CA

CA NNDD II D
DAAT T EE
BUB ULLLL E
E TTI INN
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
The Uniform CPA Examination is changing effective January 1, 2011.

The series of changes to the Uniform CPA Examination known as CBT-e will be
implemented on January 1, 2011. Candidates planning to take the CPA Examination
on or after January 1, 2011 must be familiar with all of the changes and should visit the
Exams website at www.cpa-exam.org for up-to-date information about the
examination. June 2008

July 2010
 UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION CANDIDATE BULLETIN

© 2010 NASBA, AICPA, and Prometric. All rights reserved.

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PREFACE
This bulletin is intended for individuals who plan to take the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Examination. The examination is offered on computer at a network of test centers across the United States
and its territories.

Successful completion of the examination is one of the requirements for licensure by the 55 states and
territories (jurisdictions) of the United States. In order to take the examination, you must be declared eligible
by one of the jurisdictions. Each jurisdiction sets its own requirements for education, examination and
experience.

Since 1917, the Uniform CPA Examination has proven to be a highly valid and reliable measure of candidate
abilities. This focus on quality has made it possible for all United States jurisdictions to rely on the results in
determining who is competent to practice public accounting in order to protect the public.

This brochure contains important information. Do not discard before receiving

your examination results. Visit www.cpa-exam.org to download additional copies
of this document.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................... i
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................ 1
Certified Public Accountant ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Examination Partners .................................................................................................................................................... 1
Examination Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
STEP 1: Apply to Take the Examination............................................................................................... 3
The Application Process ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Pay Application and Examination Fees ...................................................................................................................... 4
STEP 2: Receive your Notice to Schedule ............................................................................................. 5
Sample Notice to Schedule ........................................................................................................................................... 6
STEP 3: Schedule your Examination .................................................................................................... 7
Testing Windows ............................................................................................................................................................ 7
Schedule Early................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Testing Centers ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Schedule Your Examination Appointments .............................................................................................................. 8
Changes to Your Appointments ................................................................................................................................ 11
Test Center Closings .................................................................................................................................................... 14
STEP 4: Take Your Examination .........................................................................................................14
Arrive Early ................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Personal Identification................................................................................................................................................. 15
At the Test Center ........................................................................................................................................................ 16
Time Allotted to Take the Examination ................................................................................................................... 17
Introductory Examination Screens............................................................................................................................ 17
Test Center Regulations .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Breaks ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Examination Confidentiality and Break Policy ........................................................................................................ 18
Candidate Misconduct, Cheating, Copyright Infringement................................................................................... 19
Grounds for Dismissal ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Reporting Examination Concerns ............................................................................................................................. 21
STEP 5: Receive your Score(s) .............................................................................................................21
The Score Review and Appeal Processes ................................................................................................................. 22
Retaking the Examination ................................................................................................................... 23
Examination Content........................................................................................................................... 23
Preparation for the Examination ............................................................................................................................... 23
Examination Length and Formats ............................................................................................................................. 23
Examination Specifications......................................................................................................................................... 25
Effective Date of Pronouncements........................................................................................................................... 26
Sample Question Types ............................................................................................................................................... 26
Scoring the Examination ..................................................................................................................... 26
Additional Information ........................................................................................................................ 28

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INTRODUCTION
Certified Public Accountant
The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential is a license issued by one of the 55 states or territories of
the United States that authorizes the holder to practice as a certified public accountant in that jurisdiction.
Licensing of CPAs helps to protect the public interest because only those individuals who have met
prescribed requirements are permitted to hold themselves out to the public as certified public accountants.
One component of the licensing requirement designed to ensure only qualified individuals become licensed as
CPAs is the Uniform CPA Examination.

Examination Partners

The 55 Jurisdictions: The CPA license is issued at the jurisdiction level. To become a CPA, you
must be declared eligible for the examination, and subsequently licensed, by the board of accountancy in one
of the 55 US jurisdictions. The United States Constitution grants each state or territory the power to regulate
the practice of the professions within that jurisdiction’s borders. In most jurisdictions, these powers are
carried out by a “board of accountancy.” These boards of accountancy are made up of appointed individuals
and staff (many of whom are CPAs) who are charged with the responsibility of carrying out the laws
promulgated by the legislatures and providing an appropriate examination for licensure. The board of
accountancy is an administrative agency that handles the day-to-day operations relative to regulating the
practice of accountancy including activities involved with entry into the profession. In some cases, the board
of accountancy contracts out certain examination-related tasks such as the review of applications and
collection of examination fees 1 .

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA): The 55

United States and territorial boards of accountancy are the members of NASBA. NASBA exists to serve its
members by providing numerous services that encourage common understanding and practices to promote
uniformity across the country to facilitate interstate practice. NASBA takes on the role of a central
clearinghouse where all jurisdictions submit information on eligible candidates and from which all
jurisdictions receive advisory scores and other examination data.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA): The AICPA is

the largest national, professional organization for CPAs. The AICPA provides members with the resources,
information and leadership that will enable them to provide valuable services, in the highest professional
manner, to benefit the public as well as employers and clients. For the Uniform CPA Examination, the
AICPA determines the content of the examination, prepares the examination questions, determines the
method of scoring, prepares advisory scores and conducts statistical analyses of examination results.

Prometric: The global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services for information
technology certification, academic admissions and professional licensure and certifications. Prometric
operates a network of computer-based test centers around the world. Among its many clients are the
professional licensure examinations for physicians, architects and pharmacists, as well as educational
examinations such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Along with you, the candidate, the relationships among the partners in the process may be illustrated as
shown below.

1If you are a candidate in a jurisdiction that contracts out aspects of the examination process, your board of accountancy
will inform you which entity to contact.

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Candidate

• Application • Examination
• Fees* Appointment
• Notice To Schedule (NTS)* Scheduling
• Special Testing • Testing
Accommodations • Fees*
• Score Reports • Notice To
Schedule*

Boards of
Accountancy/ NASBA Prometric
Agent • Candidate
Authorizations
• Candidate Authorizations
• Advisory Score Reports

• Advisory Score
Reports • Test Content
• Summary Data • Test Results
Notes:
*To whom you pay your
fees and from whom you
receive your NTS varies
by jurisdiction.
AICPA

Examination Process
Taking the examination involves a series of steps. While each board of accountancy has the right to develop
its own laws and regulations, and there are variances in this process from state to state, the basic process may
be explained as:

1. Apply to take the Examination (request, complete, and submit an application)

2. Payment of Examination Fees
3. Candidates are required to review the tutorial and sample tests
4. Receive your Notice to Schedule
5. Schedule your Examination
6. Take your Examination(s)
7. Receive your Score Report(s)

There are numerous details that make up each step, and these are explained in the remaining sections of this
bulletin. Aside from the basic process, be sure you know your board of accountancy’s specific requirements
for each step in the process. If you have not already received them, you may receive your jurisdiction’s
requirements by calling the board of accountancy or by visiting its Web site. A list of the boards of
accountancy and their contact information may be found on NASBA’s Web site at www.nasba.org.
Individual board of accountancy requirements can be found either on the board’s Web site or on NASBA’s

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Web site at www.nasba.org. You will also find important information on the Uniform CPA Examination
Web site at www.cpa-exam.org. It is strongly recommended that you visit these Web sites and familiarize
yourself thoroughly with the information provided.

STEP 1: APPLY TO TAKE THE EXAMINATION

Specific requirements for becoming a CPA, as well as the rights and obligations of a licensed CPA, are set
forth in the laws and regulations of the 55 United States jurisdictions. A general summary of CPA licensure
requirements by jurisdiction may be found on NASBA’s Web site at www.nasba.org.

The Application Process

Contact your board of accountancy or its designated agent to receive an application form. You must
complete an application each time you want to take one or more sections of the examination. Complete the
forms and submit them, along with any required documentation and fees, to the appropriate address. Once
your application has been evaluated, you will be contacted by your board of accountancy or its designated
agent.

