Transfer Your CPA / Accounting License to Mississippi: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy ↗

A CPA license transfers to Mississippi by reciprocity: because Mississippi treats every US CPA as substantially equivalent, the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy grants its license on the strength of your existing one rather than re-qualifying you. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is established through the applicant's existing license under substantial equivalency. Mississippi does not require a separate state ethics examination, but every licensee must complete at least 1 CPE hour in Mississippi Public Accountancy Law and Regulations every three years.. Fee: $210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable).

Moving to Mississippi from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

Run the Reciprocity Checker →

Verdict

Full reciprocity — honors all states

Because Mississippi recognizes substantial equivalency, the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy looks at your standing, not your origin: a CPA in good standing from any state qualifies for a reciprocal license, and the Uniform CPA Exam does not come back. Read the requirements below as the destination's own layer — a background check, a state ethics or rules-of-conduct exam where one applies, and proof your CPE is current — rather than a re-credentialing.

Settle the mobility question before you file. If Mississippi is not becoming your principal place of business — you are serving Mississippi clients from elsewhere, or the work is temporary — practice privilege usually lets you work there with no Mississippi license at all. Apply for the reciprocal license when Mississippi is where you will actually be based.

Mississippi issues a reciprocal CPA license to any CPA holding a license in a substantially-equivalent US jurisdiction (or whose individual qualifications are substantially equivalent) — not a named partner list. Licensure is required only if you are a Mississippi resident or regularly transact business / are employed in Mississippi (Miss. Code 73-33-1); otherwise an out-of-state CPA may work under mobility/practice privilege (expanded by HB 1137) with no Mississippi license. A Board background check is mandatory for reciprocal applicants (since Nov. 1, 2015). The 150-hour education requirement is the state baseline for exam candidates; reciprocal applicants satisfy it through the substantial equivalency of their existing license.

Mississippi requirements at a glance

Out-of-state CPA license transfer requirements for Mississippi, verified 2026-07-21
Exam	The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is established through the applicant's existing license under substantial equivalency. Mississippi does not require a separate state ethics examination, but every licensee must complete at least 1 CPE hour in Mississippi Public Accountancy Law and Regulations every three years.
Training hours	150 hours
Additional requirements	Hold a valid CPA license from a substantially-equivalent US jurisdiction (or show individual qualifications are substantially equivalent) Pass an Accountancy Board background check before the reciprocal license is issued (required for reciprocal applicants since Nov. 1, 2015) Required if you are a Mississippi resident or maintain a place for the regular transaction of business / are employed in Mississippi (Miss. Code 73-33-1) Comply with Mississippi CPE, including the law/regulations coverage, from first licensure (no first-year exemption)
Fees	$210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable)
Processing time	Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing

Step by step

Confirm Mississippi's current requirements on the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy website — rules change.
Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy (application linked on this page).
Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
Hold a valid CPA license from a substantially-equivalent US jurisdiction (or show individual qualifications are substantially equivalent).
Pass an Accountancy Board background check before the reciprocal license is issued (required for reciprocal applicants since Nov. 1, 2015).
Required if you are a Mississippi resident or maintain a place for the regular transaction of business / are employed in Mississippi (Miss. Code 73-33-1).
Comply with Mississippi CPE, including the law/regulations coverage, from first licensure (no first-year exemption).
Pay the fees ($210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable)) and allow Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing.

Official links

Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy ↗Mississippi application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Mississippi:

California → Mississippi Florida → Mississippi Georgia → Mississippi Illinois → Mississippi Michigan → Mississippi New Hampshire → Mississippi New York → Mississippi North Carolina → Mississippi Ohio → Mississippi Pennsylvania → Mississippi Texas → Mississippi

Frequently asked questions

Does my CPA license transfer to Mississippi?

Do I have to retake the CPA Exam to get licensed in Mississippi?

No. The Uniform CPA Examination is not retaken; passage is established through the applicant's existing license under substantial equivalency. Mississippi does not require a separate state ethics examination, but every licensee must complete at least 1 CPE hour in Mississippi Public Accountancy Law and Regulations every three years..

Do I even need a Mississippi CPA license, or does mobility cover me?

If Mississippi is not your principal place of business, practice privilege (mobility) usually lets you serve Mississippi clients with no Mississippi license, notice, or fee. You apply to the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy for a reciprocal license when Mississippi becomes where you are principally based.

What does a Mississippi reciprocal CPA license cost?

$210 ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable) ($110 reciprocal CPA license registration fee + $100 board processing fee; nonrefundable).

How long does the Mississippi reciprocity process take?

Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing — Board does not publish a processing time; issuance is contingent on the Board background check clearing.

How does Mississippi's education requirement affect a reciprocal CPA license?

Mississippi's initial-licensure baseline is 150 semester hours. Reciprocal applicants normally satisfy education through the license they already hold rather than a fresh transcript review; if you were licensed before your state raised its education requirement, confirm your route with the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]