Applying, costs & scheduling

1. Choose your jurisdiction and apply

You apply through NASBA's CPA Central portal (some states run their own application process instead). You'll choose the jurisdiction you're applying under, submit proof that you meet its education requirements, and select which Exam section(s) you're registering for.

2. The fee structure

Rather than one flat price, candidates typically pay up to three separate charges, each set at the jurisdiction level:

On top of Exam fees, expect a separate licensure application fee later, once you've passed all four sections and met the education and experience requirements. Because every one of these amounts is set by your state board (with NASBA recommending, not mandating, figures for the portion it administers), check your state board's current fee schedule directly rather than rely on a number quoted elsewhere — including this page.

3. Your Notice to Schedule (NTS)

Once your application is approved and fees are paid, NASBA issues a Notice to Schedule — described in NASBA's own words as your “'ticket' used to schedule and then take the specified Exam section you signed up for.” It's issued electronically through your CPA Candidate Portal, one identification number per section you're registered for.

Your state board sets the window during which your NTS remains valid for each registered section — schedule promptly once you receive it, since testing appointments fill up and you cannot test without a valid NTS in hand.

4. Scheduling with Prometric

You use your NTS to book an appointment at a Prometric testing center — Prometric administers the computer- based CPA Exam on AICPA's behalf. Core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) are offered on a continuous basis with no blackout periods; the Discipline section you choose (BAR, ISC, or TCP) is offered only during four quarterly testing windows each year (January, April, July, October). Score release timing follows the same split — Core scores generally post faster than Discipline scores, since Discipline scores can only be released after that quarter's testing window closes for everyone.