CPA Exam dates 2026: remaining windows and score releases

Next CPA testing opportunities

• Core: AUD, FAR and REG — continuous testing throughout 2026 where Prometric appointments are open.
• Discipline: BAR, ISC and TCP — the next and final published 2026 window is 1–31 October 2026.
• October Discipline score target: 15 December 2026, according to NASBA’s current schedule.

Do not assume a seat is available on every day of a window. You need a valid Notice to Schedule and an available Prometric appointment. Your state board controls eligibility and credit.

2026 Core score release schedule: remaining cutoffs

The cutoff means AICPA must receive your exam data file by that date; merely sitting on the cutoff day does not guarantee inclusion. Release dates are targets and may change.

Check NASBA’s live score information or AICPA’s target release schedule.

2026 Discipline testing windows

NASBA and AICPA publish target dates. Check the official pages for later changes and the 2027 calendar when released.

Section order and credit rules

The Uniform CPA Exam has three Core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) and one Discipline section chosen from BAR, ISC and TCP. Each section is four hours. You may take the four sections in any order. There is no requirement to finish Core before your Discipline.

The period for passing all sections varies by state board. NASBA’s 2026 candidate guide shows jurisdictions with 18-, 30- and 36-month credit rules, with different clock start rules. Review your board’s current policy and the expiration dates in your candidate portal; a generic 18-month rule is unreliable.

Read NASBA’s 2026 Candidate Guide and find your state board.

How to schedule

1. Check your state board’s education and application requirements.
2. Apply for the section you want and obtain a valid Notice to Schedule (NTS). Validity varies by jurisdiction.
3. Book an available appointment with Prometric CPA scheduling; confirm the exact section, date, centre and ID requirements.
4. After testing, use the NASBA score information page and your candidate portal to track your result.

Application, section, international-testing and rescheduling fees vary. Check your jurisdiction and the payment screen rather than relying on a single national estimate.

Every upcoming verified 2026 CPA testing and score date

For the remainder of 2026, the Core sections AUD, FAR and REG use continuous testing: you select an actual Prometric appointment while your Notice to Schedule is valid. There is no single national list of every Core test day because centres show live seats. The published milestones are AICPA exam-data receipt cutoffs and target score releases. After 26 September, the remaining Core cutoffs are 30 September, 23 October, 15 November, 8 December and 31 December 2026. The corresponding target releases are 9 October, 10 November, 24 November, 16 December 2026 and 12 January 2027.

The Discipline sections BAR, ISC and TCP have one remaining 2026 testing window: 1–31 October. NASBA's current schedule lists 15 December 2026 as its target score release. Earlier January, April and July 2026 Discipline windows have passed. There is no reason to present those as future booking opportunities. The October window does not guarantee a seat on every date or at every Prometric centre. Verify your Notice to Schedule, section eligibility and live appointment before making travel or study plans.

A cutoff is not the same as an exam day. AICPA must receive the exam data file from Prometric by the cutoff for the associated target release. Testing on the cutoff date may result in the file arriving later, moving the score into the next release cycle. NASBA describes all release dates as targets rather than guarantees. For a licence, job or credit deadline, leave more than one day of margin. Our exam timetable hub links other professional and admissions schedules, while NASBA and AICPA remain the authorities for CPA score dates.

Core versus Discipline: plan the right section

The current Uniform CPA Examination has three Core sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). Candidates choose one Discipline from Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). Each section is a four-hour exam. The Core sections and one selected Discipline make the four-section requirement. A candidate does not have to pass all Core sections before sitting the Discipline; the chosen order should follow preparation and the jurisdiction's rules.

Section choice affects the calendar. A candidate ready for FAR may search continuous Prometric availability in late September or November. A candidate ready for TCP in 2026 must use the October Discipline window or wait for a later officially announced window. Do not apply the Core score-release table to a Discipline section. Discipline scoring has a separate published target, and the gap between testing and results can be longer.

Choose a Discipline based on relevant knowledge and career direction, while recognising that the licensing credential is the CPA regardless of Discipline. BAR may align with financial reporting and analysis; ISC with systems, controls and information security; TCP with advanced tax work. Check the current AICPA blueprint for actual content before investing in a course. A popular choice among peers is not a substitute for reviewing your strengths and the timing of the October window.

