PIPELINE
Shaping the Future of CPA Licensure
By Will Edmondson
On July 1, 2025, in a ceremony at the Executive Mansion, Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 321—the Accounting Workforce Development Act—into law. Surrounded by NCACPA leaders, volunteer advocates, and state lawmakers, Governor Stein addressed the critical talent shortages in the accounting profession, saying:
“This bill strengthens our state’s accounting talent pipeline by rewarding experience and opening an additional pathway to licensure.”
What's in the Bill?
The CPA talent pipeline has long been a top concern among leaders in the profession and beyond. For many students, the increased cost, lost wages, and time investment associated with completing the additional 30 credit hours (beyond a standard bachelor's degree) have created a significant barrier to licensure.
Senate Bill 321 offers a new, more accessible path: candidates may substitute the traditional 150-credit-hour requirement with 120 credit hours, a second year of supervised professional experience, and passage of the Uniform CPA Exam. This preserves high professional standards while addressing financial and accessibility challenges that discourage many aspiring CPAs.
This change impacts students exploring the profession, educators advising future CPAs, firms and employers seeking to recruit and retain talent, and current professionals who may reconsider pursuing their CPA license.
How We Got Here
Recognizing the urgency of the pipeline challenge, the NCACPA Board of Directors formed a working group in spring 2024. Representatives from public accounting, academia, and industry explored innovative and sustainable licensure solutions.
In October 2024, NCACPA launched a statewide survey, receiving more than 400 member responses. Nearly 80% supported an alternative pathway, reinforcing what many already knew: the profession needed more flexibility to attract and retain talent.
With input from national proposals by AICPA and NASBA, the working group refined its recommendations, and the outcome was the introduction of the Accounting Workforce Development Act to North Carolina lawmakers in March 2025.
The bill—sponsored by Senators Danny Britt (R-Robeson), Brad Overcash (R-Gaston), and Michael Lazzara (R-Onslow)—passed unanimously in both chambers: 45-0 in the Senate on April 3, and 109-0 in the House on June 24
A Unified Effort
Before the bill signing, NCACPA Board Chair Kelly Puryear, CPA, CGMA, addressed a small audience in the Executive Mansion ballroom:
“Senate Bill 321 represents thoughtful, forward-looking reform that addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing our profession: the shrinking CPA pipeline. This reform maintains our profession’s high standards while making the path more accessible, affordable, and practical. It opens doors for capable, motivated students and strengthens the pipeline of talent needed to serve our businesses, communities, and economy.”
NCACPA proudly acknowledges this achievement as a collective win. The association extends its deepest thanks to the volunteer leaders who shaped the policy vision and the Advocacy Resource Group for strategic guidance. Special appreciation goes to Advocacy Resource Group Chair Jason Poole and member Bo Biggs for their critical grassroots advocacy in securing bill sponsors and to contract lobbyists Dave Horne and Josh Grant of Smith Anderson for their tireless work in advancing SB 321 into law.
What's Next?
The new law takes effect January 1, 2026. Between now and then, NCACPA will focus on educating students, firms and employers, educators, and current professionals about this change—ensuring the entire profession understands how the additional pathway works, who it benefits, and how it can be incorporated into career and talent strategies.
Learn more: For the full timeline, background resources, and tools to help share this information with your networks, visit ncacpa.org/pathways.