Definition
The Uniform CPA Examination is the licensing exam for US CPAs, developed by the AICPA and administered with NASBA. Since January 2024 it has a core and discipline model. Every candidate takes three core sections: Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), Auditing and Attestation (AUD), and Regulation (REG). Each candidate also picks one discipline: Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). Each section is four hours. Scores run from 0 to 99, and 75 is passing.
Why it matters in an audit or review
The AUD section covers audit planning, risk assessment, evidence, reporting, and professional responsibilities, which is the practical material in the AICPA standards. Candidates must be authorized by their state board to test, and credit for passed sections lasts for a rolling window set by each jurisdiction. Candidates should check their board's rules rather than a general summary.
Example
Illustrative: a candidate plans to take AUD and FAR in the first half of the year and REG in the second, then BAR. The candidate checks the board's credit window to make sure the first passed section will not expire before the last is taken.
Common mistakes
Scheduling the sections without checking the board's credit window.
FAQ
Do I need 150 hours to take the exam?
Many boards allow the exam with fewer hours than the license requires. Check yours.
Sources
- AICPA and NASBA, Uniform CPA Examination structure from January 2024 (core: FAR, AUD, REG; disciplines: BAR, ISC, TCP; scoring 0 to 99, passing score 75)
- State boards of accountancy, exam eligibility and credit-window rules
Definitions paraphrase AICPA and FASB guidance; read the standard itself before relying on a requirement. Example figures are illustrative. This page is guidance, not professional advice. Report an error