Important: The name on your application must appear exactly the same as it appears on the
identification you plan to take to the testing center.

When you submit your application you may also be required to submit some or all of the application and
examination fees. Because the rules vary by jurisdiction, follow the information provided to you by your
board of accountancy, or its designated agent, when paying the fees associated with the examination. Be sure
you follow the most recent instructions supplied by your board or its designated agent.

International Applicants
Applicants from countries other than the U.S. must follow the same basic steps as U.S. applicants.
This means they must select the jurisdictions in which they wish to qualify and file an application
with the board of accountancy (or its designated agent) in that jurisdiction. Any special instructions
for candidates who have completed their education outside the U.S. are included in the board of
accountancy requirements.

Call CPA Examination Services at 800-CPA-EXAM if you are applying

to:
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington or
Wisconsin.

Call the board of accountancy directly if you are applying to:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Guam, Idaho, Illinois,
Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wyoming.

For jurisdiction-specific requirements, be sure that you follow the requirements of your board of
accountancy. You are ultimately responsible for following the rules and completing all sections of the
examination within the timeframe and according to the rules adopted by your board of accountancy.

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Pay Application and Examination Fees

Taking the examination involves two categories of required fees that are to be paid either to your board of
accountancy or to NASBA. The required sections are as follows:

Application Fee: This fee is established by and paid to your board of accountancy or its designated
agent

Examination Fee: The amount of this fee depends on the section of the examination and is paid either
to your board of accountancy, its designated agent or to NASBA. Examination fees
are established by boards of accountancy, NASBA, the AICPA and Prometric. The
examination sections are as follows:

• Auditing and Attestation (AUD) – 4.5 hours

• Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) – 2.5 hours
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) – 4 hours
• Regulation (REG) – 3 hours

When you submit your application, you may be required to submit some or all of the application and
examination fees. Because the rules vary by jurisdiction, follow the information provided to you by your
board of accountancy or its designated agent when paying the fees associated with the examination. Keep in
mind, the length of time to complete the application process will vary depending on the jurisdiction to which
you are applying. In some situations it can take 4 – 6 weeks to complete the process. (The application
processing time for re-examination applicants is shorter than for initial applicants.)

In some cases, boards of accountancy will collect the application and examination fees. In this situation:

• You are required to pay your board of accountancy or its designated agent all fees associated with the
examination at the time that you apply. The fees you pay include an application fee charged by the
board of accountancy and the examination fees. Each time you apply to take one or more sections
of the examination, pay all fees directly to the board of accountancy or its designated agent. Once
your application has been received, you may not be able to change the requested sections of the
examination and you may be charged an additional fee for any changes.
• You may be required to pay your board of accountancy or its designated agent an additional fee for a
background check.
• After your board of accountancy or its designated agent has accepted your application and fees, it will
notify NASBA which sections of the examination you are eligible to take.
• Your board of accountancy or its designated agent will inform you of the application processing time
and when to expect your Notice to Schedule (NTS).

In other cases, the board of accountancy or its designated agent will collect only the application fee, and you
will pay the examination fees separately to NASBA. In this situation:

• You are required to pay your board of accountancy or its designated agent only the application fee at
the time that you apply. Each time you apply to take one or more sections of the examination, you
will pay the application fee to the board of accountancy.

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• After your board of accountancy has accepted your application and fee, it will notify NASBA as to
which sections of the examination you are eligible to take. NASBA will then send you the
appropriate payment coupon.
• The payment coupon will provide you with instructions on how to pay the examination fees. You
may pay by mailing a check to NASBA; by using a credit card via NASBA’s Web site at
www.nasba.org; or, by calling NASBA at 866-MY-NASBA (866-696-2722) and using a credit card.
• You should receive your NTS within 1-2 business days of paying your examination fee, if you have
selected e-mail or fax as the method of contact. If you selected regular mail as the method of
contact, you should receive the NTS within 7-10 business days. If you do not receive your NTS, call
a NASBA candidate service representative at 866-MY-NASBA (866-696-2722). You will not be able
to schedule an examination appointment or take the examination without a valid NTS.

Important: If you reschedule an appointment, there may be additional fees (see page 11). Because
application and examination fees are generally not refundable, you should not apply to sit for a section of the
examination until you are ready to take it (See “Refunds” on page 11.)

STEP 2: RECEIVE YOUR NOTICE TO SCHEDULE

Once your application has been processed, you have been determined to be eligible to take one or more
sections of the Uniform CPA Examination and you have paid all fees, you will receive a Notice to Schedule
(NTS) from NASBA. One NTS will be sent to you listing the section(s) of the examination that you are
approved to take so you may now contact Prometric and begin the scheduling process. When you receive
the NTS, verify that all information is correct. Be certain that the name appearing on the NTS
matches EXACTLY the name on the identification documents that you will use during check-in at
the testing center. IF THE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT OR THE ID AND NTS DO NOT
MATCH, IMMEDIATELY CONTACT YOUR BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY OR ITS
DESIGNATED AGENT TO REQUEST A CORRECTION.

YOU MUST BRING YOUR NOTICE TO SCHEDULE (NTS) WITH YOU TO THE
EXAMINATION.
Your NTS contains an “examination password” that you will enter on the computer as a part of the log-in
process. Be sure to take the correct NTS with you. You will not be admitted into the test center without the
NTS and you will forfeit all examination fees for that section. In addition, you will not be allowed to enter
the testing center if the name on the identification that you present does not exactly match the name
on the NTS.

When you applied to take the examination, you were asked to identify your preferred method for receipt of
the NTS either via the United States Postal Service, fax or e-mail. If you did not specify a preferred method,
your NTS will be mailed to you.

Boards of accountancy will set a time period for which an NTS is valid (generally six months during which
you must schedule and take the examination section[s]) after which it will expire and all fees will be forfeited.
It is strongly suggested that you not apply for a section of the examination until you are ready to
take it. If you do not take all sections for which you registered before the NTS expires, you will not
be able to extend it or receive a refund of any of the fees you have paid.

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Sample Notice to Schedule

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All jurisdictions have established a six-month NTS validation

period, except for the following jurisdictions:

Texas 90 days
California 9 months
Louisiana 9 months
Utah 9 months
North Dakota 12 months
South Dakota 12 months
Virginia 12 months

PLEASE NOTE: The Notice To Schedule is valid for one testing event or until the expiration date,
whichever is first exhausted for each examination section.

Once a Notice to Schedule has expired, you may need to submit a new application, including
application and testing fees. Fees submitted for an expired Notice to Schedule cannot be applied
to future examinations.

You cannot have more than one open Notice to Schedule for the same section. You must receive
the score or allow the NTS to expire before you can apply for the same section again and receive a
new NTS for that section.

STEP 3: SCHEDULE YOUR EXAMINATION

Testing Windows
The computer-based Uniform CPA Examination is offered the first two months of each calendar quarter.
These months of testing are known as the “testing windows”:

• January 1 – February 28 (or 29)

• April 1 – May 31
• July 1 – August 31
• October 1– November 30

The examination is not given during the third month of each calendar quarter to allow for systems and
databank maintenance. It is important that you plan accordingly; it is your responsibility to schedule the
remaining unpassed sections of the examination so you do not lose credit for previously passed sections.

You can take any or all sections of the examination during any testing window and in any order. However,
you may not take the same section more than once during any one testing window.

Schedule Early
You should schedule your examination appointments as soon as possible after you receive your NTS. You
must schedule your examination appointment at least five days in advance of the test date. To increase the
likelihood that you will receive first choice of date, time and location, you should schedule at least 45 days

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before the desired test date(s). You must take each examination section within the time period for which an
NTS is valid (before it expires). Your board of accountancy, NASBA and Prometric are not responsible if you
cannot schedule an appointment before a deadline expires in your jurisdiction.

