The Uniform CPA Examination is only administered during specific testing windows each year, and there are several “blackout periods” throughout the year when you can’t sit. To help prepare you for scheduling, let’s talk about what the CPA Exam blackout periods are and when they happen; then, we’ll show you how to make the most out of them.
CPA Exam blackout periods are times throughout the year when the CPA Exam is not administered. This allows for exam updates, bug fixes, and an overall exam candidate review by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It’s essentially a maintenance and review period to make sure the CPA Exam is running smoothly throughout the year.
Usually consisting of about 20 days, blackout periods happen in March, June, September and December. CPA Exam testing windows are always the two months before the blackout month. Below are the 2018 and 2019 CPA testing windows to help prepare you to take your section of the exam:
Q1 Testing Window | Jan. 1-March 10 |
Blackout Month | March 11-31 |
Q2 Testing Window | April 1-June 10 |
Blackout Month | June 11-30 |
Q3 Testing Window | July 1-Sep. 10 |
Blackout Month | Sept. 11-30 |
Q4 Testing Window | Oct. 1-Dec. 10 |
Blackout Month | Dec. 11-31 |
Q1 Testing Window | Jan. 1-March 10 |
Blackout Month | March 11-31 |
Q2 Testing Window | April 1-June 10 |
Blackout Month | June 11-30 |
Q3 Testing Window | July 1-Sept. 10 |
Blackout Month | Sept. 11-30 |
Q4 Testing Window | Oct. 1-Dec. 10 |
Blackout Month | Dec. 11-31 |
This exam schedule isn’t completely set in stone, and sometimes there are fluctuations in testing windows from year to year. Plus, score release dates can fall within the dark months. To get the most accurate dates for testing windows, blackout dates, and score release dates, be sure to check out the AICPA’s website.
Blackout periods can be frustrating if you don’t plan your studying to correspond with open testing windows. However, there are a few strategies you can utilize to make the most of blackout periods and prepare yourself for the next open testing window.
If you’re feeling burnt out on studying and need a refresh, you can also use blackout periods to take a small break or to schedule in some much-needed social time. The CPA Exam requires dedication, but you can use some of this non-testing time to decompress before jumping back into studying for the exam. Just remember your 18-month testing window begins once you pass your first CPA Exam section, so don’t spend too much time away from studying if you’re in the middle of taking the exam.
To take the most advantage of blackout dates, you should equip yourself with the study material that helps you pass with less time spent studying. Check out Surgent’s A.S.A.P.® Technology to learn more about CPA review courses with adaptive learning, and how you can play to your strengths and bolster your weaknesses to pass the CPA Exam.
Liz Kolar, CPA, CGMA, has been teaching CPA Review for more than 25 years in the United States, has personally taught more than 2,500 live sessions, and has helped thousands of candidates pass the CPA Exam. She founded Pinnacle CPA Review and co-founded Surgent Kolar CPA Review.
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