New York has officially ratified a major update to CPA licensure. Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law A.7613 (Peoples-Stokes) / S.6892 (Stavisky), making way for an additional pathway to CPA licensure that allows candidates to qualify with 120 credit hours plus two years of work experience.
This option reinstates the path that existed pre-2009 and runs in conjunction with the existing 150-hour requirement with one year of experience, affording students another way to enter the accounting profession.
The change follows unanimous support in the Assembly and near-unanimous support in the Senate. It also reflects nearly a year of concentrated advocacy from the NYCPA. The bill modernizes a decades-old framework and responds to the current needs of students and employers.
NYCPA CEO Calvin Harris Jr. said in a recent announcement from the NYCPA, “With this new law, students have a choice" under the new structure, which he describes as both flexible and aligned with the profession's long-term interests. “These bills reflect the Society’s ongoing commitment to addressing real-world challenges faced by members and to modernizing the profession’s regulatory framework,” Harris said earlier this year. “They also underscore the impact of our members can have when we speak with one voice.”
The law also explains that out-of-state CPAs who are in good standing and have passed the Uniform CPA Examination may continue practicing in New York without applying for a reciprocal license, which maintains interstate mobility while maintaining compliance with New York's regulations.
Because the bill includes a one-year implementation period, the State Education Department will now begin preparing for full rollout by November 2026. The profession will no doubt be watching closely as the additional pathway gets integrated into the state's regulatory framework.
In Harris' LinkedIn message after the licensure bill was signed by the governor, he wrote, "In just one year, we built the coalition, made the case, and helped move this across the finish line. Today is proof of what happens when the NYCPA brings data, strategy, and persistence to the table. "He also showed his gratitude to those who helped bring the legislation to fruition. "Thank you to our members, partners, educators, and policymakers who stood with us. To future CPAs: this additional option is for you—and for the profession we’re all working to strengthen," he noted.
Aside from the pathway bill, the Assembly approved the e-signature expansion bill (A249/S52), which allows individuals with power of attorney to use electronic signatures on tax documents. The bill, long sought by the Society, passed the Senate earlier this year and addresses a key administrative hurdle for practitioners and clients who were previously required to obtain in-person signatures for certain tax filings.
The passage of both bills followed sustained advocacy from the Society, including a coordinated effort during Lobby Day in May that brought nearly 40 members to Albany. Harris called the dual passage “unprecedented,” noting that moving even a single bill in one session is a significant challenge.