Testing Centers
You will be allowed to take the examination at any one of the authorized Prometric test centers in the United
States, whether or not the test center is located within the borders of the jurisdiction where you are seeking
your initial license 2 . The most current list of test centers may be found on the Prometric Web site at www.
prometric.com/cpa.

Schedule Your Examination Appointments

At the point of scheduling your examination, you will be asked to accept the following Data Privacy Notice.
Please note that all biometric data for candidates for the CPA examination, wherever generated, and all U.S.
generated data, including candidate demographics and test results, is processed and stored in the United
States. All data center facilities for U.S. origin information are located in the U.S. at this time. Any plans to
change the physical location of the data outside the U.S. will be made known to the CPA test sponsors before
a change is effected.

Because candidates for many tests originating outside of the U.S. may have the demographic data and test
result data processed in the U.S., or alternatively in Ireland, applicable data protection laws require Prometric
to advise non-U.S. candidates of the possibility that his or her data will not be processed in their country of
origin.

ALL U.S. origin data and all biometric data, regardless of country of origin, is processed and stored in the
United States.

Data Privacy Notice

At Prometric, protection of your personal information, and making sure you understand how and why it is processed, is of
paramount importance to us. As a data processor for your test sponsor, Prometric processes your personal information only for the
purposes of registering and scheduling you for a test, administering that test, and processing the results. At no time will your
personal information be used by Prometric for any other purpose without your permission. Your personal information, including
you test results, will be provided to your test sponsor for the purposes of providing scores, certification, or other benefits to you.
Prometric may also disclose your personal data to other Prometric entities for the purpose of providing you with testing
information, administering the test, or processing your results. These Prometic entities may be located outside the country in which
you take the test, and your personal information may be processed or stored there to provide results and information to your test
sponsor. Adequate protection of your personal information is ensured at all Prometric entities.

You may access, limit the use of, or change your personal information by contacting your test sponsor during normal business
hours. If you test with multiple test sponsors, Prometric may update your personal information for all test sponsors upon receipt of
a change to your personal information. The above processing is necessary to administer a test to you, and we cannot register you for
a test if you do not agree to personal information processing by Prometric as described above. You will have to contact your test
sponsor if you do not agree to this processing.

If you have questions about this notice or wish to discuss the contents further, please contact us at
DataProtectionManager@prometric.com.

2Your board of accountancy will inform you if there are any restrictions on the locations where you can take the
examination.

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For most candidates 3 , there are two ways to make an appointment for each section of the examination.

Before you begin the scheduling process, have your first, second and third choice of dates and times planned
for each section.

No appointments may be made for any section of the examination fewer than five days in advance of
the desired test date. For example, if you call or use the Internet on Monday to schedule an appointment,
the first available date will be Saturday of the same week. Walk-in appointments are not permitted.
Please note that candidates with special testing accommodations must schedule at least 10 days in advance of
the desired test date (See “For Pre-approved Special Testing Accommodations” on page 11 for additional
information).

These are your two options for scheduling:

1. Visit www.prometric.com/cpa on the Internet

You will find that the easiest and quickest way to schedule an examination appointment (as well as reschedule
and cancel an appointment, if necessary) is on the Internet. Using the Internet provides you 24-hour access
to scheduling and avoids any “on hold” waiting time. Because of this, you have the quickest and most direct
access to preferred dates and test center locations. Additionally, you will instantly receive a detailed
confirmation of your appointment (on screen and via e-mail).

Before you make your appointments, you must have received your NTS. Additionally, be ready to identify
the dates, times and locations where you want to take each section. It is not necessary to make all
appointments at one time. If you prefer, you may make one appointment at a time. If you do schedule
more than one section on the same day, please be aware the online appointment system does not
warn you of overlapping appointment times. It is your responsibility to ensure you have not
scheduled overlapping times and have allowed enough time between sections for the check-in
process.

Before you begin, you must have your NTS in front of you. You will be required to provide various pieces of
information from the NTS.

Online scheduling occurs in several easy steps:

1. Go to www.prometric.com/cpa. Select SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT.

2. Select CPA Exam and Country/State.

3. After viewing welcome screen, click NEXT, read all of the policy information and click “I
Agree” to proceed.

4. On the Program Identifier Screen, enter your examination section identification number from
your NTS (you have one identification number for each section of the examination—be sure to
use the correct examination identification number for the section you are scheduling). Click
“Next.”

5. Confirm proper section and click NEXT.

6. Follow on-screen instructions to select the date and location you would like to schedule your
section.

3 Candidates testing on Guam must follow the specific instructions for taking the examination on Guam.

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7. It is advised that you print and keep for your records, the confirmation number for your
appointment.

2. Call 800-580-9648 (Candidate Services Call Center)

Prometric’s Candidate Services Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Eastern time. (Hearing-impaired candidates using teletypewriter [TTY] may call 800-529-3590 to schedule
appointments.) You must schedule a separate appointment for each section of the examination that you are
planning to take. If you call to schedule two or more sections, be prepared to identify the dates, times and
locations you want to take each section. It is not necessary to make all appointments in one call. If you
prefer, you may make one appointment at a time.

Before you call, you must have your NTS in front of you. You will be required to provide the customer
service representative with various pieces of information from the NTS.

You will NOT receive written confirmation of your appointment. Be sure to write down the date, time,
location and confirmation number for each of your appointments. We strongly encourage you to visit
www.prometric.com/cpa to print a confirmation of your appointment. If you need directions to the test
center, ask the customer service representative at the time you make your appointment. There are multiple
test centers in some metropolitan areas, so be sure you are certain of the correct test center location where
you are scheduled to take your examinations.

These are your options if you intend to take the examination on Guam:
Regardless of which board of accountancy has declared you eligible for the examination, if you intend to take
your examination on Guam, you must pay an additional surcharge for each examination section using one of
the following options.

1. Visit www.nasba.org on the Internet

Candidates testing at the Guam Computer Testing Center must pay an examination surcharge before
scheduling with Prometric. To do so, visit www.nasba.org and select “EXAMINATIONS.” Have your NTS
and credit card in front of you. You will be asked to provide information from your NTS and to pay the
surcharge using a credit card. It is very important that you determine your site choice before completing this
transaction. Once you have paid the surcharge for an examination section, you will not be able to schedule
that section at a test center outside of Guam and will not be issued a refund of that fee under any
circumstances.

After you pay the additional surcharge for each examination section, you will need to wait at least 24 hours
before you schedule your appointment following the instructions previously described under “Schedule Your
Examination Appointments.”

2. Visit www.2testGuam.com on the Internet

NASBA operates the Guam Computer Testing Center in cooperation with the Guam Board of Accountancy
and Prometric. Before you visit this Web site, have your NTS and credit card in front of you. When you link
to this Web site, you will be asked to provide information from your NTS and to pay the surcharge using a
credit card. It is very important that you determine your site choice before completing this transaction.

After you pay the additional surcharge for each examination section, you will need to wait at least 24 hours
before you schedule your appointment following the instructions previously described under “Schedule Your
Examination Appointments.”

3. Call 671-475-5000, the Guam Computer Testing Center

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The Guam Computer Testing Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guam
time. (During portions of the year, the center may be open later.) Have your NTS and credit card in front of
you when you call. You will be asked to provide information from the NTS and to pay the surcharge using a
credit card. Once you have paid the surcharge for an examination section and, for any reason you must
change your site from Guam to another center outside of Guam, you may do so at the Prometric Scheduling
Website at www.prometric.com/cpa. However, you will not be issued a Guam Surcharge refund fee under
any circumstances.

After you pay the additional surcharge for each examination section, you will need to wait at least 24 hours
before you schedule your appointment following the instructions previously described under “Schedule Your
Examination Appointments.”

