If you're asking how do I get my NTS for the CPA exam, you're already on the right track. The Notice to Schedule (NTS) is the official authorization document you must receive before you can book your CPA exam section at a Prometric testing center.

Without a valid NTS in hand, you simply cannot sit for any part of the Uniform CPA Examination — so understanding the process of obtaining it is absolutely foundational to your exam strategy. For a detailed breakdown of study resources, check out this guide on how to get nts for cpa exam to complement your preparation.

The NTS is issued by your State Board of Accountancy (or its designated exam administrator) after they verify that you meet all educational and eligibility requirements for your jurisdiction. Every state has slightly different rules, but the general framework is consistent across the country: you apply to your state board, pay the applicable fees, and wait for approval before receiving your NTS. The timeline from application to NTS receipt typically ranges from two to six weeks, depending on your state and how quickly your supporting documents are processed.

One of the most important things to understand upfront is that an NTS has an expiration date. Most states issue an NTS that is valid for six months from the date of issuance, though some states allow nine or twelve months. If you do not schedule and sit for your exam section before your NTS expires, you will forfeit the exam fees you paid and will need to reapply — costing you both time and money. Planning your schedule carefully around your NTS validity window is critical to avoiding unnecessary expenses.

The CPA exam itself consists of four sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Business Environment and Concepts (BEC, which has been restructured under the 2024 CPA Evolution model), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). Under the updated CPA Evolution framework introduced in January 2024, there are now three core sections and three discipline sections. Candidates must pass the three core sections plus one discipline of their choice. Each section requires its own separate NTS, and you cannot sit for multiple sections on a single NTS unless your state specifically allows bundling.

Many first-time CPA candidates make the mistake of applying for all four sections at once to save time, only to find that their NTS expires before they can sit for every section. A far smarter approach is to apply for one or two sections at a time, ensuring you have enough study time to feel confident before each exam. Experienced CPA coaches typically recommend applying for no more than two sections per NTS cycle, particularly if you're balancing exam prep with full-time work.

The application process begins with creating an account through your state board's designated portal. Most states use CPA Central, administered by NASBA (the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy), as the central hub for applications. Some states, such as California and Illinois, have their own independent portals. Regardless of where you apply, you'll need to submit official transcripts, complete an application form, pay your fees, and wait for your eligibility to be confirmed before your NTS is released to you.

Understanding the full pipeline — from eligibility verification through NTS receipt to exam scheduling — is the single most important administrative skill a CPA candidate can develop. Delays at any stage can push back your exam date, affecting study momentum and potentially impacting your exam performance. Throughout this guide, we'll walk through every step of the process in detail so you know exactly what to expect and how to avoid the most common pitfalls that derail candidates before they even sit down at the testing center.

Understanding the eligibility requirements for the CPA exam is the very first gate you must pass before you can even think about receiving your NTS. Every state board sets its own rules, but virtually all of them align with the AICPA's general standard: candidates must have completed 150 semester hours of college-level education, hold at least a bachelor's degree, and have a sufficient concentration of accounting and business coursework. The specific distribution of those credits — for example, how many hours must be in upper-division accounting courses — varies significantly from state to state.

In states like New York, candidates can apply to sit for the exam after completing only 120 semester hours (a standard bachelor's degree), with the remaining 30 hours required before licensure rather than before examination. This is a meaningful distinction because it allows candidates to begin testing earlier in their academic careers, potentially completing all four sections before they even finish school.

Texas, by contrast, requires the full 150 hours before a candidate can sit for even a single exam section. Always check your specific state board's requirements rather than relying on general information that may not apply to your jurisdiction.

Beyond semester hours, state boards also require that your transcripts demonstrate a minimum number of accounting credit hours — typically 24 to 30 — and business credit hours, usually around 24. Courses commonly counted toward these totals include financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, cost accounting, governmental accounting, and accounting information systems. Business credits generally come from courses in finance, management, marketing, economics, business law, and statistics. If you're unsure whether a specific course counts, contact your state board directly for clarification before submitting your application.

