Choose a topic to review the Often Asked Questions about the computer-based CPA Examination.

Applying for the Test
Eligibility Requirements
Examination Administration
Examination Content
Exam Credit
Scheduling the Examination
Score Release
Test Centers

Compatible CPA Test

How many sections does the Exam include?

The Exam includes 4 sections:

  • Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
  • Business Surroundings and Concepts (BEC)
  • Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)
  • Regulation (REG)

How many hours is the Test?

Each section of the Exam is iv hours in length with a total testing fourth dimension of 16 hours.

Am I permitted to take a break during the Exam?

Yes. Candidates are automatically offered a standardized, 15-minute suspension approximately midway through each department, which may be accustomed or declined. This pause does not count against testing time. In addition to the standardized break, optional breaks between testlets, which do count against candidates' testing time, are offered after each testlet.

What are the CPA Exam Blueprints?

The CPA Test Blueprints comprehend the content eligible for testing in each Exam section. The Blueprints are published one to ii times per year. They detail the minimum level of cognition and skills yous must have to authorize for initial licensure. Within the Blueprints, you will find the following information for each Examination section:

• Content organized by Area, Group and Topic along with score weighting
• Sample task statements that represent what you lot may exist asked to do when testing
• Skill levels at which tasks are tested
• Reference materials that support the sample task statements
• Number of particular types you must complete (multiple-choice questions, chore-based simulations and written advice tasks)
• Score weighting of each item type

What types of items appear on the Exam?

Candidates are assessed on a variety of content using multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and task-based simulations (TBSs) in all four sections. The BEC section also includes three written communication tasks.

How are the items distributed on the Exam?

Scoring weights for AUD, FAR and REG will be approximately 50% MCQ / l% TBS while scoring weights for BEC will be approximately l% MCQ, 35% TBS and 15% Written Response.

When can I have the Test?

The Exam is offered four times each year: January 1 – March 10, April 1 – June 10, July 1 – September 10 and October one – December x.

What kind of information is provided on the Candidate Performance Written report?

For more than information about the Candidate Performance Report, visit the AICPA website.

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Applying for the Test

How much does the Uniform CPA Examination toll?

The total cost includes application and administration fees, in addition to the examination fees. The toll varies for each jurisdiction. Refer to your jurisdiction's application materials for additional information.

Is there a deadline for applying to take the exam?

At that place is no borderline for submitting your awarding. Some test centers fill quickly, peculiarly at the end of a testing window. Permit plenty of time for your awarding/registration to be processed. You lot cannot schedule your examination until you receive your Find To Schedule (NTS). Yous must schedule your appointment at least v days in advance, only it is recommended to schedule your examination 45 days in advance.

Practise I accept to apply as a candidate of the jurisdiction in which I alive?

No. You can apply to any jurisdiction provided yous meet the eligibility requirements. Some jurisdictions take a residency requirement. Refer to the jurisdiction's application materials for additional information.

To which jurisdiction should I apply?

There are many factors that touch this determination, and the answers to these questions vary by jurisdiction. In which jurisdiction(due south) do you want to be licensed? In which jurisdiction(s) do you want to practice? In order to make an informed determination, please review the license requirements for the jurisdiction(south) in which you want to do.

Can I become my education evaluated before I submit my awarding?

Some states offer a pre-evaluation service. If you are applying to i of those states, you can submit a pre-evaluation awarding. After that application has been fully processed, if you are eligible, you lot can submit your first-time application and cull your sections. If your jurisdiction does not offer a pre-evaluation service, you will need to submit your initial awarding with your transcripts for an education evaluation.

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Eligibility Requirements

What are the eligibility requirements for the test?

The eligibility requirements vary by jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has specific requirements regarding education, experience and residency. Refer to your jurisdiction's awarding materials for additional data.

Did eligibility requirements alter when the examination content changed in 2011?

Changes in test content by the AICPA have no affect on eligibility requirements, which are jurisdiction-specific, and determined past the Board of Accountancy in each jurisdiction.