For Pre-approved Special Testing Accommodations, Call 800-967-1139

DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN PRE-APPROVED FOR SPECIAL
TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS BY YOUR BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY.

If your board of accountancy has approved you for special testing accommodations, the information
regarding the nature of the accommodation will be sent to NASBA. The type of accommodation will be
shown on your NTS and will be sent to Prometric. Neither you nor the customer service representative may
make any changes to the accommodations that have been approved. When you get your NTS, if you believe
that the accommodations are incorrect, you must contact your board of accountancy before proceeding.

If you call to take two or more sections, be prepared to identify the dates, times and locations 4 for each
section you want to take. It is not necessary to make all appointments in one call. If you prefer, you may
make one appointment at a time.

Before you call, you must have your NTS in front of you. You will be required to provide the customer
service representative with various pieces of information from the NTS. Please be aware that you must
schedule the examination at least 10 days in advance of the date that you select.

A confirmation will be mailed to you; however, in the event that it does not reach you before your
appointment, be sure to write down the date, time, location and confirmation number for each of your
appointments. If you need directions to the test center, ask the customer service representative at the time
you make your appointment. There are multiple test centers in some metropolitan areas, so be sure you are
certain of the correct test center location where you are scheduled to take your examinations.

Changes to Your Appointments

After you have made an appointment for an examination section, you may find it necessary to change or
cancel an appointment. Be aware that you may be required to pay a rescheduling fee or forfeit your
examination fees, depending on when you notify Prometric of the change or cancellation.

If you are unable to appear for your appointment, you must cancel using one of the methods below or you
will be marked as a “no-show” and you will forfeit your examination fees. Regardless of whether you need to
cancel your appointment or cancel and reschedule, you will be subject to the same fees as listed in the table
on page 13. If you cancel, but are unsure of when you will be able to reschedule, be advised you must
reschedule before the expiration date listed on your NTS or you will forfeit your examination fees.

4 Some types of accommodations are only available at a limited number of test centers. Your board of accountancy will

have already notified you of this before you received your NTS.

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Change or Cancel the Date, Time or Location of an Appointment

You may reschedule an existing appointment by one of two methods:
• Use Prometric’s Web scheduling tool located at www.prometric.com/cpa. The system is available 24
hours a day, seven days a week. You must have your confirmation number available from your
original appointment.

• Call the Prometric Candidate Services Call Center at 800-580-9648. The Center is open Monday
through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. You will NOT receive written
confirmation of your appointment. Be sure to write down the date, time, location and confirmation
number for each of your appointments. We strongly encourage you to visit www.prometric.com/cpa
to print a confirmation of your appointment.

If you need to reschedule your appointment, review the table on page 13 to determine deadlines and
associated fees. Please note that Saturday is considered a business day. You may reschedule at
www.prometric.com/cpa, or the Candidate Services Call Center.

Candidates with special testing accommodations must call 800-967-1139 to reschedule. Candidates using a
teletypewriter (TTY) should call 800-529-3590.

If you need to cancel your appointment and do not wish to reschedule, you will NOT receive a refund of the
examination fees you have paid. If you do not appear for your appointment, you will NOT receive a refund
of the examination fees you have paid.

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Rescheduling/Cancellation Fees
You will pay this fee to
If you call this many Prometric to make a
days before your change to the
scheduled scheduled
appointment… appointment. Examples:
30+ days before your $0.00 You have already made an appointment to take BEC on
scheduled appointment Wednesday, August 18 at 8:00 a.m. On Friday, July 16, you realize
that you have a conflict on August 18th so you contact Prometric
to reschedule. Because you rescheduled 33 days before the
scheduled appointment, you will not have to pay a fee to
reschedule. You may reschedule to a date either before August
18th or after August 18th; however, it must be before your
expiration date of the NTS and you cannot reschedule to a date
within five business days of when you do the rescheduling (e.g.,
July 17, 19, 20, 21 or 22).
5-29 days before your $35.00 You have already made an appointment to take REG on Saturday,
scheduled appointment October 2. On Friday, September 24th you realize that you won’t
be able to take your examination on October 2nd and you contact
Prometric to reschedule. Because you rescheduled within the 30-
day window, you will be required to pay $35.00 to make a change
to either the date, time or test center where you will take the REG
section of the examination. You may reschedule to a date either
before or after October 2nd; however, it must be before your
expiration date of the NTS and you cannot reschedule to a date
within five business days (Saturday is a “business day,” but not
Sunday) of when you do the rescheduling.
Five business days and up Fee depends on the You have already made an appointment to take FAR on Monday,
to 24 hours before the examination section: October 18 at 1:00 p.m. PDT at a test center in Los Angeles. On
time of the scheduled AUD: $111.60 Tuesday, October 12 at 10:00 a.m. PDT you contact Prometric to
appointment. (If less BEC: $62.00 change the date of the appointment to October 19th ,which is
than 24 hours, all fees FAR: $99.20 before the expiration date of your NTS. Because you contacted
are forfeited, and you REG: $74.40 Prometric after 12:00 noon Eastern time (9:00 a.m. Pacific Time)
must reapply to your five business days before the originally scheduled appointment
board of accountancy or (Saturday is a “business day,” but not Sunday) you are required to
its designated agent.) pay $95.40 to make the scheduled change. Because you
NOTE: Candidates rescheduled fewer than five days before your originally scheduled
with extreme appointment, you will not be able to reschedule to a date and time
circumstances may earlier than the original appointment time, but you may reschedule
request an exception to to a date and time on or after October 19th.
policy through their
board or its designated
agent. Additional fees
may apply.

Candidates with special testing accommodations must call 800-967-1139 to cancel. Candidates using
a teletypewriter (TTY) should call 800-529-3590 to cancel an appointment.

Refunds
Application and examination fees are generally not refunded, although candidates who are determined to be
ineligible may receive a partial refund. Remember your NTS includes an expiration date. If your NTS expires
prior to your taking the examination section, or you fail to attend your scheduled testing appointment, you

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will not be able to reschedule or receive a refund on any of the fees you have paid and you will have to
reapply for the examination and pay the appropriate application and examination fees. Consequently, you
should not apply for a section of the examination unless you are ready to take it. Check with your board of
accountancy or its designated agent for the board’s specific refund policy.

Rescinded Eligibility
If your board of accountancy informs NASBA that you are no longer eligible to take the Uniform CPA
Examination because of changes in educational requirements, candidate misconduct, or other reasons
determined by the board, your NTS will be cancelled. You will receive a copy of a canceled NTS by United
States mail, fax or e-mail, depending on the method you identified as your preferred method for receipt of
information. If you have NOT scheduled an appointment, you do not need to take any other action. If you
have scheduled an appointment, NASBA will contact Prometric to cancel your appointment and rescind your
eligibility. In the event that you are no longer eligible to take the examination, you will NOT receive a refund
of any examination fees.

Test Center Closings

If severe weather or other local emergency requires a test center to be closed, every attempt will be made to
contact you. However, if you are unsure if your test center is open on the day of your examination, you may
call the local test center directly. If the center is open, it is your responsibility to keep the appointment. If the
center is closed, you will be given the opportunity to reschedule without penalty. If you are unable to contact
the local test center, check on the Web site at www.prometric.com/sitestatus, call the Candidate Services Call
Center at 800-580-9648, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time or email
cpahelp@prometric.com.

STEP 4: TAKE YOUR EXAMINATION

Arrive Early
You must arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment time for your
examination. This allows time to sign in, have your digital photograph and fingerprint taken, review the
security and test center policies and be seated at your workstation. Arriving for your scheduled testing
appointment anytime after the scheduled start time may result in your being denied permission to test, and
you will not receive a refund. Be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time
to avoid forfeiting all fees for the examination section.

