[SerenityNow]

For how much work and BS we put up with interrupting our lives for this exam and waiting on scores, is it unacceptable how long it takes for a state board to finally give you your license. In a world where everyone is trying to “go green” and everything is done electronically, how does it take any longer than a couple of weeks to approve a license where the candidate has painstakingly compiled everything requested and submitted it timely? I am venting here, and I know for every 100 candidates who waited months for their license there is bound to be 1 person who waited two weeks, but I think this is very poor on the state board’s part. I have called and asked for updates and they are very vague, apart from my first one. They told me that my experience letter from my boss needed to be on company letterhead (which is nitpicky to say the least considering he filled out a form stating the firm he works for on the experience page). What chapped my ass was that I had to call to find that out and if I hadn’t I likely would have been waiting around for weeks to hear that info. Who else is waiting on a license and is fed up? End of rant.

[April94]

I agree. I have started calling the IL licensing department (IDFPR) twice per week now because they just seem so disorganized over there. Every time I call I'm getting a different answer. 2.5 weeks ago, I received a deficiency because my boss signed the experience verification form electronically instead of manually. I resolved the issue 2 days later and submitted the corrected form. It's been 2.5 weeks and my application status is STILL “waiting review”.

I called IDFPR twice last week. The first time, they said I had a deficiency and I politely told them “I addressed the issue 2.5 weeks ago by uploading the corrected form” They said they would email the licensing department to let them know. 2 days later I called again. This time they said they didn't have my CPA scores, so they couldn't review my application. I told them I already talked to the ILBOE before calling and ILBOE said my scores were sent last month, so IDFPR should definitely have them by now.

IDFPR told me to call early next week (this week) because my application should be reviewed early this week. I am going to call them tomorrow afternoon if I still don't see a change in my application status.

I also submitted my app electronically, so I really don't know why it takes over a month to review these applications. It's very frustrating.

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Licensed CPA in IL

FAR-72, 55, 82 (Roger + Wiley TB)
AUD-66, 92 (Roger)
REG-71, 81 (Roger + Wiley TB)
BEC-77 (Roger)
Ethics- 93

[April94]

UPDATE: Just received my license today! Officially a licensed CPA in IL 🙂

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Licensed CPA in IL

FAR-72, 55, 82 (Roger + Wiley TB)
AUD-66, 92 (Roger)
REG-71, 81 (Roger + Wiley TB)
BEC-77 (Roger)
Ethics- 93

[realtoinedeal8]

@serenitynow

I completely agree with you! When my almost 4 years process of doing this exam and then picking up the remaining credits and experience needed, and then putting all my paperwork together right the first time only to find out from the CT Consumer of Protection that it might take up to 8 weeks aka 2 months to process my application, not to mention this was in the midst of a pandemic, I was heated!! Honestly the AICPA constantly stresses the importance of CPAs to be up on current technology, heck even a good portion of the BEC section of the exam is about technology… you would think that the licensing boards and related departments would be ahead of the curve! And same goes for the CPA exam scoring, it is ridiculous that practically EVERYONE at Prometric testing centers who are not testing for the CPA walk away with the results of their exam, even enrolled agent exams give you the INSTANT RESULT….but nope…not CPA exams….i constantly wrote about that at the end of exams when they gave you a survey. I always stated that i get it that you have to weigh the scores etc., but you can at least do what ALL CPA review courses do…give you a result of how many you got right and wrong….this way a candidate can easily determine if he or she should move on to study for the next section or restart….this way the candidate will at least have some idea…instead of making the candidate wait WEEKS in limbo. Though I passed finally after almost 4 years, and finally got licensed, I still wish the entire process was not as hard as they make it out to be due to LACK OF TECHNOLOGY…like what do you guys spend our testing fees on!!! just my two cents.

AUD - 80
BEC - 77
FAR - 75
REG - 85

Frank Sinatra and Rocky IV movie/soundtrack helped me pass the CPA exam.

[animalwithin]

Such is the game we are playing. It all depends on what you're wanting to get out of it. If you dont't think it's worth slogging through all this BS, you can exit the game at any time.

This is true for any career that involves some sort of certification. Lawyer, doctor, dentist, CPA, the list goes on. All these take a long time although CPA arguably is the shortest of all if you do it correctly.

As a side note, a certification of any kind is most certainly not needed to be successful in life and may actually be a hindrance long term.

[CH89]

Kind of interesting to read and see the different experiences with obtaining a license. I'm actually surprised that Pennsylvania seems to have a quick turnaround. I applied for a license on 9/11, and by 9/30 everything seemed to be either reviewed and/or completed. My only “hiccup” was while my experience form met the hours, it only had 11 months and 4 days, so I need a second form for the remaining 26 days, oh the joy!

@realtoinedeal8 – I'm not sure how helpful it would be if at the end of the exam we were told that we got so many right out of so many questions. Remember, a score of an 80 on this exam does not mean you got 80% of the questions correct.

AUD - 84
BEC - 82
FAR - 76
REG - 79

What a journey! It took me 12 attempts, do not give up, keep going! Praise God!