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Examination Administration

What is a "continuous testing?"

Candidates may now take the computer-based Compatible CPA Exam year-round. Site availability may vary due to individual test center hours of operation.

How often tin I take the exam?

Continuous testing will permit candidates to re-take a failed exam section shortly later receiving their score. The only limitations on how many times you lot tin can have a section is the time it takes to receive a score, reregister, obtain the new NTS, and find an available testing date.

What is a "Notice To Schedule," and when will I receive mine?

The Detect To Schedule (NTS) is your notification that you may brainstorm scheduling your examination with Prometric. You must present your NTS at the testing center before commencement your examination. For total details on the NTS, please refer to the Candidate Bulletin.

How long will my NTS be valid?

Your NTS will exist valid for a specific amount of fourth dimension. This fourth dimension varies by jurisdiction. Refer to the Candidate Bulletin or your jurisdiction'south awarding materials for additional information. You must sit for the examination before your NTS expires. If you practise not sit for the examination within the established fourth dimension frame, your NTS will be invalid and y'all volition need to submit a new application and/or registration to receive a new NTS. The NTS expiration date is included on the NTS.

Your NTS is valid for ane testing event or until the expiration date, whichever is kickoff exhausted for each examination section. This includes not-testing months.

I lost my NTS. What do I exercise?

If you received your NTS via email and all the same have your original message, you tin print some other copy. If you lot received your NTS via U.S. mail, contact NASBA to request a reprint. You will non be permitted to enter the examination eye without a valid NTS. Remember, NASBA personnel may not be available evenings, weekends or holidays. You can too reprint your NTS here.

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Examination Content

Where can I find information on the content of the test?

The AICPA publishes CPA Test Blueprints that outline the content and skills tested on each department of the Test.

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Exam Credit

How long practise I have to pass all four sections of the examination?

This varies for each jurisdiction. Your Land Accountancy Board determines if credit is granted and the length of time credit is valid. Near jurisdictions permit a maximum of 18 months to pass all remaining sections in social club to retain credit on the passed section(southward).

I have passed all four sections. Do my credits expire?

Some states require candidates to consummate the licensure eligibility requirements and application within a specific timeframe. This timeframe varies by state. For additional data, delight consult the Accountancy Licensing Library.

My provisional credit expires presently. What is the last day I can sit down without losing credit?

You have until the terminate of testing on the day your credit expires. Remember, when scheduling your examination, some testing centers are not open up on weekends or holidays. For some jurisdictions, the expiration date for conditional credit may fall in a not-testing month.

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Scheduling the Examination

What if a conflict arises after I accept scheduled an engagement to have the test?

You may abolish or reschedule your appointment past contacting Prometric. There is no fee for canceling or rescheduling an appointment at to the lowest degree 30 days in accelerate. If you cancel or reschedule between five and xxx days before your appointment, you must pay a fee directly to Prometric. If you reschedule inside five days of your engagement, you lot will be required to pay the full Prometric testing fee for the section you are rescheduling. Meet the Candidate Message for additional data regarding these fees. You cannot make any changes to your date less than 24 hours in advance. Y'all will have to contact the Board/agency to which you originally practical to register once again.

May I take the exam exterior of my jurisdiction?

Yes. You lot may schedule your exam at any Prometric site in whatsoever of the 54 jurisdictions. Y'all do not have to sit in the same country where you practical.

In March 2011, in conjunction with the AICPA and Prometric, NASBA announced the opportunity for international administration of the Uniform CPA Exam. Please run into the Test Internationally section of this website for more information.

Are there any restrictions on taking the test outside of my jurisdiction?

There are no restrictions on taking the exam outside of your jurisdiction. However, a person may not be a candidate for more than i jurisdiction at the same fourth dimension, and will not be able to featherbed a jurisdiction'southward educational or licensing requirements by taking the examination exterior of the jurisdiction in which he or she is seeking to get licensed.