Note: 30 minutes will be added to your examination session so that you can complete the sign-in
process and survey without infringing on your examination time. Therefore, your confirmation
notice will reflect examination time plus 30 minutes. This will not increase your examination time.

In addition, the appointment time on your confirmation notice will reflect examination testing time
plus 30 minutes. The additional 30 minutes is allocated to the examination logon and survey. For
example, the testing time for Auditing and Attestation is 4.5 hours, the appointment time will be for
5 hours. The additional 30 minutes is the time allowed to enter your examination section
identification number (launch code), read the introductory screens, and complete the survey at the
end of the examination. It is not additional testing time.

YOU MUST BRING YOUR NOTICE TO SCHEDULE (NTS) WITH YOU.

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Your NTS contains an “examination password” that you will enter on the computer as a part of the log-in
process. Be sure to take the correct NTS with you. You will not be admitted into the test center without the
NTS and you will forfeit all examination fees for that section.

Personal Identification
The Uniform CPA Examination employs very strict security measures. One level of security involves your
identification. The same form of your name must appear on your application, NTS and on the
identification you present at the test center. Do not change the spelling and do not change the order of
your name on applications or when making appointments. If your name is different from your identifications
at check-in, you will not be permitted to test.

You are required to present two forms of identification, one of which must contain a recent photograph,
when you arrive to take your examination. Each form of identification must bear your signature and must
not be expired. If you do not present acceptable identification, you will not be allowed to take your
examination and you will forfeit all examination fees for that section.

You must present one of the following primary forms of identification:

Primary Forms of Identification:

• Valid (not expired) driver’s license with photo and signature issued by one of the fifty U.S. states or
by a U.S. territory
• Valid (not expired) driver’s license with photo and signature issued by a foreign government
authority, that is printed in English to the extent necessary to compare your name with the one on
the NTS and confirm that it is a valid driver’s license (Examples are driver’s licenses issued by
Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, British authorities, and from countries that retain English as an
official language)
• Valid (not expired) passport with photo and signature issued by the U.S. government
• Valid (not expired) government issued passport (for non-U.S. citizens) with a photo that has your
name exactly matching the Name or Passport Name field that appears on your NTS. If your
Passport is not signed, you must provide a secondary identification with a signature. Non-U.S.
citizens whose signature is not required on the passport and/or driver’s license should complete an
I.D. signature waiver prior to taking the examination. E-mail candidatecare@nasba.org for
instructions on completing an I.D. signature waiver.
• Valid state identification card issued by one of the fifty U.S. states or by a U.S. territory (If you do
not drive you may have an identification card issued by the agency that also issues driver’s licenses)
• Valid U.S. Military identification

Secondary Forms of Identification

Secondary forms of identification must include candidate’s signature. Acceptable forms of secondary
identification include:
• An additional Government issued identification from the above listing
• Accountancy board-issued identification (if provided by board)
• Valid credit card
• Bank automated teller machine card (ATM)
• Bank Debit Card

The following are UNACCEPTABLE forms of identification:

• A draft classification card
• A Social Security card
• A student identification card

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• A United States permanent residency card (green card)

NASBA Identification Card
Candidates may request a NASBA Identification Card if:
• You possess a valid UNSIGNED passport. (i.e., a signature is not required on your passport by
issuing government.)
• You do not posses a valid secondary form of identification as required to take the Uniform CPA
Examination.

For additional information about the NASBA Identification Card, log on to NASBA’s website at
www.nasba.org, click on Exams, then click Publications & Forms, and download the form which can found
listed in the column on the right side of the screen.

If the test center staff has questions about the identification presented, you may be asked for additional proof
of identity. You may be refused access to an examination and forfeit the examination fee for that section if
the staff believes that you have not proven your identity. Admittance to the test center and examination does
not imply that your identification is valid or that your scores will be reported if subsequent investigations
reveal impersonation or forgery.

At the Test Center

The staff at each test center has been trained in the procedures specific to the Uniform CPA Examination.
Center personnel will guide you through the steps that have been developed by the boards of accountancy,
NASBA and the AICPA.
1. You must arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. If you
arrive after your scheduled appointment time, you may forfeit your appointment and examination
fees. Arrive early and be sure to have your NTS and required identification. You will not be
admitted to the examination without the NTS and required identification.
2. Your examination should begin within 30 minutes of the scheduled start time. If circumstances arise,
other than candidate error which delays your session more than 30 minutes, you will be given the
choice of continuing to wait or rescheduling your appointment.
3. You must place personal belongings, such as a purse or cell phone, in the storage lockers provided by
the test center. You will be given the key to your locker which must be returned to the test center
staff when you leave. The lockers are very small and are not intended to hold large items. Do not
bring anything to the test center unless it is absolutely necessary. Test center personnel will not be
responsible for lost or stolen items.
4. You may bring soft, foam earplugs with no strings attached for your use. TCAs will inspect the
earplugs.
5. Your ID will be scanned/swiped in the combined magnetic strip and 2d barcode reader. The ID will
then be placed on a flatbed scanner which captures an electronic image of the photo ID and uses
optical character recognition (OCR) to compare printed and encoded data.
6. You will have a digital photograph taken of your face. (If the digital camera equipment is not
working, a Polaroid picture will be taken.)
7. PLEASE NOTE: A biometric fingerprint-capturing system will be used. You will also be
asked to provide a fingerprint before and after breaks. If for physical/medical reasons your
fingerprint will not be available, you must contact your State Board of Accountancy or their
designee PRIOR to your appointment.
8. Scratch paper and pencils will be provided to you. You will be directed to write your examination
password (from your NTS) on your scratch paper. You are required to return the scratch paper to
the test center staff when your examination is complete. If you need additional scratch paper, you
may request it from the test center staff, but you must first turn in the original sheets of paper you
received in order to get a new supply. You must not bring any other paper or pencils to the
workstation in the testing room.

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9. You will be escorted to a workstation by test center staff. You must remain in your seat during the
examination, except when authorized to get up and leave the testing room.
10. Once you enter your password, you must proceed through the subsequent introductory examination
screens without delay. There is a 10-minute time limit to read and proceed through the introductory
screens and, if the 10-minute time limit is exceeded, the test session will automatically terminate.
10. If you encounter ANY computer problem, report it immediately to test center staff.
11. When you finish the examination, leave the testing room quietly, turn in your scratch paper and sign
the test center log book. The test center staff will dismiss you after completing all necessary
procedures.
12. Keep the Confirmation of Attendance form you receive after the examination as it provides
valuable contact information. As directed on this form, report any examination
incidents/concerns in writing to the addresses/Fax numbers provided.

Time Allotted to Take the Examination

The lengths of the examination sections are:
• Auditing and Attestation (AUD) – 4.5 hours
• Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) – 2.5 hours
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) – 4 hours
• Regulation (REG) – 3 hours

Introductory Examination Screens

Read Carefully: You should be aware that once you enter your password, the subsequent introductory
examination screens operate under under a 10-minute time limit and you must move through the
introductory screens quickly. If the 10-minute time limit is exceeded, the session will automatically terminate
and it will not be possible to restart the exam. While there is adequate time to review the screens and respond,
there is not time for you to take notes, leave the testing room, or do anything other than reading and
responding to the screens.

After you enter your password, proceed through the introductory screens, and start the examination the
computer screen will display a count-down timer at the top of the screen which will let you know the time
remaining as you work through the examination. Plan your time so that you do not use your time up early in
the examination and do not have enough time later in the examination. Prometric test center
appointments are for 30 minutes longer than the length of the examination to allow you time to enter
your examination section identification number and complete the candidate survey at the end of the
examination. However, you will only be given the times shown above to actually take the examination. If
you are an ADA Candidate and have been approved for extra time, please refer to your State Board or
designee for the actual length of your examination.

