# COMAR Title 09 — Maryland Department of Labor

## Subtitle 24 — Board of Public Accountancy

### Chapter 05 — Examinations

**Authority:** Business Occupations and Professions Article, §§2-207, 2-303, 2-305, and 2-307, Annotated Code of Maryland

**Administrative History:** Effective date: March 29, 2004 (31:6 Md. R. 508)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .03 amended effective December 31, 2007 (34:26 Md. R. 2262); October 3, 2011 (38:20 Md. R. 1202); April 28, 2014 (41:8 Md. R. 470)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .03A amended effective May 18, 2009 (36:10 Md. R. 716)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .03A, B, F amended effective January 8, 2024 (50:26 Md. R. 1131)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .04J adopted effective June 29, 2020 (47:13 Md. R. 641)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .05B, C amended effective January 8, 2024 (50:26 Md. R. 1131)

#### Regulation .01 Purpose.

*COMAR 09.24.05.01*

This chapter establishes criteria for the Uniform CPA Examination, which:

A. Tests the knowledge and skills required by the Board for performance as an entry-level certified public accountant; and

B. Includes the subject areas of accounting, auditing, and related knowledge and skills as the Board may require.

#### Regulation .02 Definitions.

*COMAR 09.24.05.02*

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meaning indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

  (1) “Administration window” means one of four quarterly periods during the year in which a candidate may sit for any section of the Uniform CPA Examination.

  (2) “Applicant” means an individual who applies to take the Uniform CPA Examination.

  (3) “Candidate” means an individual who is approved by the Board to take the Uniform CPA Examination.

  (4) “Cheating” means:

    (a) Falsifying or misrepresenting educational credentials or other information required by the Board for qualification for the Uniform CPA Examination;

    (b) Communicating inside or outside of an examination facility for the purpose of exchanging information about examination subject matter during the administration of any examination section;

    (c) Copying another candidate's answers during the administration of the examination;

    (d) Substituting another person to sit in a test facility while the examination is in progress;

    (e) Referring to any material or electronic media other than material provided by the examination facility for the purpose of completing the examination; or

    (f) Attempting to gain an unfair advantage over other candidates by any other means.

  (5) “Examination section” means one of four parts of the Uniform CPA Examination.

  (6) “Notice to schedule” means notification sent to a candidate that authorizes the candidate to schedule an examination.

  (7) “Notify in writing” means notice by regular mail, email, or other electronic means.

  (8) “Passing score” means a score of 75 or greater on each section of the Uniform CPA Examination.

#### Regulation .03 Educational Requirements.

*COMAR 09.24.05.03*

A. To take the Uniform CPA Examination, an applicant shall satisfactorily complete:

  (1) Unless otherwise indicated, a minimum of 27 undergraduate semester hours of accounting education to include each of the following subjects:

    (a) Auditing of at least 3 undergraduate semester hours;

    (b) Financial accounting of at least 9 undergraduate semester hours;

    (c) Accounting information systems of at least 3 undergraduate semester hours; and

    (d) U.S. federal income tax of at least 3 undergraduate semester hours; and

  (2) At least 3 undergraduate semester hours in:

    (a) Business ethics; or

    (b) Accounting ethics.

B. In order to become licensed, in addition to satisfactorily completing the requirements set forth in §A of this regulation, an applicant shall satisfactorily complete 3 undergraduate semester hours in business law and a minimum of 18 undergraduate semester hours in the following business-related subjects, including 3 undergraduate semester hours in at least five of the following subjects:

  (1) Statistics;

  (2) Economics;

  (3) Corporation or business finance;

  (4) Management;

  (5) Data analytics;

  (6) Marketing;

  (7) Business communication;

  (8) Information technology/systems;

  (9) Quantitative methods; or

  (10) Other business-related content areas included in the Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints.

C. The following may be accepted as fulfilling a part or all of the semester hours requirement under §A of this regulation, at either the graduate or undergraduate level, if the accredited institution granting the credits reports the credits on an official transcript without qualification or limitation and if the credits are acceptable by the accredited institution in the institution's own graduate or undergraduate degree-granting programs:

  (1) Independent study courses;

  (2) Correspondence courses;

  (3) College Level Entrance Programs (CLEP); and

  (4) Credits earned only by examination.

D. If qualification is sought on the basis of a combination of graduate and undergraduate courses:

  (1) 3 undergraduate level semester hours shall be considered equivalent to 2 graduate level semester hours; and

  (2) A higher than baccalaureate degree is not required to fulfill this requirement.

E. If qualification is sought on the basis of a combination of semester and quarter hour courses:

  (1) 1 undergraduate level quarter hour shall be considered equivalent to .667 semester hours; and

  (2) 1 graduate level quarter hour shall be considered equivalent to 1 undergraduate semester hour.

F. If an applicant has received an accounting degree, or has taken course work to supplement a non-accounting degree, at a school or college that is not a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or not accredited as provided by Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 2, Annotated Code of Maryland, the Board may:

  (1) Seek the advice of consultants as to the academic standing of the institution;

  (2) Charge the applicant the reasonable cost of the consultation;

  (3) Upon receipt of the report of the consultants, the Board may decide to reject, or to accept within its lawful discretion, either:

    (a) The entire academic program; or

    (b) Any part of the academic program.

