Rhode Island dropped its 150-hour rule on June 23, 2026. A new law took effect that day and gives you three ways to get licensed. You can earn a graduate degree and work one year. You can earn a bachelor's plus 30 more semester hours and work one year.
Or you can finish a bachelor's with an accounting concentration and work two years. All three routes also require passing the Uniform CPA Exam. A licensee must verify your experience. If you're finishing a bachelor's, ask the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy whether the two-year route fits your coursework.
How to Get a CPA License in Rhode Island
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in Rhode Island.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | A post-baccalaureate degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent | 1 year | In effect since June 23, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 30 hours | A bachelor's degree plus 30 additional semester credit hours, with an accounting concentration or equivalent | 1 year | In effect since June 23, 2026 |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | A bachelor's degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent | 2 years | In effect since June 23, 2026 |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in Rhode Island
You need a bachelor's degree or higher with 120 semester hours of education. That includes 24 hours of accounting and 24 hours of business courses other than accounting.
Coursework: 24 semester hours of accounting and 24 semester hours of business courses (other than accounting) to sit for the exam. The full 150 hours are needed for the certificate.
Ethics Exam
To be certified you must show a grade of 90 or above in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Professional Ethics comprehensive course.
What Changed Recently
A 2026 law signed June 23, 2026 took effect right away. It added a bachelor's plus two years route and removed the old 150-hour rule.
What Accountants Earn in Rhode Island
Accountants and auditors in Rhode Island earned a median of $95,820 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $76,400 and $120,280. About 6,570 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in Rhode Island
One program on our main rankings is based in Rhode Island. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- Providence College, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy: 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 Rhode Island stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Connecticut CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since October 1, 2025
- Massachusetts CPA requirements: bachelor's route proposed
- New York CPA requirements: bachelor's route starts November 21, 2026
Check With the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (Department of Business Regulation)
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.