The examination required by SDCL 36-20B-18 must test the candidate's knowledge and skills required for performance as an entry-level certified public accountant. The examination must include the subject areas of accounting, auditing, business law, taxation, finance, communications, and information technology.
A candidate may take the required sections of the examination individually and in any order. Credit for any section passed is valid for thirty months from the date the passing score of the section is released, without having to attain a minimum score on any failed section, and without regard to whether the candidate has taken other sections. The passing grade is based on a 0-99 numeric scale and passing is a seventy-five.
Each candidate must pass all four sections of the examination within a single rolling qualifying period, which begins on the date the first passing score is released. The rolling qualifying period of thirty months concludes on the date the candidate sits for the final section passed, regardless of when the score is released for the final section.
Each candidate may not retake a failed section of the examination until the candidate has received the score for the most recent attempt of that section.
If all four sections of the examination are not passed within a given rolling qualifying period, credit for any section passed outside that qualifying period will expire and that section must be retaken.
A candidate is deemed to have passed the examination once the candidate holds, at the same time, valid credit for passing each of the four sections for the examination, in the rolling qualifying period of thirty months.
The period of time in which to pass all required sections of the examination may be extended by the board upon the candidate showing that the credit was lost by reason of individual hardship, personal emergency, act of God, military service, or other circumstances beyond the candidate's control.
The board may accept transferred grades from other states when a candidate for transfer of grades has met all the requirements of a candidate in this state.
The board may not notify a candidate of grades received on the examination until verification of graduation or completion of required courses has been submitted to the board. Until verification is received, the board may not transfer grades to any other state, accept any future examination application, or issue a certificate to an individual receiving passing grades.
S.D. Admin. R. 20:75:02:14
General Authority: SDCL 36-20B-12(19), 36-20B-18.
Law Implemented: SDCL 36-20B-18.