Vermont added a bachelor's plus two years route to the CPA license on June 8, 2026. The accountancy sections of Act 119 took effect that day. The route needs a bachelor's degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent. You also need two years of experience in public accounting.
Two other routes need one year of public accounting experience. One uses a postbaccalaureate degree. The other uses 150 semester hours with 42 hours of accounting, auditing and related subjects. You can sit for the exam at 120 semester hours that include 30 accounting hours.
Ask the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy how it defines public accounting experience.
How to Get a CPA License in Vermont
Every route also asks you to pass the Uniform CPA Exam. Here's how the education and experience fit together in Vermont.
| Route | Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree plus 1 year | A postbaccalaureate degree with an accounting concentration or equivalent | 1 year of experience in public accounting | In effect |
| 150-hour route | 150 semester hours including a baccalaureate and at least 42 hours of accounting, auditing and related subjects | 1 year of experience in public accounting | In effect |
| Bachelor's plus 2 years | A bachelor's degree with a concentration in accounting or equivalent | 2 years of experience in public accounting | In effect since June 8, 2026 |
Education to Sit for the CPA Exam in Vermont
You can sit for the exam at 120 semester hours, with no degree needed yet. Those hours include at least 30 hours of accounting, auditing and related subjects.
Coursework: 30 hours of accounting, auditing and related subjects to sit for the exam. The 150-hour route needs at least 42 hours of accounting, auditing and related subjects.
What Changed Recently
Act 119 (H.588) was approved June 8, 2026. Its accountancy sections took effect that day and added the bachelor's plus two years route.
What Accountants Earn in Vermont
Accountants and auditors in Vermont earned a median of $78,890 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $66,190 and $97,100. About 2,630 people held these jobs in the state.
Accounting Programs in Vermont
One program on our main rankings is based in Vermont. A degree from a school in the state is often the simplest way to match the board's coursework rules.
- Champlain College, 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 Vermont stand on the bachelor's-plus-experience route.
- Massachusetts CPA requirements: bachelor's route proposed
- New Hampshire CPA requirements: bachelor's route in effect since April 22, 2026
- New York CPA requirements: bachelor's route starts November 21, 2026
Check With the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy (Office of Professional 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.