 1, 2026 list 24 accounting and 24 business hours for licensure.
Coursework: To sit (rule 103): 30 business hours, 20 of them accounting. License pathways from July 1, 2026: 24 non-introductory accounting and 24 business hours.
Ethics Exam
Before you are licensed, you must complete the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ethics course and send the board your certificate showing a passing score.
What Changed Recently
HB 563 added three pathways. They became available July 1, 2026.
What Accountants Earn in Idaho
Accountants and auditors in Idaho earned a median of $74,730 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $61,150 and $93,400. About 5,570 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in Idaho
2 programs on our main rankings are based in Idaho. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- Boise State University, Accountancy: #5 of 100 bachelor's accounting programs
- Boise State University, Accountancy: #25 of 50 master's accounting programs
CPA Requirements in Nearby States
Thinking about working across a state line, or studying in one state and licensing in another? Each state sets its own rules, so here's where the states near Idaho stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Montana CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since January 1, 2026
- Nevada CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since February 27, 2026
- Oregon CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since January 1, 2026
- Utah CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since July 1, 2026
- Washington CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since November 20, 2025
- Wyoming CPA requirements: no bachelor's route at this time
Check With the Idaho State Board of Accountancy
The board sets the rules and decides your application. We checked these requirements against official sources on October 12, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the details on the board's site before you apply.