Individual sections of the CPA Exam do expire, generally within 30 months of passing (up from 18 months previously). Once all four sections are passed within this window, the scores do not expire. However, candidates must still meet state-specific licensure requirements, as some jurisdictions have deadlines for applying after passing.
Do CPA Exams expire after you pass all 4 sections? Well, here's where the confusion comes in for some candidates: your score technically doesn't expire. However, your credits can.
All new exam credits earned beginning in January 2024 will be valid for 30 months, replacing the previous timeframe of 18 months.
CPA licenses are valid for two-year periods in California and expire every other year at midnight on the last day of the licensees' birth month. Licensees have the option to renew their license in an active or inactive status.
The NASBA CPA Candidate Account does not permanently house your scores. You can only view the scores that were released for the current window. After the expiration date listed you will no longer be able to view your advisory score or the score notice.
Go to the nasba.org website and login by your state. Then you click the 'apply now' link. Once there, click the 'home' button and you will see all your previous scores.
You have three attempts to pass a Core or Elective module-end examination. If you are unsuccessful on your third attempt of either the Core 1 or Core 2 examinations, you will be removed from the CPA PEP. For Cap- stone 1, if you are unsuccessful in the module, you will be required to repeat it.
Your 74 on the CPA Exam does not mean you were one point away from passing. Instead, your 74 means once they determined you failed, they compared your score with other people that failed and determine you performed better than them but still failed.
What is the pass/fail rate for the CPA Exam? The CPA pass rate is around 50%.
Beginning in July 2026, key provisions of OBBBA will be incorporated into the REG and TCP sections of the CPA Exam, making it essential for candidates to understand the law's content and implications. The largest 2026 CPA exam update will be the key provisions in OBBBA.
Although both professions require a different sort of mindset to achieve success in their respective fields, the qualities that make up a good attorney and a good CPA are remarkably complementary. For this reason, becoming a dual licensed Attorney-CPA can be an exceptionally powerful career.
There is no limit as to the number of times you may repeat a failed section. You may take any unpassed section of the CPA Exam year-round. Your only restriction is waiting to receive your score from a previous attempt of the same section.
Becoming certified is a lot like getting a law license. It's proof that you've mastered the vital elements of your profession through years of academic and technical training. As a CPA, you'll also have access to jobs with higher authority and responsibility — and you'll enjoy greater career stability.
To be in the top 1% of US earners, you generally need an income well over $700,000 nationally, with figures around $794,000 cited for recent years, but this varies significantly by state, requiring over $1 million in places like Connecticut and Massachusetts, while being around $400,000-$450,000 in lower-cost states like West Virginia and Mississippi.
It's never too late to become a CPA. In fact, you may find the process more manageable at this stage in life.
The CPA credential remains a cornerstone of the profession, but new data indicate its prominence is steadily declining. Between 2020 and 2024, the average percentage of staff holding CPA licenses across all firms dropped from 56.0 percent to 48.4 percent.