Foreign-educated candidates face an additional layer of complexity: most states require that international transcripts be evaluated by a NASBA-approved foreign credential evaluation service, such as NASBA International Evaluation Services (NIES) or other approved providers. This evaluation process can take four to eight weeks or longer, so candidates with international credentials should plan well in advance. The evaluation verifies that your degree and coursework are equivalent to U.S. standards and translates your academic record into the semester-hour format that state boards use to assess eligibility.

Many candidates discover mid-application that they are missing a few credit hours or a specific required course. If that happens to you, don't panic. Community college courses, online accredited programs, and extension school offerings can fill gaps relatively quickly. Make sure any additional coursework you take comes from a regionally accredited institution, as state boards typically do not accept coursework from unaccredited schools. Once you complete any additional courses, you'll need to submit updated transcripts before your eligibility can be finalized.

Some state boards also require candidates to submit a work experience certification or ethics course completion as part of the licensure process — but importantly, these are usually not required to receive your NTS or to sit for the exam. They become relevant only when you apply for your CPA license after passing all four sections. However, it's wise to be aware of your state's full licensure requirements from the beginning so you can plan accordingly and avoid surprises after you've already passed the exam.

Once your state board confirms that your educational qualifications meet all requirements, they will issue an Authorization to Test, which initiates the NTS generation process through NASBA. At this point, you've cleared the biggest hurdle. The remainder of the process — receiving the NTS and scheduling at Prometric — is largely administrative and moves quickly compared to the eligibility verification phase, which can be the longest waiting period of the entire pre-exam journey.

After you receive your NTS, the clock starts ticking in more ways than one. You now have a defined validity window — almost always six months from issuance — during which you must both schedule and sit for the exam section listed on your NTS. This window creates a natural study deadline that many candidates find enormously helpful for structuring their preparation. Instead of studying indefinitely with no real urgency, the NTS expiration date forces you to commit to a specific exam appointment, which in turn drives consistent, focused study habits.

The first thing you should do after receiving your NTS is log it carefully. Record the exact NTS expiration date on your calendar, set reminder alerts for 90 days out and 30 days out, and make sure someone you trust — a study partner, a spouse, a mentor — also knows about the deadline so they can help keep you accountable.

The NTS contains several critical pieces of information beyond the expiration date: your candidate ID, the section ID for your specific exam section, the exam credit hours purchased, and instructions for scheduling at Prometric. Review all of this information carefully and confirm that everything matches what you applied for.

If you notice any discrepancies on your NTS — for example, the wrong exam section listed, your name spelled incorrectly, or incorrect credit hours — contact NASBA or your state board immediately. Errors on the NTS can prevent you from checking in at the testing center on exam day, and correcting them takes time you don't want to lose. NASBA's candidate care team is generally responsive, but even a fast resolution can take several business days, so the sooner you flag any issue, the better.

Once your NTS is verified and accurate, turn your full attention to scheduling at Prometric. Go to prometric.com/cpa, enter your NTS section ID, and search for available appointments at testing centers within a reasonable distance from your home or workplace. You'll be able to see available dates and times in real-time.

Choose a date that gives you enough study time to feel confident but not so much time that you risk drifting into complacency — most successful candidates sit for their exam six to ten weeks after receiving their NTS, depending on how much preparation they had already completed before applying.

Once your appointment is confirmed, Prometric will send a confirmation email. Save this email in a dedicated folder and add the exam date, time, and testing center address to your calendar immediately. You should also verify the testing center's exact location in advance and do a practice drive or commute if possible, particularly if it's in an unfamiliar area. Arriving late on exam day — even by five minutes — can result in your appointment being forfeited with no refund or opportunity to reschedule without repaying fees.

