A bachelor's-only route opened in New Hampshire on April 22, 2026. You can sit for the exam up to 120 days before you expect to finish your bachelor's degree. To get licensed, you now have three options. You can hold a post-baccalaureate degree, a bachelor's plus 30 credit hours, or a bachelor's alone.
Each needs an accounting concentration or its equivalent. The bachelor's-only route takes two years of experience, and the others take one. There's no ethics exam. If you're finishing a bachelor's, check with the New Hampshire Board of Accountancy about which coursework counts.
How to Get a CPA License in New Hampshire
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in New Hampshire.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | A post-baccalaureate degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent set by board rule. | 1 year of public accounting experience under a licensee's direction. | In effect since April 22, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 30 hours | A bachelor's degree plus 30 additional semester credit hours, with an accounting concentration or equivalent. | 1 year of public accounting experience under a licensee's direction. | In effect since April 22, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | A bachelor's degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent set by board rule. | 2 years of public accounting experience under a licensee's direction. | In effect since April 22, 2026 |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in New Hampshire
You can sit for the exam up to 120 days before you expect to finish your bachelor's degree.
Ethics Exam
New Hampshire doesn't require an ethics exam. State law asks for good character.
What Changed Recently
2026 c.34 (HB 1259) took effect April 22, 2026. It added a bachelor's-only route with 2 years of experience.
What Accountants Earn in New Hampshire
Accountants and auditors in New Hampshire earned a median of $83,470 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $71,360 and $105,160. About 7,000 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in New Hampshire
One program on our main rankings is based in New Hampshire. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- Southern New Hampshire University, Bachelor of Science in Accounting: one of our 100 best bachelor'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 New Hampshire stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Maine CPA requirements: no bachelor's route at this time
- Massachusetts CPA requirements: bachelor's route proposed
- Vermont CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since June 8, 2026
Check With the New Hampshire 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.