Test Center Regulations

A standardized environment is necessary to ensure that the examination you take is essentially equivalent to
the examination all other candidates take. For this reason, all candidates must follow the same regulations.
• Papers, books, food or purses are not allowed in the testing room
• Eating, drinking or use of tobacco is not allowed in the testing room
• Talking or communicating with other candidates is not allowed in the testing room
• Calculators, personal digital assistants or other computer devices are not allowed in the testing room
• Communication devices (e.g., cell phones, pagers, beepers, wireless internet connections to personal
digital assistants) are not allowed in the testing room
• Recording devices (audio and video) are not allowed in the testing room
• You must not leave the testing room without the permission of the test center staff.

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A more extensive list of prohibited items is found on page 19.

Breaks
Each examination section contains units known as testlets. Each testlet is comprised of either a group of
multiple-choice questions, or one complete case study, known as a simulation. (See page 21 for more
information.) After indicating that you have completed a testlet, you will be presented with the option to take
a break. You will receive this option between testlets. If you choose to take a break, you will be asked to
leave the testing room quietly. You will be asked for a fingerprint to verify your identification prior to and
upon returning from your break. The test center staff will confirm you have completed the testlet prior to
your break.

You do not have to take a break. The clock will keep running during the break. Therefore, it is
recommended that you use break time wisely. When you return from a break, you will be required to enter
your examination password in order to continue the examination. Note that breaks lasting more than ten
minutes may be reported to your board of accountancy.

You will not be allowed to take a break at any other time during the examination. If you leave the
testing room at any time, without exiting the testlet and selecting the break option, you will not be allowed to
return to the testing room. Information regarding your absence will be reported to your board of
accountancy.

Examination Confidentiality and Break Policy

Before you begin your examination, you will be required to accept the terms of the following confidentiality
and break policy statement. If you do not accept the statement, your test will be terminated and your test fees
will be forfeited.

Policy Statement and Agreement Regarding Exam Confidentiality and the Taking of Breaks

I hereby agree that I will maintain the confidentiality of the Uniform CPA Examination. In addition, I agree that I
will not:
• Divulge the nature or content of any Uniform CPA Examination question or answer under any circumstance
• Engage in any unauthorized communication during testing
• Refer to unauthorized materials or use unauthorized equipment during testing; or
• Remove or attempt to remove any Uniform CPA Examination materials, notes, or any other items from the
examination room

I further agree to report to the AICPA any examination question disclosures, or solicitations for disclosure of which I
become aware.
I affirm that I have had the opportunity to read the Candidate Bulletin and I agree to all of its terms and conditions.

I understand that breaks are only allowed between testlets and/or simulations. I understand that I will be asked to
complete any open testlet/simulation before leaving the testing room for a break.

In addition, I understand that failure to comply with this Policy Statement and Agreement may result in invalidation
of my grades, disqualification from future examinations, expulsion from the testing facility and possible civil or criminal
penalties.

О I ACCEPT О I DECLINE

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Candidate Misconduct, Cheating, Copyright Infringement

The boards of accountancy, NASBA and the AICPA take candidate misconduct, including cheating on the
Uniform CPA Examination, very seriously. If a board of accountancy determines that a candidate is culpable
of misconduct or has cheated, the candidate will be subject to a variety of penalties including, but not limited
to, invalidation of grades, disqualification from subsequent examination administrations, and civil and
criminal penalties. In cases where candidate misconduct or cheating is discovered after a candidate has
obtained a CPA license or certificate, a board of accountancy may rescind the license or certificate.

If the test center staff suspects misconduct, a warning will be given to the candidate for any of the following
situations:
• Communicating, orally or otherwise, with another candidate or person
• Copying from or looking at another candidate’s materials or workstation
• Allowing another candidate to copy from or look at materials or workstation
• Giving or receiving assistance in answering examination questions or problems
• Reading examination questions or simulations aloud
• Engaging in conduct that interferes with the administration of the examination or unnecessarily
disturbing staff or other candidates

Grounds for confiscation of a prohibited item, preparation of a written report of incident, and warning the
candidate include:
• Possession of any prohibited item (whether or not in use) inside, or while entering or exiting the
testing room
• Use of any prohibited item during a break.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

• Books
• Briefcase
• Calculator/Portable Computer
• Calculator Watch
• Camera, Photographic or Scanning Device (still or video)
• Cellular Phone
• Cigarette/Tobacco Product
• Container of any kind
• Dictionary
• Earphone
• Eraser
• Eyeglass Case
• Food or Beverage
• Handbag/Backpack/Hip Pack
• Hat or Visor (except head coverings worn for religious reasons)
• Headset or Audio Earmuffs (not provided by Testing Center). You may bring soft, foam earplugs
with no strings attached for your use. TCAs will inspect the earplugs.
• Jewelry – Pendant Necklace or Large Earrings
• Newspaper or Magazine
• Non-Prescription Sunglasses
• Notebook
• Notes in any written form
• Organizer / Day Planner

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• Outline
• Pager / Beeper
• Paper (not provided by Test Center)
• Pen / Pencil (not provided by Test Center)
• Pencil Sharpener
• Personal Digital Assistant or Other Electronic Device
• Plastic Bag
• Purse/Wallet
• Radio/Transmitter/Receiver
• Ruler/Slide Ruler
• Study Material
• Tape/Disk Recorder or Player
• Umbrella
• Watch
• Weapon of any kind

In addition, jackets and sweaters are also prohibited; however, if you require a separate sweater or a jacket due
to room temperature, it must be worn at all times.

The boards of accountancy, NASBA, the AICPA and Prometric use a variety of procedures to prevent
candidate misconduct and cheating on the examination. Test center staff is trained to watch for unusual
behavior and incidents during the examination. In addition, all examination sessions are audio/videotaped to
document the occurrence of any unusual activity and candidate misconduct is reported to boards of
accountancy on a daily basis.

All examination materials are owned and copyrighted by the AICPA. Any reproduction and/or distribution
of examination materials, including memorization, without the express written authorization of the AICPA, is
prohibited. This behavior infringes on the legal rights of the AICPA and, in addition to the penalties listed
above, the AICPA will take appropriate legal action when any copyright infringements have occurred.

Grounds for Dismissal

If you engage in misconduct or do not follow the test center regulations, the test center staff may dismiss you
from the examination or you may have your scores canceled by your board of accountancy. The following are
examples of behavior that will not be tolerated during the examination:
• Repeating acts of misconduct after receiving prior warning(s)
• Attempting to remove or removing examination questions from the testing room by any means
• Copying, writing or summarizing examination questions on any material other than the scratch paper
issued to you
• Tampering with computer software or hardware, or attempting to use a computer for any reason
other than completing the examination session
• Intentional refusal or failure to comply with instructions of the test center staff
• Attempting to have an impersonator gain admission to the testing room or to substitute for you after
a break
• Conduct that may threaten bodily harm or damage to property

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Reporting Examination Concerns

Problems, Questions or Comments about Your Test Experience
During your examination session, report equipment/functionality issues or environmental
disruptions/distractions to test center staff without delay.

After completing your examination if you feel that the circumstances surrounding your test administration prevented you
from performing at a level consistent with your knowledge and skills; or, if you have a question or concern about the
test, you must notify NASBA at candidatecare@nasba.org no later than five business days from the date of
your examination to document your concern.

Candidate Care at NASBA

You may notify NASBA using any one of the methods below.
By Email: candidatecare@nasba.org
By Telephone: 866-MY-NASBA (866-696-2722)
By Fax: 615-880-4225
By U.S. Mail: Candidate Care
NASBA Examinations
150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37219

If you witnessed a candidate cheating or believe a test center employee acted improperly, contact Prometric’s
security department at 800-347-3781.

