CPA Exam Testing Windows 2026: When Each Section Is Open

The 2026 availability answer

Testing window, score target, and credit window are different clocks

A testing window answers whether a section can be administered on a date. A target score-release date answers when AICPA expects to release a result after receiving the exam file. An NTS expiration answers how long a particular authorization can be used. A credit window answers how long a passed section remains valid under the candidate jurisdiction. Substituting one clock for another can produce a date that looks official but does not control the decision you are making.

For example, an August Core file-receipt cutoff is not an August testing blackout. A candidate may still find a Core appointment after that cutoff, but the later file-receipt row can control the target score date. A Discipline candidate faces a different constraint: a September seat cannot be booked because September is outside the quarterly Discipline administration periods, even if the NTS itself has not expired.

Continuous testing removes national Core blackout months, not local constraints

NASBA defines continuous testing as year-round availability for the computer-based CPA Exam. That removes the old national quarter-end blackout model for Core sections, but it does not promise that every test center opens every day. Each center controls its operating schedule and seat inventory, and holidays or local closures can reduce the practical choices.

The valid NTS is equally important. NASBA says its duration varies by jurisdiction, and it is valid for one testing event or until expiration. A candidate who sees an open Prometric seat but holds an expired authorization does not yet have a bookable exam. Resolve the authorization before building a study countdown around that seat.

Use the section type before choosing a target date

• First classify the section as Core or Discipline. For AUD, FAR, or REG, choose a readiness date and then inspect live seats around it. For BAR, ISC, or TCP, begin with the applicable January, April, July, or October window, then work backward for application processing, study time, and appointment inventory.
• NASBA says candidates must schedule at least five days in advance and recommends scheduling 45 days ahead to improve the chance of obtaining a preferred site and time. Treat those as booking guidance, not a guarantee. The strongest plan keeps a primary appointment date and a nearby fallback date inside the same eligible period.

Two candidate examples that expose the real constraint

Scope and update boundary

This guide focuses on which 2026 months are open for Core and Discipline testing, including what candidates mean when they ask about blackout months. Use the broader CPA Exam schedule guide for detailed file-receipt cutoffs and target score-release tables, and use the application guide for eligibility and NTS steps. Keeping those questions separate prevents a score date from being mistaken for a testing deadline.

AICPA can revise target schedules, Prometric inventory changes continuously, and jurisdiction rules can change the NTS or credit calculation. The official sources were reviewed on August 15, 2026. Recheck the current AICPA and Prometric pages before paying, rescheduling, or relying on the final available day.