Nevada Just Dropped the 150-Hour CPA Requirement. Here's the New Path to Licensure.

Nevada just became the latest state to drop the 150-hour requirement for CPAs. As of February 27, you can get licensed in Nevada with a bachelor's degree, two years of experience, and passing the CPA exam.

The Nevada legislature passed SB437 unanimously during the 2025 session. The bill moved licensing requirements from statute to regulation—meaning the Nevada Board of Accountancy could implement the change without waiting for the governor's signature. The new pathway went live immediately.

"We feel this additional pathway gives more options to candidates and lets them align their career and licensing journey with their individual situation," said Viki Windfeldt, executive director of the Nevada Board of Accountancy.

Three Ways to Get Licensed in Nevada Now

Nevada CPAs can now choose from three paths:

1. Traditional 150-hour path: 150 semester hours of education, one year of experience, pass the CPA exam.

2. Advanced degree path: Master's degree in accounting, one year of experience, pass the CPA exam.

3. New bachelor's + experience path: Bachelor's degree (120 hours), two years of experience, pass the CPA exam.

The third option is the new one. It's designed for people who don't want to pay for an extra 30 credit hours but are willing to put in an extra year of work experience instead.

Why This Matters for Firms

Nevada is roughly the 30th state to drop or modify the 150-hour rule. That's not a coincidence—it's a coordinated response to the CPA talent shortage. The pipeline is broken. Not enough students are entering accounting programs, and the 150-hour requirement is one of the biggest barriers.

The math is brutal: students graduate with a bachelor's degree at 120 hours, then need to pay for another year of school (or squeeze in extra credits while working) to hit 150 hours before they can sit for the exam. Many just... don't. They go into finance, consulting, or tech instead. Firms lose talent before it even enters the pipeline.

Nevada's new path fixes that. Students can graduate with a bachelor's, start working immediately, and get licensed after two years of experience. Firms can hire them earlier, pay them earlier, and train them on the job instead of sending them back to school.

Anna Durst, CEO of the Nevada Society of CPAs, said the change "will remove barriers to licensure and further unify the CPA profession." Translation: more people will get licensed, and firms will have more candidates to hire.

What This Means

If you're a Nevada CPA firm, you now have access to a wider talent pool. Candidates who were priced out of the 150-hour requirement can now enter the profession with a bachelor's and two years of work.

If you're in a state that still requires 150 hours, watch what happens in Nevada, West Virginia, Nebraska, and the other 27 states that have dropped or modified the rule. If their pipelines improve and yours doesn't, your state board will face pressure to follow.

The 150-hour rule was supposed to elevate the profession. Instead, it became a barrier. Nevada just removed it.