G. If only a part of the academic program is accepted under §F(3)(b) of this regulation, the Board shall specify the courses to be taken at an accredited institution for the applicant to qualify.

#### Regulation .04 Filing an Application with the Board.

*COMAR 09.24.05.04*

A. Each original applicant shall:

  (1) File an application with the Board on forms that the Board approves; and

  (2) Submit the appropriate fee and the official transcripts demonstrating completion of the educational requirements set forth in Regulation .03 of this chapter to the address designated by the Board on the appropriate application forms.

B. A candidate may choose to take the examination sections individually and in any order.

C. An application to take a reexamination shall be submitted on a form, or in a manner, determined by the Board.

D. For examinations administered after November 6, 2003, a candidate approved to take the examination before July 1, 1999 shall meet the requirements of Regulation .03 of this chapter unless the candidate:

  (1) Has earned conditional credit under Regulation .04 of this chapter; or

  (2) Was present for the examinations administered in:

    (a) May 2003; or

    (b) November 2003.

E. The Board shall give examinations to applicants, at least twice a year, at times and places that the Board determines.

F. Notification of Candidate Eligibility and Notice to Schedule.

  (1) The Board or its designee shall issue a notice to schedule upon:

    (a) The original candidate's approval to take the Uniform CPA Examination and payment of appropriate examination fees; or

    (b) Receipt of payment of appropriate examination fees from a reexamination candidate.

  (2) The notice to schedule is valid for 180 days from the date issued.

G. A candidate may not retake a failed examination section during the same administration window.

H. After filing the proper application and fee, if a candidate does not appear at the exam as scheduled, the candidate forfeits the application fee.

I. A candidate may not transfer fees from one administration window to another.

J. If the examination is offered on a continuous basis with no administration window limitations, a candidate may retake a failed examination section once their grade for that section has been released.

#### Regulation .05 Conditional Credit.

*COMAR 09.24.05.05*

A. A candidate who received a score of 75 or higher in any examination section shall earn conditional credit for passing the section.

B. A candidate who receives conditional credit is excused from retaking the examination section passed, if the candidate passes the remaining sections of the examination within 30 months from the date the first section was passed.

C. A candidate who fails to pass all sections of the examination within 30 months from the date the first section is passed loses conditional credit for the first section and shall pass the section again before 30 months elapse from the date the next examination section is passed.

D. The conditional credit period may be extended by the Board upon a candidate's showing of reasons, acceptable to the Board, why the candidate is unable to take an examination.

E. As soon as practicable after the grading of the examination papers, each candidate shall be notified in writing of the candidate's grades on each subject taken.

F. Within a period of 60 days after release of grades, a candidate may request permission to review the candidate's examination by writing to the Board.

G. Conditional Credit Transition.

  (1) Candidates who have earned conditional credit for examination sections passed under the paper and pencil format shall retain conditional credit as follows:

    (a) The Accounting and Reporting examination section under the paper and pencil format shall be considered equivalent to the Regulation examination section under the computerized testing format;

    (b) The Auditing examination section under the paper and pencil format shall be considered equivalent to the Auditing and Attestation examination section under the computerized testing format;

    (c) The Business Law and Professional Responsibilities examination section under the paper and pencil format shall be considered equivalent to the Business Environment and Concepts examination section under the computerized testing format; and

    (d) The Financial Accounting and Reporting examination section under the paper and pencil format shall be considered equivalent to the Financial Accounting and Reporting examination section under the computerized testing format.

  (2) Duration of Conditional Credit from Paper and Pencil Format.

    (a) Conditional credit earned in November 2001, expires on the earlier of:

      (i) The candidate's first attempt to pass the remaining examination sections, if unsuccessful; or

      (ii) May 31, 2004.

    (b) Conditional credit earned in May 2002, expires on the earlier of:

      (i) The candidate's second attempt to pass the remaining examination sections, if unsuccessful; or

      (ii) November 30, 2004.

    (c) Conditional credit earned in November 2002, expires on the earlier of:

      (i) The candidate's third attempt to pass the remaining examination sections, if unsuccessful; or

      (ii) May 31, 2005.

    (d) Conditional credit earned in May 2003, expires on the earlier of:

      (i) The candidate's fourth attempt to pass the remaining examination sections, if unsuccessful; or

      (ii) November 30, 2005.

    (e) Conditional credit earned in November 2003, expires on the earlier of:

      (i) The candidate's fifth attempt to pass the remaining examination sections, if unsuccessful; or

      (ii) May 31, 2006.

#### Regulation .06 Professional Ethics Examination.

*COMAR 09.24.05.06*

A. Before applying for a license, an individual who has successfully passed all of the examination sections of the Uniform CPA Examination shall pass the examination in professional ethics approved by the Board.

B. The individual shall pay the cost of the examination in professional ethics.