CPA AUD Registration and Scheduling

The registration path in brief

You do not book an AUD seat as the first step. First choose the jurisdiction through which you will apply, satisfy that jurisdiction's exam-admission requirements, and submit the required application and education records. Once the jurisdiction or its designated CPA Examination Services process approves you, you apply for one or more exam sections as allowed, pay the applicable section fees, receive a Notice to Schedule, and book a seat with Prometric.

The order is similar across jurisdictions, but the website, payment steps, limits on sections per application, documents, and deadlines are not uniform. Some applicants work through NASBA's CPA Portal; others apply first through a state board. California, for example, uses the California Board of Accountancy (CBA) for the candidate application and then routes section selection and payment through NASBA. Texas uses a board-led Application of Intent and a separate Eligibility Application before the NASBA section payment and NTS.

Step 1: Pick the jurisdiction that fits your plan

The CPA Exam is uniform in content, but the board that approves you determines education, application, NTS, exam-credit, and later licensing rules. Start with the jurisdiction where you intend to pursue licensure, then read that board's current candidate instructions. Do not choose a state only because you can find an exam center there. NASBA says candidates may generally test at a Prometric location outside the jurisdiction of application, but taking the exam elsewhere does not change the education or licensing rules of the board you selected.

A candidate cannot use an out-of-state test center to bypass a jurisdiction's requirements. NASBA also cautions that a person cannot be an exam candidate in more than one jurisdiction at the same time. If you have moved, have prior exam credit, or are considering transferring scores, ask the boards and NASBA how the change affects your record before submitting a second application.

Compare the board's requirements before you pay. Look at education evaluation steps, transcript rules, application and section fees, section-selection limits, validity dates, credit period, and retake process. International education may require a jurisdiction-specific evaluation. A credential evaluation prepared for one board may not automatically satisfy another board's requirements.

Step 2: Apply and send the required education records

Create the account required by your jurisdiction and submit the education evaluation or initial exam application. Follow its instructions about official transcripts, foreign evaluations, identity details, name fields, and payment. Some boards ask for documents before you submit the application; others accept the application and match documents afterward. Use the exact name you will present on identification, including middle names or suffixes where requested.

California's current application flow starts with meeting the exam education rules, creating a CBA client account, completing an application, and submitting the application fee and required education documents. The CBA then reviews the file and approves the candidate before section selection. The CBA's online process permits payment by credit card; candidates should follow the live CBA account instructions rather than old guides that still describe paper remittance forms.

Texas uses a different sequence. A first-time applicant files an Application of Intent with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy and submits transcripts and other required records for review. After approval, the candidate files an Eligibility Application for the specific exam section and pays the board's per-section fee. The board then verifies eligibility and communicates the next step for the NASBA portal. This is why a generic instruction to “apply at NASBA” can be incomplete.

Wait for confirmation that your eligibility file is complete. An automated email acknowledging an application is not the same as approval to sit. If a transcript or foreign evaluation is missing, the board may not begin its evaluation clock until the required materials arrive. Keep copies of submissions and payment confirmations, and use the board's contact route if your records are not matched to your account.

Step 3: Apply for AUD and pay the right fees

After approval, select AUD in the application or candidate portal. Some jurisdictions permit one section per application; others let you select multiple sections or apply again later. Consider how many sections you can reasonably take before their notices or payment coupons expire. Applying for a section creates a deadline and may commit a nonrefundable fee, so do not select AUD until you have a realistic study and appointment plan.

Payment may have more than one recipient. A board can charge its application or eligibility fee while NASBA charges the section examination fee. In California, for example, the CBA collects the candidate application fee, and NASBA bills for the selected sections after CBA approval. In Texas, TSBPA charges $15 for each section eligibility application and the exam section payment is handled through NASBA. Do not confuse the initial candidate application with the fee for each section.

A failed AUD attempt is not automatically rescheduled. Wait for the official score required by your jurisdiction, submit the repeat application or eligibility request, pay the applicable retake charges, receive a new NTS, and book a new Prometric appointment. California requires a $50 reapplication fee for a previously approved candidate and a new NASBA section payment. Texas requires a new eligibility application for an additional section; the current board's process and fee apply to a retake as well.

Step 4: Receive and review your Notice to Schedule

The NTS is your authorization to schedule and sit for the section named on it. It is not the Prometric appointment confirmation. Once the section payment and other requirements are satisfied, retrieve the NTS from the portal or delivery method specified for your jurisdiction. Save a copy where you can access it on exam day, and follow local rules about whether a printed copy is required.

Check the NTS as soon as it appears. Confirm that AUD is listed, the candidate name matches your identification exactly, and any approved accommodation details are correct. If the name or other material information is wrong, contact the board or agency that issued the NTS and request correction before test day. Prometric cannot change an eligibility record or repair a name mismatch for you.

NTS validity is jurisdiction-specific. NASBA's FAQ says the expiration date is printed on the NTS and that the notice is valid until one testing event or its expiration, whichever comes first, for each section. It may include dates on which the exam is not administered. If you miss the expiry, the notice becomes invalid and you generally must reapply and repay under the rules that apply to you. Do not use a different state's expiration period as your own.