Comments about the Content of Examination Questions/Simulations

If you believe you have identified a problem with a test question or simulation, you should contact the
AICPA Examinations Team either by fax at 609-671-2922 or by mail at American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, 1230 Parkway Avenue, Suite 311, Ewing, NJ 08628. Your fax or letter must be received by the
AICPA within four days of testing to ensure a timely review.

Do NOT include the exact wording or attempt to outline the test question or simulation. Rather, provide
enough information to allow the AICPA to identify the test question or simulation; for example – “question
number 18 in the second testlet” or “the Interest Expense tab in the first simulation.” You should include the
nature of your concern, the rationale, and, if possible, references. Be sure to include your examination section
identification number in your fax or letter. The AICPA reviews every fax and letter received by the deadline;
however, the AICPA is unable to respond directly to candidates.

STEP 5: RECEIVE YOUR SCORE(S)

After the Examination, candidate responses are forwarded to the AICPA for scoring. The responses are
identified by Examination Section ID only. When advisory scores become available, the AICPA forwards
them to NASBA for processing, which involves matching the scores to individual candidates. NASBA then
forwards the scores to boards of accountancy for approval and subsequent release to candidates.

In each testing window, the AICPA transmits scores to NASBA in two waves – the first before the end of
testing and the second after testing ends. First wave scores belong to candidates who tested in the first month
of the window and were presented with content that does not require additional psychometric analysis.
Second wave scores belong to candidates who tested in the second month of the window as well as to those
who tested earlier but whose content required further analysis. Please note that scores are NOT released

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by jurisdiction in a specific order, and also that the scores of candidates who test on the same day
may well be reported at different times during the scoring cycle.

For additional information about score release or score report content, contact your board of accountancy or
its designated agent. (The AICPA does not provide score information to candidates.)

For information about scoring, read “How Is the CPA Exam Scored?”, an article that appeared in the Fall
2006 issue of The Uniform CPA Examination Alert. Previous issues of this publication are available on the CPA
Examination website, www.cpa-exam.org, under Newsletters and Updates.

The Score Review and Appeal Processes

Score Review
A score review is the verification of a candidate's Uniform CPA Examination score. It involves making
certain that the approved answer key was used and that it was applied correctly. It is not an opportunity to
“find additional points” or to have new responses considered. Because all scores undergo several quality
control checks before they are reported, a score review seldom results in a score change. However, the score
review option is available to candidates who would like to have their scores checked one more time.

Contact your board of accountancy, or its designated agent, for instructions on requesting a score review,
paying the required fee, and meeting the score review deadline. Note that the option to apply for a score
review is available only for a short period of time after your score has been reported to you.

Appeal
In the jurisdictions that allow appeals, the appeal process provides Uniform CPA Examination candidates
with the opportunity to appeal failing scores. Where available, the appeal option enables candidates to view
the multiple choice test questions or objective simulation problems that they answered incorrectly together
with their responses, and to submit comments online. The appeal does not include the written
communication. The confidentiality of the examination requires that such viewing sessions take place only in
authorized locations, under highly secure conditions, and in the presence of a representative of the candidate's
board of accountancy or its designated agent.

You should consider requesting an appeal only if you want to review your incorrect responses because you
believe that there is a multiple choice question or objective simulation problem that you would like to
challenge.

Contact your board of accountancy, or its designated agent, to determine whether the appeal option is
available in your jurisdiction and, if it is, to obtain detailed instructions. In order to qualify for an appeal, you
will be required to submit a formal request, obtain your board's approval, and pay the required fee. Note that
the option to apply for an appeal is available only for a short period of time after your score has been
reported to you.

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RETAKING THE EXAMINATION

If you fail any section of the examination, you may retake that section in a future testing window. You may
not repeat any section within the same two-month testing window.

Your board of accountancy will provide you with information on how to retake a failed examination section
when they send you your score report. If you fail an examination section, you will receive a Candidate
Performance Report, providing information about your examination performance as it compares with the
performance of candidates in the “just passed” category – those who earned scores of between 75 and 80.
This information will show you how your performance differed – by content area and by question type
(multiple-choice questions, simulations, written communication) – from the performance of passing
candidates. You are likely to find this information helpful when preparing to retake an examination section.
This information is a tool to evaluate your performance and to serve as a study guide. It cannot be used to
calculate your test score or your passing status.

Candidate Performance Report FAQs as well as samples are available on the Uniform CPA Examination
website, www.cpa-exam.org

If you have any questions about a policy on retaking the examination, you must contact your board of
accountancy or its designated agent.

EXAMINATION CONTENT
Preparation for the Examination
The best preparation for the Uniform CPA Examination is a thorough review of the examination content.
1. Read the Content Specification Outlines (CSOs), available at www.cpa-exam.org, to make certain
you are aware of the content areas covered by each examination section.
2. Review the sample tests, available at www.cpa-exam.org, to become familiar with typical multiple-
choice questions and simulations (for all sections except BEC) as well as with the software that is
used at the examination.
3. Take the tutorial, available at www.cpa-exam.org, to obtain an understanding of the general design
and operation of the computer-based test.

Candidates are required to review the Uniform CPA Examination tutorial and sample tests.
Thorough familiarity with the examination’s functionality, format, and directions is required
before candidates report to test centers. Failure to follow the directions provided in the
tutorial and sample tests, including the directions on how to respond, may adversely affect
candidate scores.

Examination Length and Formats

The Uniform CPA Examination is a 14-hour examination with four sections: Auditing and Attestation;
Business Environment and Concepts; Financial Accounting and Reporting; and Regulation. Each
examination section contains units known as “testlets.” Each testlet is comprised of either a group of 24 to
30 multiple-choice questions (MCQ) or one complete case study, known as a simulation.

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The sections are as follows:

Section Name Section Section Section Description

Time Format
AUD Auditing and 4.5 hours 3 MCQ This section covers knowledge of auditing
Attestation testlets and 2 procedures, generally accepted auditing
simulation standards and other standards related to
testlets attest engagements, and the skills needed to
apply that knowledge in those
engagements.
BEC Business 2.5 hours 3 MCQ This section covers knowledge of general
Environment and testlets business environment and business
Concepts concepts that candidates need to know in
order to understand the underlying
business reasons for, and accounting
implications of, business transactions, and
the skills needed to apply that knowledge.
FAR Financial 4 hours 3 MCQ This section covers knowledge of generally
Accounting and testlets and 2 accepted accounting principles for business
Reporting simulation enterprises, not-for-profit organizations,
testlets and governmental entities, and the skills
needed to apply that knowledge.
REG Regulation 3 hours 3 MCQ This section covers knowledge of federal
testlets and 2 taxation, ethics, professional and legal
simulation responsibilities, and business law, and the
testlets skills needed to apply that knowledge.

Note: 30 minutes will be added to your examination session so that you can complete the sign-in process and
survey without infringing on your examination time. Therefore, your confirmation notice will
reflect examination time plus 30 minutes. This will not increase your examination time.

In addition, the appointment time on your confirmation notice will reflect examination testing time plus 30
minutes. The additional 30 minutes is allocated to the examination logon and survey. For example, the testing
time for Auditing and Attestation is 4.5 hours, the appointment time will be for 5 hours. The additional 30
minutes is the time allowed to enter your examination section identification number (launch code), read the
introductory screens, and complete the survey at the end of the examination. It is not additional testing time.

Multiple-Choice Test Questions

The multiple-choice portions of the examination are administered to you in a series of testlets. Testlets are
groups of questions that are constructed to appear together. Each examination section will include three
testlets. Each testlet within a section of the examination will contain the same number of questions.
Depending on the section, each testlet will have between 24 and 30 questions. .

Simulations
Simulations are condensed case studies that test your accounting knowledge and skills using real life work-
related situations. Each simulation is considered one “testlet.” Each simulation is expected to take
approximately 30 – 50 minutes to complete, depending on the section, and complements the multiple-choice
portion of that section. Each examination section, except Business Environment and Concepts, includes two
simulations. All simulations are intended to assess knowledge and skills that are appropriate for an entry-level
accountant.