Passed Exams: 8/25/2020

Licensed in Pa: 11/24/2020

[kalousdm]

100% agree with all of you. I applied for my license on 9/8. The email I received said to allow 30 days for the initial review. Painfully waiting for Friday to call and see what's going on. Almost at the 30 days and my Application on the board's site hasn't moved from ‘Submitted' status. Feels like it's already been forever and who knows how much longer it'll be. Small detail but after the whole testing process it gets frustrating telling everyone ‘Well not yet technically' when everyone says ‘So you're officially a CPA now'. This is worse than waiting for scores to be posted.

AUD - 77
BEC - 84
FAR - 80
REG - 82

BARF

[AGI]

Just to make everyone above feel better, I've emailed the board of my state over three weeks ago and haven't heard anything from them yet. That's the only way to check the status in NY. We don't even have an electronic system to check our status. The state said emailed them only after six weeks…

NY - CPA

New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

[sandysprotege]

I am applying for NJ. I submitted everything 9/4 and finally today received this email from NASBA:

All documentation to accompany your online application has been received and your application has been placed in the initial evaluation stage. Please allow up to six (6) weeks for this initial evaluation. Once the initial evaluation is complete, your application will be checked for quality assurance.

NJ License Pending

FAR - 63, 64, 75 (Dec 2018)

REG - 51,75 (Jan 2018) - expired...FML...81 (March 2020)

AUD - 64,70, 68 (Oct 2019), 72 (Jan 2020), 77 (July 2020)

BEC - 66, 72 (March 2019), 80 (July 2019)

 

[Accounting_is_Taxing]

Virginia took two weeks. The day after I passed my final section, I got my experience verified, printed out all my scores and other required documentation, and sent it to my state. No questions or issues. My certificate took about a month to receive.

AUD - 75
BEC - 77
FAR - 77
REG - 76

Licensed in VA

[AGI]

NY finally responded on 10/8 to my inquiry sent on 9/14, that I'm missing my transcripts.

The funny part is, that have my transcripts from NASBA in their system since 2016. But just because NASBA didn't evaluate my full 150 credits before I completed the exam, the board denied NASBA's evaluation and want my transcripts directly. All colleges are close and they don't offer mailing transcripts. I got to keep my fingers crossed that electronic copies will work.

If I would have finished my 150 credits BEFORE I finished my test, then the board would have accepted the transcript from NASBA.

What kind of logic is that? And now I got to wait another month-long of inquiry to figure out if my transcripts were accepted.

I would be happy if I see my license before 2021. Not faithful on that.

NY - CPA

New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

[kalousdm]

So for me, I waited the 30 days they said to allow for the initial review. All the while, my application hadn't changed from ‘Submitted' status. I emailed my board on 10/9. They got right back to me yesterday and said I'd been approved and would receive an official email on 10/15. Application still shows the ‘Submitted' status. I wonder how long it would've taken if I hadn't reached out.

AUD - 77
BEC - 84
FAR - 80
REG - 82

BARF

[monikernc]

My delays were due to processing, two weeks each state, then another month to wait for each state board to meet and approve my licenses.

AUD - 93
BEC - 82
FAR - 76
REG - 88

How have you been?
Ninja book and MCQs and the forum, all first try! 2016
Licensed State of Montana April Fool’s Day 2020
State of Colorado June 2020 - AICPA Ethics 93
Experience was the worst part of the journey for me. You?
If you want things to change you have to do something different.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Lucky88]

From my point of view, the quickest part is to pass the exams. That's what I can control. The rest part such as working experience verification, submission to Board for license… are not controlled by ourselves. It took me less than half a year to pass all the exams. But 3 months after submitting the application to the Board, I am still not licensed yet.

AUD - 85
BEC - 90
FAR - 77
REG - 91

 

 

[AGI]

NY- It is now end of October. I submitted my initial application beginning of September. Another call after making up missing education transcript on 10/8, waiting 10 days as instructed for arrival and to be file in the system. I was told it will takes at least another 4 weeks before they will “review my education and determine if the credits are acceptable” (and then hopefully it will be present to the board to approve for license).

NOTHING I CAN DO EXCEPT TO KEEP MY FINGER CROSSED. I simply hope my school did the forms and paperwork correctly (when everyone is working from home). Otherwise, this will be another 6 weeks of going around AGAIN.

NY - CPA

New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

[CH89]

I guess a little update for PA. I'm finding it annoyingly difficult to communicate. You try and call, only to receive an automated voice message telling me they aren't taking calls. You send an email, and you get an automated reply telling me I won't receive a reply to my email. The only other form of communication is by submitting a support ticket, which seems to be floating around in the abyss with no response or updates.

My experience form was resent, via email, on 10/7, and I have not seen any status updates regarding if it has been reviewed, let alone received.

Impatient rant end/

AUD - 84
BEC - 82
FAR - 76
REG - 79

What a journey! It took me 12 attempts, do not give up, keep going! Praise God!

Passed Exams: 8/25/2020

Licensed in Pa: 11/24/2020

[Author]

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