California illustrates the distinction between application approval, section payment, and the NTS. The CBA currently gives candidates one year from application approval to select sections; the NASBA payment coupon must then be paid within 90 days; after NASBA receives section fees, the candidate has nine months to sit for the selected sections. Each step has its own deadline. A candidate who waits until the last day to pay a coupon will have less time remaining on the NTS.

Texas uses its own timing. The TSBPA states that the candidate must pay NASBA, schedule with Prometric, and take the approved section within 180 days of the board's eligibility approval. The Texas NASBA instructions explain that the payment coupon and NTS share a running expiration period, so delaying payment does not create a fresh full window. The controlling date is the deadline on the candidate's current notice and board instructions.

Step 5: Book AUD with Prometric

After you have the NTS, schedule through Prometric's CPA exam page. Search for a center and appointment, choose a date within the valid period, and complete the booking using information from your NTS. Save the Prometric confirmation and compare its date, start time, location, and accommodations with your intended choice. The NTS gives authorization; Prometric confirms the actual seat.

AUD Core appointments are available year-round under continuous testing, but a particular center may have limited hours or open seats. NASBA recommends scheduling well in advance, with 45 days cited as a planning target for better choice of center and time. That is a recommendation, not an application deadline or guarantee of availability. If you need a specific date, location, or accommodation, begin earlier and check the availability shown in Prometric's live scheduler.

You do not generally have to test in the jurisdiction whose rules made you eligible. For example, a California candidate may take AUD at an authorized Prometric center outside California, and NASBA's FAQ says domestic test centers in other US jurisdictions do not carry an extra out-of-jurisdiction fee. International testing may have different eligibility limits and additional surcharges, so confirm both the board's permission and the fee before selecting an overseas center.

Read the cancellation and rescheduling terms before confirming. NASBA's current FAQ says changes made at least 61 days in advance have no fee; changes 5 to 60 days before the appointment incur a Prometric fee; and changes within 2 to 5 days require payment of the full Prometric seat fee. Changes cannot be made less than 24 hours before the appointment. Confirm current fees and cutoffs directly with NASBA and Prometric because policies can change.

What to do if plans change or a notice expires

If your plans change, act before the appointment and before the NTS deadline. Reschedule through Prometric within the allowed period if you want to preserve the section authorization. A Prometric reschedule fee is separate from any board or NASBA application fee. If you let the appointment pass without canceling, or allow the NTS to expire, you may lose the section fee and need to apply again. Do not assume a cancellation restores the original NTS period.

For a serious hardship or medical situation, contact NASBA or your board promptly and ask whether an exception applies. NASBA says NTS extensions are considered case by case and require documentation. An exception is not automatic, so keep the board informed before the notice expires. Save supporting evidence and written responses.

If an NTS is lost, use the portal or contact the issuing agency for a replacement. NASBA states a candidate cannot enter the test center without a valid NTS. If the portal account is locked, start resolving access before exam day. Do not rely on a screenshot of an expired or incorrect notice.

Keep exam admission separate from CPA licensure

Registering for AUD makes you an exam candidate under one jurisdiction. Passing AUD completes only one section of the four-section CPA Exam structure. It does not grant a CPA license. Licensure usually requires passing all required sections and meeting a separate jurisdiction's education, experience, ethics, background, and application rules.

This distinction matters when a jurisdiction changes its pathway. California's rules for sitting in 2026 require a bachelor's degree and 24 semester units each in accounting and business-related subjects, while the board describes a different licensure pathway beginning in 2027. Texas has a 120-hour exam-admission pathway with specific upper-level course requirements, but its CPA certification pathways separately address total credits, required coursework, and experience. A candidate should not infer that approval to sit means they already meet licensure requirements.

Before applying, make a two-part checklist: exam admission requirements for your chosen section, and current plus anticipated licensure requirements for your target state. Ask the board how your existing education, exam credits, and timing fit if you are close to a rule change. This prevents a common mistake: optimizing an exam application in one jurisdiction without checking whether it supports the license the candidate intends to obtain.

A practical registration checklist

Before sending your application, confirm the jurisdiction, exam-admission education rules, transcript delivery method, name and ID format, application charge, and whether foreign evaluation is required. After approval, confirm how AUD is selected, which fees go to the board and NASBA, whether you may apply for several sections, and the expiration dates on each payment coupon or authorization.

When your NTS arrives, check AUD, your name, accommodations, and the expiration date. Book at Prometric while there are seats that fit your schedule. Save the NTS and appointment confirmation, check the center details, and review cancellation deadlines. If a date or candidate detail is wrong, contact the correct organization immediately instead of waiting until test day.

For the current AUD format, the section has four hours of testing time. Allow additional time for check-in and follow the appointment length Prometric gives you. Confirm test-day identification and arrival instructions in the current NASBA Candidate Guide and your jurisdiction's candidate page. Registration instructions do not replace the current test-center rules.