CPA Score Release Dates 2026: The Complete AICPA and NASBA Schedule

For candidates navigating the Uniform CPA Examination, timing is everything. Under the CPA Evolution model, the AICPA and NASBA divide testing schedules into continuous testing for Core sections (Financial Accounting and Reporting [FAR], Auditing and Attestation [AUD], and Taxation and Regulation [REG]) and dedicated testing windows for Discipline sections (Business Analysis and Reporting [BAR], Information Systems and Controls [ISC], and Tax Compliance and Planning [TCP]).

Target CPA score release dates for 2026 reflect this operational split. Core exams offer rapid score turnaround cycles: sitting by September 30 yields an October 9 target release, while testing by October 23 targets a November 10 release. In contrast, Discipline sections run in concentrated quarterly test windows. For instance, testing during the Q4 Discipline window (October 1–October 31) results in a unified target score release date of December 15. Knowing these precise cutoffs allows working professionals to coordinate testing dates with Notice to Schedule (NTS) expirations and the state board 30-month credit expiration clock.

2026 Target Score Release Calendar: Core vs. Discipline Cutoffs

The difference in turnaround times between Core and Discipline exams stems from AICPA psychometric calibration. Core sections evaluate standardized, high-volume content with established statistical baselines, allowing automated scoring runs and fast releases. Discipline exams aggregate test submissions across an entire calendar month to evaluate item difficulty, standard deviations, and task-based simulation (TBS) parameters before releasing scaled scores (0–99, with 75 required to pass).

Core Exam Score Release Schedule (FAR, AUD, REG)

Core exams run on rolling continuous testing throughout the year. The AICPA establishes rolling cutoffs every three to four weeks:

• Late Q3 Cutoff: Sit on or before September 30 → Target release date: October 9
• Mid-Q4 Cutoff: Sit on or before October 23 → Target release date: November 10
• Late Q4 Cutoff: Sit on or before November 30 → Target release date: December 8
• End of Year Cutoff: Sit on or before December 15 → Target release date: December 23

Discipline Exam Score Release Windows (BAR, ISC, TCP)

Discipline sections operate on strict quarterly testing windows, with scores published once per quarter:

• Q1 Discipline Window: January 1 – February 6 → Target release date: April 24
• Q2 Discipline Window: April 1 – May 19 → Target release date: June 26
• Q3 Discipline Window: July 1 – August 6 → Target release date: September 10
• Q4 Discipline Window: October 1 – October 31 → Target release date: December 15

NASBA CPA Portal Mechanics: When Scores Actually Drop

While the AICPA publishes official target release dates, the actual distribution is executed through the NASBA CPA Portal (Gateway). If you are waiting for a score, understanding the day-of release mechanics prevents unnecessary stress.

The 24-Hour Release Window

NASBA typically releases score files to the portal the evening prior to the published target date. Scores generally begin populating alphabetically or by section code between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST). However, releasing is an asynchronous batch process. Candidate files roll out in waves over a 4-to-6-hour span.

Decoding Portal Status Flags

Monitoring your NASBA dashboard during score week presents several status changes:

• Attended: Prometric has successfully transferred your raw testing data file to the AICPA. This status usually updates 24 to 48 hours after you complete your exam at the testing center.
• Scored: NASBA has received the processed scaled score from the AICPA psychometric team, but the numerical score is still held in the queue for portal population.
• Score Available: The numerical score (and diagnostic score report if score is below 75) is accessible. Non-NASBA state candidates (such as California, Illinois, and Maryland) must check their respective state board portals, where scores typically appear the following morning between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM local time.

Prometric Cutoff Times and Time Zone Rules

A frequent error among candidates is miscalculating the Prometric data transmission cutoff. The AICPA score release schedule is based on when Prometric extracts and transmits your completed exam file, not merely the local time you hit "Submit."

To guarantee that your exam counts toward your target cutoff date, Prometric must receive the final test package before 11:59 PM EST on the cutoff date. If you sit for an exam on the evening of an AICPA cutoff date in US Central, Mountain, or Pacific time zones—or at an international Prometric test center in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Frankfurt—local upload processing latency can push your file timestamp past the midnight Eastern threshold. If this happens, your score automatically rolls into the subsequent release batch.

Best Practice: Schedule your exam at least 24 to 48 hours before an official cutoff date to provide a buffer for Prometric server sync delays, biometric check-out backlogs, or unexpected technical holds.

Protecting Your 30-Month Credit Window

Following the adoption of the uniform 30-month credit policy by NASBA and state boards of accountancy, the traditional 18-month rolling window has expanded to provide candidates relief under the CPA Evolution syllabus. However, strategic calendar planning remains crucial.

The Credit Clock Mechanics

Your 30-month rolling credit window begins on the date your first passing score is officially released (or, in specific jurisdictions like Texas and California, on the date you sat for the passed section). If your initial passed section was AUD released on October 9, 2024, you must pass the remaining three sections (FAR, REG, and your chosen Discipline) before April 9, 2027.

Because Discipline scores take up to six weeks to process post-window, scheduling a Discipline exam as your final section close to your expiration deadline carries heightened risk. If you sit for BAR or ISC in late October and fail, you cannot retake that Discipline until the following quarter's testing window opens in January, potentially breaching your 30-month deadline.

Candidates can explore our comprehensive professional exam strategy guides to map out multi-exam sequencing and reduce downtime between test windows.

How to Maintain Momentum During the Score Waiting Period

The gap between testing and score release often causes a loss of study discipline. For busy corporate accountants, audit associates, and tax specialists balancing 50-hour workweeks with test prep, letting study habits lapse for several weeks makes reactivation difficult.

1. The 48-Hour Reset Rule

Take exactly two days off post-exam to rest. On day three, transition directly into your next section's syllabus or begin parallel retention on the exam you just finished if you felt borderline on complex TBS topics.

2. High-Yield Bridge Practice

Rather than pausing entirely while waiting for a Discipline score, integrate adaptive micro-learning sessions into your daily routine. Utilizing an AI-powered practice platform helps maintain cognitive agility across overlapping accounting rules—such as Revenue Recognition (ASC 606) or Leases (ASC 842)—without requiring 4-hour weekend cram sessions.

3. Dynamic Weak-Area Triage

If you suspect a section result might fall below 75, preserve your foundational knowledge using targeted diagnostic question sets. Candidate resources on the interactive CPA practice platform enable you to run precision simulations on technical areas like foreign currency translation, consolidated financial statements, or internal control deficiencies, ensuring you are prepared for an immediate re-test within the next continuous testing cutoff.