Eligibility begins with your state board

The CPA credential is issued by a jurisdiction, usually a state board of accountancy, rather than by a single national office. Education, application, identity, residency and experience rules can vary. Some candidates can sit before completing the credits required for eventual licensure; others cannot. Do not rely on a generic statement that everyone needs exactly 150 hours before registering. Find the board where you intend to qualify and follow its current candidate instructions.

Start the application well before your preferred test month. Transcript review and board approval can take time. Once approved, obtain a Notice to Schedule for the section. Its expiry date depends on jurisdiction and should be treated as a hard planning constraint. A testing window may be open yet unusable if your NTS is not issued or has expired. Keep copies of board messages, payment receipts and NTS details so you can troubleshoot a scheduling problem quickly.

International candidates should check their selected jurisdiction and testing location rules separately. A CPA Exam seat in a country outside the United States may involve additional international administration fees and location restrictions. The Prometric calendar shows appointments, while the board determines eligibility. Do not buy travel based only on a public date table. For a broader comparison with other accounting qualifications, see our ACCA exam guide; the credentials and licensing processes are different.

How to book a Prometric appointment

After your NTS is active, use the official Prometric CPA scheduling system to search the exact section and approved location. Select a test date that allows adequate preparation and fits both the NTS expiry and the relevant score-release cycle. Check centre address, reporting time, accepted ID and rescheduling terms before confirming. A day that falls within the October Discipline window is only useful if a seat for your selected Discipline appears and you can meet all requirements.

Book early enough to preserve centre choice and reduce the risk that a seat fills. However, do not mistake a reservation for readiness. Use a current diagnostic and study plan to decide whether the date is credible. If you change the appointment, review Prometric's current fee and timing rules in your confirmation. A section fee, application fee and international fee may be separate; the final amount depends on your jurisdiction and booking path.

Save your NTS and Prometric confirmation. Verify the name, exam section, test date, local time and centre. On test day, present the ID specified in the board and Prometric instructions. Arrive early enough for check-in and follow centre rules for belongings and breaks. If you experience a technical issue, report it to staff immediately and keep any incident documentation. A later score dispute is harder to resolve without a record of what occurred.

Read the score-release table correctly

The AICPA receives a candidate's exam data, completes scoring and quality reviews, then sends results to NASBA for distribution to the relevant jurisdiction. NASBA says candidates in participating jurisdictions can check the Candidate Portal or CPA mobile app. Some boards may need additional processing time after a national target date. A target release is therefore not the same as a guaranteed moment when every candidate can see a result.

If you want the 9 October 2026 Core release, AICPA must receive the file by 30 September. If it receives the file by 23 October, the next listed target is 10 November. The following pairs are 15 November to 24 November, 8 December to 16 December and 31 December to 12 January 2027. Candidates testing very close to a cutoff should allow for transmission delay. Do not set a job or credit decision on the assumption that sitting exactly on a cutoff day qualifies for that cycle.

For the October Discipline window, the published target is 15 December. A candidate who needs a result earlier should not choose that window without confirming whether the recipient will accept a pending score. If you are waiting for a final section credit, check the jurisdiction's rule for whether the test must be taken before the credit expires or whether the result must be published before then. NASBA says a passing final section taken before the first credit expires can preserve that credit, but jurisdiction details and portal expiration dates remain important.

Examination credit is jurisdiction specific

The clock for completing all four CPA Exam sections differs among state boards. NASBA's 2026 Candidate Guide documents jurisdictions with 18-, 30- and 36-month approaches, including differences in when the clock begins. An older one-size-fits-all 18-month rule can mislead candidates. Read the current rule for your board and compare it with the expiration dates shown in your candidate record. If you change jurisdictions, ask how existing credits transfer and whether the receiving board applies different conditions.

A practical study calendar lists every passed section, its credit expiration, each remaining section, the next testing window and the associated score target. This reveals whether an October 2026 Discipline result will arrive in time for a decision. Do not plan a last-attempt date on the exact day credit expires if avoidable. A test-centre disruption, illness or delayed appointment can remove the margin. If credit is near expiry, contact the board or NASBA for authoritative guidance rather than relying on a third-party article.

Passing score is 75 on each section's 0–99 scale. AICPA explains that 75 is a scaled score, not a simple percentage of questions correct. Do not calculate a pass from how many questions felt right. If you do not pass, the performance report can help identify relative strengths and weaknesses. Use the exact current blueprint for that section, then schedule a retake under the jurisdiction and NTS rules.