Delight see the Examination Internationally section of this website for more information on taking the CPA examination in international locations.

What is the cost of taking the test outside my jurisdiction?

There is an additional surcharge for candidates testing at the Guam Test Center. Refer to the Candidate Bulletin or Guam Surcharge section of any jurisdiction's page for additional information.

There are no additional fees for testing at any other examination center outside your jurisdiction within the U.S. and its territories. For information about additional fees for testing in an international location, please refer to the Test Internationally section of this website.

How practice I suit to sit down for the examination?

After you receive your NTS, you need to contact Prometric through their website and adapt for a seat at the examination site of your choice. You should schedule every bit far in accelerate every bit possible, and must schedule at least five days in accelerate. To increment the likelihood that you will receive your first option for site location and time, you should schedule your examination 45 days in advance. Your NTS is valid for a specific amount of fourth dimension, which varies by state. If you lot do not sit past the expiration engagement on the NTS, that NTS becomes invalid and cannot be used. Each NTS covers more than than i testing window and includes dates that are not open for testing. Programme your exam schedule carefully. Nosotros strongly recommend that y'all read the Candidate Bulletin and take the candidate tutorials on the AICPA'southward website.

What if I have an emergency and cannot attend my test appointment?

If the emergency occurs more than 24 hours prior to your examination appointment, contact Prometric to abolish or reschedule your appointment. If y'all have a hardship or medical state of affairs that prevents you lot from sitting, delight contact NASBA immediately and request an extension. Extensions are adamant on a instance-by-case basis and require documentation.

I received my Discover To Schedule, but my information is incorrect or has inverse. What do I do?

Contact the office/agency to which you submitted your application. You must take a corrected NTS to be admitted to the examination. No changes can be made to your NTS less than five days prior to your engagement.

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Score Release

When should I expect to receive my scores?

Afterwards the AICPA releases scores to NASBA, they are forwarded to Boards of Accountancy for approval and released to candidates. Boards of Accountancy determine the actual score release schedule. Candidates should note, however, that all scores may not exist released at the same time. Additionally, candidates who test on the aforementioned day may receive scores at different times due to differences in necessary quality control procedures.

Scores for the Uniform CPA Examination will be released by NASBA to land Boards of Accountancy based upon the target score release date timeline listed on the AICPA's website.

Please be advised that some land Boards of Accountancy require at to the lowest degree one 24-hour interval across the dates listed in the table to process and release exam scores.

I took my exam on the terminal possible mean solar day so my score would exist released on my preferred "target release date," simply I did not receive my score, why not?

Taking your examination on the last possible day does not guarantee that you will still receive your score by the target release date. For your score to be included with the target release engagement, the AICPA will need to receive your result file from your Prometric testing heart before the end of the cut-off engagement listed. In that location are many factors which can crusade a delay in the AICPA receiving this result file. Prometric, the AICPA, or NASBA cannot guarantee that your result file will be sent to the AICPA on the same day as your exam. We practice not recommend waiting until the terminal possible day to take an exam if you are looking for your score to exist released at a specific target engagement.

Where can I find more information on the Diagnostic Study I received with my score find?

Refer to the FAQs available on the AICPA'due south website.

Where can I find the pass rate for the exam?

This information is bachelor on the AICPA'southward website.

I believe an mistake was made in scoring my examination. What are my options?

There is a Score Review and Score Entreatment procedure available in many jurisdictions. For additional information on Score Reviews and Score Appeals, refer to the Score Information department of your jurisdiction on this website. You lot can likewise refer to the FAQs available on the AICPA'south website.

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Test Centers

Where is the examination administered?

The examination is administered at Prometric test centers in 54 U.S. jurisdictions, which include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.Due south. Virgin Islands. There is a surcharge for testing in Guam. Refer to the Candidate Bulletin for boosted information.

In March 2011, in conjunction with the AICPA and Prometric, NASBA appear the opportunity for international administration of the Uniform CPA Examination. Please see the Test Internationally department of this website for more information.

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