State Updates
Vermont H.588 Adds a 120-Credit CPA Pathway, Signed and Effective Immediately
Vermont H.588 passed the House and Senate on May 19, 2026 and was signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 8, 2026, effective immediately. The law lets candidates earn a CPA license with a bachelor's degree and two years of experience instead of the 150-hour requirement.
Published June 7, 20264 min readVerified as of July 3, 2026
What Happened
Vermont's H.588 passed the House and Senate on May 19, 2026, went to Governor Phil Scott on June 2, and became law when he signed it on June 8, 2026. The new rules took effect immediately, so candidates can license under them now. The law eases Vermont's education requirement by letting a candidate substitute a second year of work experience for the extra coursework that the 150-hour rule requires. Sadie Fischesser, Executive Director of the Vermont Society of CPAs, testified in support during committee review and confirmed to CFO Dive that the change is effective immediately.
What the Bill Requires
H.588 lets a candidate qualify with a bachelor's degree (120 credits), two years of supervised experience, and a passing score on the Uniform CPA Exam. This is the "bachelor's plus two" model that the AICPA and NASBA built into the Uniform Accountancy Act in 2025 and that most states adopting new pathways have used. The existing 150-hour route remains available for candidates who prefer to meet the education requirement with additional coursework, as does Vermont's post-baccalaureate-with-one-year-of-experience option.
How the Pathways Compare
The decision turns on how a candidate spends the year that separates the two routes. The 150-hour path pairs more education with one year of supervised experience. The 120-credit path pairs a standard bachelor's degree with two years of experience. Vermont requires 42 semester hours in accounting, auditing, and related subjects for licensure, which is on the higher end nationally, and that coursework expectation still applies to candidates using either route.
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What Did Not Change
Vermont already lets candidates sit for the exam with 120 credits, so H.588 affects the licensure side rather than exam eligibility. The initial license fee stays at $100, renewal at $220 every two years, and the CPE requirement at 80 hours per two-year period. Vermont also does not require a Social Security number to apply, a policy that draws international candidates. The 42-hour accounting-and-auditing coursework requirement stays in place under both routes, so confirm your specific credits with the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy before you apply.
Where Vermont Fits Nationally
Vermont was one of three states, along with Louisiana and Missouri, whose CPA pathway bills reached the governor's desk in late May and early June 2026. All three are now law: Missouri's SB 1233 was signed July 13, 2026 and took effect August 28, 2026. As of August 31, 2026, 35 jurisdictions have a 120-credit pathway already in effect and 44 have enacted one. Vermont's bachelor's-plus-two-years design matches the approach used across New England and most of the country, which keeps the experience standard consistent for candidates who move between states early in their careers. Our 120-credit pathway tracker and interactive pathway map show the full state-by-state status.
What Vermont Candidates Should Do
The 120-credit route is a live option in Vermont now, so a candidate finishing a bachelor's degree can plan around it and trade a fifth year of school for a second year of supervised work. Confirm the 42-hour accounting coursework rule and the experience requirements with the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy, which handles licensure and can be reached at (802) 828-2373 or sec.bpr.sos@vermont.gov. We keep the full breakdown on our Vermont CPA requirements page, and the LIFTS assessment helps match a review course to how you study.
Sources
- 1.Vermont Legislature — H.588 Bill Status (2026, Act 119)(accessed Jul 3, 2026)
- 2.CFO Dive — Vermont governor signs CPA bill into law, effective immediately(accessed Jul 3, 2026)
- 3.Office of Governor Phil Scott — Action Taken on Legislation, June 8, 2026(accessed Jul 3, 2026)
- 4.MNCPA — Broadening Pathways to CPA Licensure (National Tracker)(accessed Jul 3, 2026)
- 5.Vermont Board of Public Accountancy(accessed Jul 3, 2026)
Brennan Kolar
Founder, Atlas CPA Index
Brennan Kolar is the founder of Atlas CPA Index, an independent CPA review comparison platform covering all 55 U.S. jurisdictions. With over 10 years of experience with CPA review, he built Atlas to help candidates find the right review course based on how they actually learn, not which provider has the biggest ad budget.
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