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Each simulation includes a written communication exercise. In this portion of the examination, candidates
must read a situation description and then write an appropriate document relating to the situation. The
instructions state what form the document should take (such as a memo or letter) and its focus. The
candidate’s response should provide the correct information in writing that is clear, complete, and
professional. Go to www.cpa-exam.org for further information about written communication.

Pretest Questions
Pretest questions are used to develop future examinations; they are NOT used in computing examination
scores. Each testlet or simulation may include pretest questions. Pretest questions in simulations may
include written communication exercises.

The directions at the beginning of the examination state: "Some of the questions or simulation tabs you will
receive are pretest items. These items do not count toward your final score. You will not know which items
are scored and which are pretest items."

Authoritative Literature
While completing the simulations, you will use financial accounting, auditing, or taxation databases. The
financial accounting database will include certain portions of the FASB and AICPA authoritative literature.
The auditing database will include certain portions of the professional standards issued by the AICPA and the
PCAOB. The taxation database will include certain portions of the federal tax code, as well as certain
portions of the professional standards issued by the AICPA and the PCAOB. The databases include all the
excerpts that are necessary for completion of the case study simulations.

As it relates to the simulations, the databases will be updated periodically, and updates will be communicated
to candidates through the CPA Exam website. In a rare situation, a recent FASB or AICPA pronouncement
or a change in the code may impact the simulation. In those situations, a candidate should answer the
simulation using the database provided.

Examination Specifications
Below are the main content areas for each section of the Uniform CPA Examination. For more detailed
information about examination content specifications, visit www.cpa-exam.org.

Auditing and Attestation

1. Planning the engagement
2. Internal controls
3. Obtain and document information
4. Review engagement and evaluate information
5. Prepare communications

Business Environment and Concepts

1. Business structure
2. Economic concepts
3. Financial management
4. Information technology
5. Planning and measurement

Financial Accounting and Reporting

1. Concepts and standards for financial statements
2. Typical items in financial statements
3. Specific types of transactions and events

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4. Accounting and reporting for governmental entities

5. Accounting and reporting for nongovernmental and not-for-profit organizations

Regulation
1. Ethics and professional responsibility
2. Business law
3. Federal tax procedures and accounting issues
4. Federal taxation of property transactions
5. Federal taxation—individuals
6. Federal taxation—entities

Effective Date of Pronouncements

Accounting and auditing pronouncements are eligible to be tested on the Uniform CPA Examination in the
window beginning six months after a pronouncement’s effective date, unless early application is permitted.
When early application is permitted, the new pronouncement is eligible to be tested in the window beginning
six months after the issuance date. In this case, both the old and new pronouncements may be tested until the
old pronouncement is superseded.

For the federal taxation area, the Internal Revenue Code and federal tax regulations in effect six months
before the beginning of the current window may be tested on the Uniform CPA Examination.

For all other materials covered in the Regulation and Business Environment and Concepts sections, material
eligible to be tested includes federal laws in the window beginning six months after their effective date and
uniform acts in the window beginning one year after their adoption by a simple majority of the jurisdictions.

Sample Question Types

To familiarize yourself with the computer-based examination’s format, functions, and question and response
types, review the examination tutorial at www.cpa-exam.org. Sample tests that contain a few sample multiple-
choice questions and a sample simulation for each applicable section are also available at www.cpa-exam.org.
Neither the tutorial nor the sample test will be available at the test centers.

Candidates are required to review the tutorial and sample tests. Before the beginning of any
examination session, candidates must attest to the fact that they have had the opportunity to review
the tutorial, sample tests, as well as the Candidate Bulletin. This requirement is intended to ensure
that before candidates report to the test centers, they are knowledgeable about the examination
process, and thoroughly familiar with examination functionality, format and directions. Failure to
follow the directions provided in the tutorial and sample tests, including the directions on how to
respond, may adversely affect candidate scores.

SCORING THE EXAMINATION

Generally, boards of accountancy report scores on a numeric scale of 0-99, with 75 as a passing score. This
scale does NOT represent “percent correct.” A score of 75 reflects examination performance that has been
judged to represent the knowledge and skills needed to protect the public.

Policy weights represent the proportions of the total test score for various components of each examination
section. For the computer-based Uniform CPA Examination, the weights are:

1. Multiple-choice portion of test 70 %

2. Simulation portion of test 30%, as follows:

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a. objective portion of simulation 20%

b. written communication portion of simulation 10%

Other than the written communication part of the examination, which requires you to complete tasks such as
creating a letter or memo, the questions contained in the examination are formatted to allow responses to be
scored electronically. A combination of human graders and electronic scoring will be used to score written
communication responses.

You will receive credit for each correct answer to a multiple-choice question. Similarly, responses to the
questions asked in the simulations will receive credit when you provide a correct answer or complete a task
correctly. You are not penalized for incorrect responses.

For more information about setting passing scores, you may wish to review the AICPA white paper, Setting
Passing Scores on the Uniform CPA Examination (see www.cpa-exam.org/lrc/reports.html). This paper provides
the context for setting passing scores on the Uniform CPA Examination, explains the importance of the
process used to set a passing score, describes some of the methods used to set passing scores on licensing
examinations like the Uniform CPA Examination, and documents decisions made by the AICPA Board of
Examiners with regard to the computer-based Uniform CPA Examination.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you need additional information about the Uniform CPA Examination, the table below will help you
identify where to go to get the answers you need.

If you have a question about: Contact:

• Eligibility to take the examination Write, call or send an e-mail to your board of
• Special testing accommodations accountancy or its designated agent. The complete
• Completing the application forms list of boards of accountancy may be found on the
web site at www.nasba.org
• Name and/or address changes
• Examination scores
• Your board of accountancy’s fees
• Receiving/replacing your Notice To Call NASBA at 800-CPA-EXAM (800-272-3926) or
Schedule (NTS) if you paid the application send an e-mail to cbtcpa@nasba.org
and examination fees to NASBA
• Payments to NASBA
• Receiving/replacing your Notice To Write, call or send an e-mail to your board of
Schedule (NTS) if you paid the application accountancy or its designated agent. A complete list
and examination fees to the board of of boards of accountancy may be found on the web
accountancy site at www.nasba.org
• Receiving/replacing your Notice To Call NASBA at 866-MY-NASBA (866-696-2722) or
Schedule (NTS) if you paid only the send an e-mail to candidatecare@nasba.org
application fee to the board of accountancy
and paid the examination fee separately to
NASBA
• General comments about the test center Call NASBA at 866-MY-NASBA (866-696-2722) or
where you took your examination send an e-mail to candidatecare@nasba.org
• Scheduling, rescheduling or canceling your All information and instant scheduling is available at
examination appointment www.prometric.com/cpa
• Directions to your test center Additionally, you may contact the Prometric
Candidate Services Call Center at 800-580-9648
• Content of the examination Write to:
AICPA Examinations Team
Parkway Corporate Center, Suite 311
1230 Parkway Avenue
Ewing, NJ 08628-3018
-or-
Send an e-mail to cpaexam@aicpa.org
-or-
FAX to: 609-671-2922
• Specific multiple-choice questions and/or Contact the AICPA by fax only at: 609-671-2922
simulations on the examination
• Upcoming changes to the examination, All information is available at www.cpa-exam.org
CBT-e

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Test Centers

Test centers move, new ones are opened and some close from time to time. The most current list of
test centers may be found on the Prometric Web site at www.prometric.com/cpa

Fire Codes require that businesses follow established protocol for unannounced fire drills. Please be
aware that all staff members are given specific instructions what to do during an alarm and
disruption will be minimized should such an event occur during a test.

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