CPA / Accounting License from Michigan to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) ↗
Yes — Colorado recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Michigan. Apply to the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Colorado recognizes substantial equivalency, so your Michigan CPA license clears the bar on its own — the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) cares that you are a CPA in good standing, not that your license came from Michigan. What remains is Colorado-side: verification through CPAverify.org, the reciprocal application and fee, a background check, and any Colorado ethics or rules-of-conduct exam. Do the mobility math first, though — if Colorado is not becoming your principal place of business, practice privilege may let you work there without this application at all.
What changes, Michigan → Colorado
| Michigan (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 150 | 150 |
| Application fee | Michigan charges an application processing fee plus a 2-year license fee (State License Fee Act, 1979 PA 152), collected on the CPA reciprocity application; the exact amounts are published on the LARA application forms but could not be confirmed on an accessible official page at time of research (LARA blocked automated retrieval, HTTP 403) | $195 (reciprocal certificate application fee processed by NASBA/CPAES; the AICPA ethics course/exam is purchased separately) |
| Processing time | LARA does not publish a processing time for the CPA reciprocity application | ~6 weeks (NASBA/CPAES, which processes Colorado applications, advises allowing up to six weeks from file completion) |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Board of Accountancy (Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing) | Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active CPA license in good standing from a substantially-equivalent US jurisdiction.
- Pass the AICPA Professional Ethics: AICPA's Comprehensive Course examination (8-hour).
- Complete a 2-hour Colorado Rules and Regulations course within six months following licensure (or within the six months immediately preceding certification).
- Affirm compliance with all licensure requirements of the reciprocal state and meet Colorado CPE obligations.
- Pay the fees ($195 (reciprocal certificate application fee processed by NASBA/CPAES; the AICPA ethics course/exam is purchased separately)) and allow ~6 weeks (NASBA/CPAES, which processes Colorado applications, advises allowing up to six weeks from file completion).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept a Michigan CPA license?
Yes — Colorado recognizes CPA licenses from all states, including Michigan. Apply to the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the CPA Exam moving from Michigan to Colorado?
No — the Uniform CPA Exam transfers with your license. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is confirmed through your active out-of-state CPA license (national lookup at CPAverify.org). Colorado imposes no separate state law exam, but reciprocal applicants must have passed the 8-hour AICPA Professional Ethics comprehensive course and examination and must complete a 2-hour Colorado Rules and Regulations course within six months of licensure..
Do I need a Colorado license, or does mobility cover the move?
If Colorado becomes your principal place of business, you apply to the Colorado State Board of Accountancy (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) for a reciprocal license. If you are only serving Colorado clients from Michigan, practice privilege usually covers you with no Colorado license, notice, or fee.
What does the Michigan-to-Colorado move cost?
$195 (reciprocal certificate application fee processed by NASBA/CPAES; the AICPA ethics course/exam is purchased separately) (reciprocal certificate application fee processed by NASBA/CPAES; the AICPA ethics course/exam is purchased separately).
Can I keep my Michigan CPA license after licensing in Colorado?
Yes — CPA licenses stack, and many CPAs hold more than one. Keep the Michigan license active (its renewal and CPE run separately) and mobility covers the states where you hold none.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- NASBA/CPAES — Colorado Application for CPA Certificate Reciprocity (active out-of-state license, AICPA ethics exam, Colorado Rules and Regulations course) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASBA Licensing — Colorado (reciprocal certificate fee $195, up to six weeks processing, substantial-equivalency requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Board of Accountancy CPA Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA — Licensed Accountant (CPA) Licensing Guide (reciprocity via 4-of-10 experience, license verification, exam certified not retaken) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA — Accountant (CPA) Professional Licensing Guide (150 hours, 1 year experience; no direct bilateral reciprocal agreement, qualify by experience) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA — Board of Accountancy (Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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