During the weeks leading up to your exam, check your Prometric appointment status periodically through your prometric.com account. In rare cases, testing centers reschedule appointments due to facility issues, and you'll want to know about any changes as soon as possible. Prometric typically sends email notifications for any schedule changes, but logging in to verify is a good habit. Also monitor your email and your NASBA/state board portal for any communications about your application or NTS status, as occasionally additional documentation requests arrive with short turnaround windows.

Finally, plan for the administrative requirements on exam day itself. You'll need to bring two forms of identification, both of which must be valid (not expired), and at least one must be government-issued with your photograph and signature. Your name on both IDs must exactly match the name on your NTS — even minor discrepancies (such as a missing middle initial) can cause check-in issues.

Some testing centers also ask candidates to present their NTS confirmation, either printed or on a mobile device. Having all of these materials prepared and double-checked the night before exam day eliminates last-minute stress and lets you focus entirely on performing your best on the exam itself.

Scheduling strategy matters far more than most first-time CPA candidates realize. The CPA exam testing windows have evolved significantly since Prometric moved to continuous testing in 2020. Unlike the old quarterly blackout-window system, candidates can now test year-round on almost any weekday, and some locations offer Saturday appointments as well. This flexibility is genuinely valuable, but it also means the responsibility for timing falls entirely on the candidate. There's no longer a structured calendar forcing you to test at particular times of year, which means you need to be even more disciplined about setting and sticking to your own schedule.

One of the most important scheduling decisions you'll make is which section to take first. While there's no universally correct answer, most CPA coaches recommend starting with the section that feels most natural given your academic and work background. If you've spent years in public accounting and feel comfortable with auditing concepts, AUD might be a strong opening choice that builds your confidence.

If your background is in tax, REG may be your strongest starting section. FAR is statistically the most difficult section, with the lowest historical pass rates, so many candidates prefer to tackle it with a full complement of energy rather than saving it for last when exam fatigue may have set in.

Study planning around your NTS should follow a structured weekly schedule rather than leaving prep to chance. Divide your available study weeks into phases: a content review phase where you work through all tested topics systematically, a practice question phase where you focus heavily on multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations, and a final review phase in the last one to two weeks before your exam where you revisit your weakest areas and take full-length practice exams under timed conditions.

Most major CPA review providers — including Becker, Roger, Wiley, and Surgent — offer structured study plans calibrated to different weekly hour commitments. Use whichever plan fits your schedule but hold yourself strictly accountable to completing it.

The number of study hours required varies by section and by candidate background, but a commonly cited benchmark is 300 to 400 total hours across all four sections combined, with FAR typically requiring the most time (often 100 to 150 hours for that section alone) and BEC/the discipline sections generally requiring somewhat less.

Break your total target hours down into weekly commitments based on your available NTS window. If you have 10 weeks until your exam and are targeting 80 hours of study, that's 8 hours per week — eminently manageable with focused daily study sessions of one to two hours on weekdays plus a longer block on weekends.

Practice exams are particularly valuable in the final two weeks of preparation. A full-length CPA exam practice test mimics the actual testing experience: timed sections, a mix of multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations, and the cognitive endurance required to sustain focus for four hours.

Taking at least two full-length practice exams before your real exam date helps you calibrate your pacing, identify remaining weak spots, and reduce test-day anxiety by making the format feel familiar rather than intimidating. Review every practice exam question you answered incorrectly — not just the right answer, but the underlying concept — to ensure you understand why you were wrong.

Many candidates underestimate the psychological component of CPA exam preparation. The exam is genuinely difficult — with a national pass rate hovering around 50% for each section — and it requires sustained intellectual effort over many months.

Building a support network of fellow CPA candidates, using online study communities such as Reddit's r/CPA, and celebrating small milestones (finishing a study chapter, completing a mock exam, receiving your NTS) all contribute to the mental resilience that separates candidates who ultimately pass from those who struggle with burnout and motivation. Treat your NTS receipt not just as an administrative milestone but as a genuine achievement worth acknowledging — you've cleared real hurdles to get there.