What to know about 2027

AICPA announced a planned technology-platform transition beginning in July 2027. Its current target includes a testing blackout from 1–11 July 2027 and resumption on 12 July. AICPA also expects an adjusted score-release pattern for a period after launch as the new interface is calibrated. These are published planning targets, not a complete 2027 score calendar. Avoid copying 2026 cutoff dates into 2027 or promising the same release cadence.

If your four-section plan reaches summer 2027, account for that proposed blackout and watch for a final schedule from AICPA, NASBA and Prometric. A candidate with a credit expiry near July may need to test earlier. The technology change does not replace the Core-plus-Discipline structure, but the test interface and release timing may affect preparation and application planning. Recheck official updates before booking a 2027 appointment.

The 2027 Discipline window dates were not included in the 2026 schedule verified here. Do not assume October 2026's exact result lag will repeat. When the 2027 calendar is published, add its official windows, AICPA receipt cutoffs and target score dates to your personal study plan. For now, the useful verified upcoming dates are the remaining 2026 Core cutoff pairs, the October Discipline window and the July 2027 transition target.

A study plan for four sections

Begin by mapping each section's blueprint to your prior coursework and work experience. Choose an order that allows enough time for both continuous Core appointments and the less frequent Discipline window. A candidate with strong audit experience might start with AUD; another may start with FAR to build a foundation. There is no universal best order. The decision should account for readiness, credit expiration and the result calendar.

Use a weekly cycle of concept review, multiple-choice practice, task-based simulations and error analysis. For FAR, focus on financial reporting concepts and application rather than memorising journal entries without context. For AUD, connect procedures to assertions and evidence. For REG, practise applying tax and legal rules to fact patterns. For a Discipline, use the official blueprint to define the depth and emphasis. Timed simulations help expose weaknesses that untimed reading does not reveal.

Reserve time after every practice set to explain why an answer was wrong. Categorise mistakes: missing knowledge, misread fact, calculation, time pressure or uncertainty about the task format. Revisit the same category after a few days. A study plan that tracks only hours can hide poor progress; a plan that tracks error reduction and realistic mock performance gives a better signal for booking. For individual academic support, see NUM8ERS private tutoring.

Costs and scheduling risk

CPA Exam costs are jurisdiction dependent. The candidate may pay application and section fees, Prometric change charges, and international-testing surcharges. NTS validity and refund rules also vary. A national article should not present one fee as universal. Check the state board, NASBA portal and final Prometric booking screen for the amounts relevant to you. Preserve receipts for personal budgeting or employer reimbursement.

Time has a cost as well. Taking an October Discipline section before you are ready may create a long wait for the December score, then require another window for a retake. Waiting until the very end of an NTS may risk losing the appointment if a centre fills. The sensible date is one that fits readiness, window availability, credit and application requirements. Use the table as a planning tool, not as a substitute for a valid appointment.

If you are comparing accounting and finance credentials, their exam calendars work differently. ACCA has quarterly session exams and some on-demand exams; the ACCA timetable explains those dates. CFA uses level-specific windows; see the CFA exam window guide. Neither credential is automatically equivalent to a U.S. CPA licence, so choose based on your intended role and regulator.

Candidate checklist

1. Identify the state board and verify eligibility, credit duration and acceptable ID.
2. Choose the correct Core or Discipline section and obtain a valid NTS.
3. For October 2026 Discipline, confirm a real BAR, ISC or TCP seat within 1–31 October.
4. For Core, select a live Prometric seat and map the exam-data cutoff to a target result.
5. Leave margin around cutoff dates and credit expiration.
6. Save registration, NTS and appointment confirmations.
7. Check the Candidate Portal and jurisdiction-specific result process after testing.
8. Recheck AICPA's 2027 transition schedule if your plan extends into July 2027.

Examples of a realistic CPA calendar

A Core section in late September 2026

A candidate who sits FAR or another Core section in late September may hope for the 9 October release. That target applies only if AICPA receives the exam file by 30 September. Prometric transmission can determine whether the result instead falls into the next cycle, with 10 November the following target for files received by 23 October. If a decision depends on knowing the result in early October, schedule with a wider margin rather than testing on the cutoff. Confirm your jurisdiction's score-posting process too.

