[pinkerton7384]

Hi everyone! I passed the exam just about a year ago. While I had all the requirements for a full reporting license in Massachusetts at the time, due to circumstances beyond my control I am just now submitting my application and paperwork to the board. Can anyone give me an estimate of how long it will take for the process to be complete?

My 30th birthday is July 3rd and I think it would be a pretty awesome gift for me to receive my license by then! 🙂

BEC - 75
AUD - 88
REG - 85
FAR - 75

DONE!!!

[mla1169]

Not sure if anything has changed since 2012, but the way it works is that you have to have all of your paperwork to them 10 BUSINESS days before the next board meeting and they will vote on it at that meeting. check out their website to see when their next meeting is, because I know there are one or 2 months that they don't have a meeting at all and not sure when that will be.

When I got my license, I had everything to them by 2/21/12, their meeting was 3/10 and my license was issued on 3/11.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Looks like they meet on June 19 then not again until Aug. Call them to verify (and send everything certified w/signature verification if you can) ASAP.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[pinkerton7384]

Thanks for the info! I should have everything together in the next couple of days and will send it certified for sure. I'll be thrilled if I get my license by the end of June… it's been a loooong time coming.

BEC - 75
AUD - 88
REG - 85
FAR - 75

DONE!!!

[pinkerton7384]

In case anyone has been reading this post wondering about the MA licensing timeline, I will update on my experience.

I mailed out all necessary documents on Fri 5/23. I sent it certified and the board received it on Tues 5/27 (since Monday was Memorial Day). I got a letter from the board on Thurs 6/5 stating that my experience letter was deficient because it did not have the exact month, date, and year that I became a full time employee. (Side note: I have been working at a public accounting firm for over 8 years. Four of them were on a part time basis while I was earning my bachelors, then when I graduated I became a full time accountant. So my boss said I became full time in May of 2010, but they wanted an exact date. So lame and frustrating.) My boss updated the letter for me and I mailed it out the next day, 6/6. Then I assumed I'd have to wait until the board meeting on 6/19 to hear anything. Well, last night I received a letter from the board congratulating me and granting me a license number. The approval date is 6/16. All in all, it took just over 3 weeks from mailing to approval.

So, they don't necessarily only approve applications at the monthly board meeting. Maybe the 10 business day rule is just for if you want it to be approved on the meeting date at the latest? I have no clue. Either way, if you have all your documents and experience, get them in ASAP. Anyway, that was my experience and now I can finally, and proudly, say that I am a licensed CPA!!!

BEC - 75
AUD - 88
REG - 85
FAR - 75

DONE!!!

[Anonymous]

I've noticed in CT, the amount of time it takes to approve a license depends on the type of experience you have. Myself and everyone I worked with in public accounting received their licenses a few weeks after mailing in their required documents, with no dependency on whether or not there was a board meeting around that time. I have also reviewed the Board's minutes before and noticed they never discussed applicants with public experience only. The minutes always only showed people with industry/government experience. Those applicants were reviewed at the board meeting in order to be licensed.

I can't guarantee this is what CT does, but that's what seems most likely based on what I came across. Sounds like MA might have a similar approach.

[pinkerton7384]

I checked out the minutes and noticed that too. Then I looked up licenses in MA and noticed that many were issued on dates other than a meeting date. Perhaps you're correct in that if you have public experience you're good to go and if not, or if there are any other issues, it needs board approval. Sounds like a legit theory anyway 🙂

BEC - 75
AUD - 88
REG - 85
FAR - 75

DONE!!!

[Author]

Replies