CPA
EXAM
The
Your Step-by-Step Guide
kycpa.org
502.266.5272 or
800.292.1754
Updated Aug. 2015
Introduction
The Kentucky Society of CPAs (KyCPA) has developed this brochure to inform candidates about the general format
and administration of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam. However, certain information is only
applicable to Kentucky’s examination candidates. Since state regulations vary, CPA Exam candidates are encouraged
to apply to sit for the examination in the state in which they plan to practice. Anyone planning to take the CPA
Exam should regularly review the information posted on the Web sites listed below for updates.
Web site
www.cpa.ky.gov
Content
• Kentucky educational requirements to apply to sit for the CPA Exam
• Application materials for candidates who plan to sit for the CPA Exam in Kentucky
• “Exam Candidate Bulletin” – View online
www.cpa-exam.org
• Exam tutorial showing question formats and sample questions
• Exam practice tests
• Score release information
www.Prometric.com/cpa
• List of test centers available and hours of operation
• List of test center policies and procedures of the CPA Exam
www.kycpa.org
• Kentucky Society of CPAs Web site
• CPA Exam review resources
• Kentucky requirements for becoming a CPA
• KyCPA membership application
Since 1917, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has prepared and graded the CPA Exam, while individual
states have established the educational requirements to sit for the Exam. The Exam is administered in a computerized format at Prometric
test sites throughout the country during the first two months of every quarter (referred to as “testing windows”). The following questions
have been designed to assist candidates in understanding the Exam process and format.
For more information about the Exam contact:
Kentucky State Board of Accountancy
332 West Broadway #310 Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502.595.3037 Fax: 502.595.4500
Web site: www.cpa.ky.gov
Email: cpa@ky.gov
Questions and Answers
When am I able to sit for the CPE Exam?
All Exam candidates must submit a final transcript
which substantiates the candidate has completed a
bachelor’s degree with at least 27 semester hours in
accounting courses and 12 semester hours in businessrelated courses.
When are the testing windows?
Jan-Feb, April-May, July-Aug, Oct-Nov.
Is there an application deadline? Where can I find
the application?
There is no application deadline as candidates are
permitted to schedule the Exam throughout the year.
Kentucky Society of CPAs
1735 Alliant Avenue Louisville, KY 40299
Phone: 502.266.5272 or 800.292.1754
Web site: www.kycpa.org
The application to sit for the Exam as a Kentucky
candidate is available at the State Board of Accountancy’s
Web site, www.cpa.ky.gov.
Do I need to apply to the Kentucky State Board
of Accountancy?
Yes, if you plan to practice and be licensed in Kentucky.
Candidates should apply to sit for the Exam in the state
in which they plan to practice and become licensed.
What is the process after I file my application
with the State Board of Accountancy?
Candidate information is entered into a national
database that is operated by the National Association
of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). This step is
referred to as the Board issuing an Authorization to Test
(ATT).
NASBA then sends each authorized candidate a payment
coupon which details the fees that need to be paid to
NASBA to sit for the Exam. The payment coupon must
be returned to NASBA with the appropriate fee within
90 days from the date the coupon is issued. Payment
may also be made online at www.nasba.org, or by calling
NASBA at 866-696-2722.
Once payment has been received, NASBA will issue a
Notice to Schedule (NTS) to each candidate. Candidates
then have six months to schedule to sit for a section
of the Exam. Please keep in mind that two of those
six months testing will not be available since they are
considered dark months.
As a Kentucky candidate, must I sit for the CPA
Exam at a Kentucky Prometric test site?
No. An Exam candidate may sit at any approved
Prometric test center located throughout the United
States. Visit the Prometric Web site at www.prometric.
com/cpa for a complete list of test centers.
How long does it usually take to process an
application?
Typically it takes two to three weeks for an initial exam
application to be processed. Keep in mind the process
involves submitting the appropriate documents to the
Kentucky State Board of Accountancy, receiving an ATT,
paying all of the fees to NASBA, receiving the NTS,
and scheduling the actual Exam date and time with
Prometric. Usually re-exam applications take one to two
weeks to process.
Content of the Exam?
Visit www.cpa-exam.org to view the CPA Exam
content details, referred to as Content Specification
Outlines (CSOs). This includes questions that require
knowledge of the International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS) and demonstration of research and
communication skills. During the exam you will exhibit
these abilities by completing two simulations; the AICPA
tutorial provides candidates with the opportunity to
familiarize themselves with all question formats. .