A Discipline section in October 2026

A candidate with a valid NTS for TCP, ISC or BAR can search Prometric for a seat between 1 and 31 October. NASBA's current target score release for that window is 15 December. The candidate should not plan a November retake based on receiving an October Discipline score quickly; the result will normally arrive after November. Use the weeks before the test for targeted study, and check any first-section credit expiration against the board's rule. October is the final published 2026 Discipline window.

A December Core test

For exam data received by 8 December 2026, the target release is 16 December. Data received by 31 December has a 12 January 2027 target. A candidate who tests close to either cutoff may be placed in a later cycle if the file arrives late. Holiday operations can also affect expectations. If an employer or licensing step requires a result before year-end, test earlier and verify the target with current AICPA guidance. The fact that Core testing is continuous does not mean scores are instantly released.

A plan extending past June 2027

AICPA's announced platform transition has a target blackout on 1–11 July 2027, followed by resumption on 12 July. Future score timing may differ while the new interface is calibrated. A candidate whose credit or job deadline falls near that period should monitor official updates and avoid building a plan around an unannounced release date. Schedule earlier if the current board rule and test readiness support it, and keep records of all credit expiration notices.

Common misconceptions corrected

There is no rule that candidates must pass FAR, AUD and REG before choosing a Discipline. The four sections can be taken in any order subject to board eligibility. There is also no universal 18-month credit clock for all jurisdictions. A strong candidate may have a different period depending on the board, and a candidate with earlier credit may face transition provisions. Read your own record and board rule before rearranging the study order.

A score of 75 is a passing scaled score rather than “75 percent correct.” The scoring process combines responses under AICPA's method and includes quality checks. A result date is a target, not a guarantee of availability to every candidate at midnight. A cutoff refers to AICPA receipt of the data file, not merely the test appointment date. These distinctions matter when you are deciding whether to retake, accept a job start date or submit a licence application.

The CPA credential is a U.S. state-issued licence. A candidate outside the United States may sit a U.S. Uniform CPA Exam at an approved international centre, but passing sections alone is not the entire licensing process. The board can impose education, ethics, experience and other requirements. Verify them at the beginning of the journey, not after the final score. A test date is just one stage of qualification.

What to do if a score misses its target date

First, check the Candidate Portal or the score channel specified by your jurisdiction. NASBA says target dates can slip if AICPA did not receive the data file by the cutoff or if additional processing is required. A score may be posted later than a candidate hoped even when the appointment occurred before the cutoff. Review official notices and avoid treating a social-media report from another candidate as proof that your score is missing.

If the expected release has passed, confirm the section, testing date and applicable cutoff in the official schedule. Contact the appropriate board, NASBA or Prometric support channel depending on the issue. Keep your NTS, appointment confirmation and any test-centre incident report. If credit expiry is involved, request written clarification of the jurisdiction's policy promptly. Do not pay for a replacement sitting until you understand whether the first result is pending and whether another NTS is required.

Once a score is available, save the official score notice because portal access to old notices may not last indefinitely. Update your personal four-section tracker, including the passed section and credit expiration date. If the section was not passed, use the Candidate Performance Report to choose the next study focus. The next test should be based on evidence, the available seat and the relevant score-release cycle.

Final check before committing to a date

Write the exact exam section, NTS expiration, candidate name, centre, appointment time, current credit expiration and nearest published score target on one page. For Core, note the AICPA receipt cutoff and leave a buffer before it. For a Discipline, verify the section is offered in the October 2026 window and that its December target release fits your plans. If your board has an 18-, 30- or 36-month credit rule, apply the actual rule in your record rather than a general statement from an older article.

Check the venue and ID requirements again a week before testing. If travel is involved, include traffic, border or flight risks. Review how to report an incident during the exam. After the appointment, keep the confirmation and wait for the appropriate target release; a result from a different section or testing cycle is not a reliable guide to yours. When the score posts, update the plan for the remaining sections or licensure steps.

For candidates comparing qualifications, the most useful schedule is one linked to a career goal. U.S. CPA, ACCA and CFA follow different regulators, syllabuses and exam windows. Internal guides on this site provide calendar context, but the state board and official exam organisations set the binding requirements. Choose the credential first, then build the test calendar around it.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• NASBA score release information
• AICPA 2026 schedule
• NASBA Candidate Guide and jurisdiction credit rules
• AICPA 2027 platform transition announcement
• AICPA scoring explanation

Updated 26 September 2026.