Finally, don't overlook the logistical details of exam day preparation. The night before your exam, confirm your appointment details, prepare your two forms of ID, charge your phone (for digital NTS access if needed), plan your route to the testing center with extra buffer time, and get a full night of sleep.

On exam day, eat a proper meal before leaving home, arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes early, and leave prohibited items — including your phone, wallet, and any study materials — in your car or in the provided locker rather than bringing them into the testing room. Following these simple protocols ensures that no avoidable logistical issue undermines the weeks of preparation you've invested in reaching this moment.

Practical preparation tips can make a substantial difference in your overall CPA exam experience, particularly when it comes to managing the administrative side of the process alongside the demanding study requirements.

One of the most overlooked tips is to keep a dedicated CPA exam folder — either physical or digital — where you store every document related to your exam journey: your application confirmation, transcript submission receipts, fee payment records, your ATT, your NTS, and your Prometric booking confirmation. Having all of this in one organized location saves enormous time and stress if you ever need to reference any of these documents quickly.

Another practical tip is to set up a dedicated email address or email folder specifically for CPA exam correspondence. Your state board, NASBA, and Prometric will all send you important communications, and it's easy for these emails to get buried in a busy inbox. A dedicated folder with email filters ensures you never miss a critical notification about your application status, NTS issuance, or appointment confirmation. Check this folder at least every other day during active application periods, and daily in the week leading up to your exam.

For candidates who are studying while working full-time — which describes the majority of CPA candidates — time management is arguably the most important success factor outside of raw subject-matter knowledge. The most effective full-time-employed candidates tend to study in shorter, more frequent sessions rather than trying to cram in marathon weekend sessions. Studying 90 minutes per weekday morning before work, for example, adds up to 7.5 hours per week — the equivalent of nearly a full Saturday of study time — without requiring you to sacrifice your weekends entirely. Consistency over intensity is the key principle.

Leveraging technology to support your preparation is also highly recommended. Most major CPA review providers now offer mobile apps that let you practice multiple-choice questions during commutes, lunch breaks, or any other pocket of downtime throughout your day. These micro-sessions may feel insignificant in isolation, but accumulating 15–20 minutes of practice questions during an otherwise wasted commute adds up to meaningful additional practice over the course of weeks. Progress tracking features in these apps also give you valuable data about which topics need the most attention, helping you allocate your study time more intelligently.

Mock exams under realistic conditions are worth emphasizing again from a practical angle. When you take a practice exam, replicate the actual testing conditions as closely as possible: sit at a desk in a quiet room, set a strict timer, use only the materials allowed at the actual exam (scratch paper and pencil, not textbooks or notes), and do not check your phone during the exam period.

This kind of deliberate practice builds the concentration stamina needed for a real four-hour exam and surfaces pacing problems — such as spending too long on difficult multiple-choice questions — that you can correct before they cost you points on the real test.

If you don't pass a section on your first attempt, the re-examination process involves requesting a new NTS and paying the exam fees again. The good news is that under continuous testing, there is no mandatory waiting period between attempts — you can reapply and schedule again immediately. However, most candidates benefit from taking at least a few weeks to review their score report, identify weak areas, and adjust their study plan before scheduling a retake. Your score report from NASBA provides diagnostic information about your performance by content area, which is invaluable for directing your retake preparation efficiently.

Building relationships with others who have recently passed the CPA exam is one of the highest-value investments you can make in your preparation beyond actual studying. A mentor who has recently navigated the NTS process, scheduled exams at Prometric, and passed all four sections can share specific, up-to-date insights that no study guide fully captures — insights about which topics were more heavily tested than expected, which review provider materials aligned most closely with the actual exam, and how to manage the emotional rollercoaster of a multi-month exam journey.

Reach out to recent CPA passers in your professional network, your accounting program alumni community, or online forums and don't hesitate to ask for advice. Most CPA holders remember how hard the process was and are generous with guidance to those still in the trenches.