What areas of study are most important to
passing the CPA Exam?
The following table presents suggested areas of study that
candidates, at a minimum, should have completed prior
to sitting for the CPA Exam. This is not intended to
be an all-inclusive list, as professional work experience,
previous college coursework, and general level of
preparedness varies among candidates.
Exam section Suggested areas of study
Auditing and
Attestation
• Statistical sampling and auditing with
technology may be helpful
Financial
Accounting &
Reporting
What are the sections of the Exam and time
limits?
1. Auditing and Attestation – 4 hours
2. Financial Accounting & Reporting – 4 hours
Regulation
• Advanced financial accounting covering
the areas of partnership accounting, and
combinations and consolidations
• Business law including professional and
legal responsibilities
• Individual income taxation
• Corporate and partnership taxation
4. Business Environment & Concepts – 3 hours
• Taxation of estates, trusts and exempt
organizations may be helpful
What does the Exam look like?
The remaining three sections each contain three sets of
multiple choice questions and two simulations. For a
preview of the Exam, to review the tutorial provided by
the AICPA, and to take a practice test please visit
www.cpa-exam.org.
• Intermediate accounting or financial
reporting
• Governmental/nonprofit accounting
3. Regulation – 3 hours
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), is
comprised of three sections of multiple-choice
format questions and a section dealing with written
communications that candidates must prepare.
• Financial statement auditing performed
by external auditors
Business
Environment &
Concepts
• Micro and macro economics
• Corporate finance
• Business formation, operation,
and dissolution of various business
organizations
• Information systems
• Managerial/cost accounting
Are there review courses available to help me pass?
Yes, there are a number of review courses available. If a
candidate is a student member of the Kentucky Society
of CPAs (join at kycpa.org), he or she is eligible for a
$300 discount on the Becker Professional Education
CPA Exam Review Course.
Is the Exam content confidential?
Yes. Candidates are required to sign a statement of
confidentiality prohibiting the disclosure of any Exam
information, content, or form.
Must I sit for all sections within a single testing
window? Is there a time limit to complete all four
sections?
No, a candidate may schedule to sit for any number
of sections within a testing window. Once a candidate
passes an Exam section, an 18-month rolling time
period begins to pass the remaining sections. The 18
months begins from the last day of the month of the
administration of that section. The NTS issued by
NASBA is only valid for six months and for two of
these months the Exam is not offered. If a candidate
fails to sit for all four sections within those six
months, the NTS expires and the candidate must
reapply.
May I select the order in which I take the four
Exam sections?
Yes, candidates are free to sit for the four Exam sections
in any desired order.
Will I be allowed to go back to test questions
during the Exam?
Yes, if you are in an individual testlet. A testlet is a
group of questions consisting of either multiple-choice
or simulation formats. For Example, the Auditing and
Attestation section consists of three, multiple-choice
testlets and two simulation testlets.
Candidates may move freely throughout any individual
testlet. However, once an individual testlet is closed,
candidates are not permitted to re-access that testlet.
What am I allowed to bring into a Prometric test
center Exam room?
The following are NOT permitted during the Exam:
• Any outside materials (study materials, purses, coats, etc.)
• Hand-held calculators (An on-screen calculator may be accessed during the Exam.)
•Food and drink
•Exiting the room while working within a testlet
*Personal items such as purses and coats are stored in a
locker outside of the Exam room.
Are special accommodations available for
candidates with disabilities?
Yes, candidates desiring special accommodations should
contact the State Board of Accountancy. Professional
documentation of the existence of a disability is required.
When will I receive my score?
Scores are sent from the AICPA to NASBA and from
there to the State Board. All scores are posted on the
Web site of the State Board on the day they are received
via the Internet from NASBA. Candidates must use
the ID# they receive from the State Board to view their
scores. Each candidate will also receive a paper copy of
their score from the State Board.
Go to www.cpa-exam.org for details.
If necessary, when may I retake an Exam section?
Candidates who do not pass an Exam section within
a testing window may not retake that section until the
next testing window. For example, a candidate who sits
for Financial Accounting & Reporting in April of 2016
would not be permitted to retake that section until the
subsequent testing window of July and August of 2016.
Contact your accountancy board for authorization to
retest.
How much does the Exam cost in Kentucky?
For more information about fees, please visit
www.cpa.ky.gov.