How Long Do CPA Exam Scores Last? Credit Windows by State
A passing section is conditional credit until all four required sections are passed. Find the current jurisdiction window, learn when the clock starts, and build a deadline that protects every score.
The short answer
CPA Exam section credit currently lasts 18, 30, or 36 months depending on the jurisdiction. Passing all four required sections generally locks in Exam completion, but some states impose separate timing for completing licensure. Never calculate from a generic article when your official portal or Board record displays an expiration date.
Find the credit window for your candidate jurisdiction
Select the jurisdiction through which you applied—not the Prometric center where you tested.
CPA Exam credit-window finder
Research snapshot verified August 8, 2026. Confirm the expiration displayed in your candidate account and with the Board before relying on a deadline.
Most—but not all—jurisdictions use 30 months
A model rule or NASBA recommendation does not become controlling until the applicable Board adopts or implements it.
18-month window
Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands remain the verified 18-month jurisdictions in this dataset.
30-month window
The dominant current rule, but start dates and extension authority still differ.
36-month window
Indiana, South Carolina, and Washington currently publish 36-month credit windows.
CPA Exam credit windows for all 55 Boards
Open the jurisdiction guide for its complete Exam-administration rules and official-source ledger.
| Jurisdiction | Current window | Start or operational note |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 months | The rolling 30-month credit period begins on the score-release date for the first passed section and concludes on the date the candidate sits for the final passed section. |
| Alaska | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Arizona | 30 months | The 30-month credit period begins on the score-release date for the first passed section. |
| Arkansas | 30 months | The 30-month period begins on the score-release date for the first passed section. |
| California | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Applications closed | Not accepting Uniform CPA Examination applications. |
| Colorado | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Connecticut | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Delaware | 30 months | The jurisdiction page describes the credit clock with reference to the first passed section's examination date. |
| District of Columbia | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Florida | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Georgia | 30 months | The 30-month credit period begins on the score-release date. |
| Guam | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Hawaii | 18 months | The rolling 18-month period begins on the date the first passed section was taken. |
| Idaho | 30 months | The 30-month period begins on the actual date the candidate is notified of the first passing score. |
| Illinois | 30 months | The 30-month period begins on the score-release date for the first passed section. |
| Indiana | 36 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Iowa | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Kansas | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Kentucky | 30 months | The 30-month window begins when NASBA releases the first passing score and ends on the date the candidate sits for the final passed section. |
| Louisiana | 30 months | The credit window is described by reference to the first section test date. |
| Maine | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Maryland | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Massachusetts | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Michigan | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Minnesota | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Mississippi | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Missouri | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Montana | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Nebraska | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Nevada | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| New Hampshire | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| New Jersey | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| New Mexico | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| New York | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| North Carolina | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| North Dakota | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Ohio | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Oklahoma | 30 months | The 30-month window begins on the score-release date of the first passed section and applies retroactively to active scores and candidacies. |
| Oregon | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Pennsylvania | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Puerto Rico | 30 months | The 30-month credit window begins on the score-release date of the first passed section. |
| Rhode Island | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| South Carolina | 36 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| South Dakota | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Tennessee | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Texas | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Utah | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Vermont | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 18 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Virginia | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Washington | 36 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| West Virginia | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Wisconsin | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
| Wyoming | 30 months | Use the expiration date shown in the official candidate record; confirm the jurisdiction’s current start rule. |
Build a credit-protection schedule with breathing room
- Copy the official expiration date.Use the date displayed in the portal or confirmed by the Board, not your own month-counting shortcut.
- Reserve the final 90 days as a recovery buffer.Leave room for a failed attempt, score release, a new application, and scarce Prometric appointments.
- Schedule Discipline sections around their windows.Core sections are generally continuous, but Discipline availability can constrain the order.
- Apply for one realistic section at a time.Do not lose fees or flexibility by buying sections you cannot prepare for before the NTS expires.
- Escalate hardship early.If military service, illness, disaster, or another serious event applies, collect documents and contact the Board before credit expires.
Three rules candidates commonly overgeneralize
Hardship extensions
Some Boards publish discretionary authority for circumstances beyond the candidate’s control. An extension is not automatic and usually requires timely evidence.
Interstate transfers
Changing jurisdictions does not restart the clock. The destination controls whether and how transferred credit is recognized.
After all four sections
Exam completion may be permanent, but some states separately limit when a candidate must satisfy licensure requirements or apply.
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CPA Exam score-expiration FAQ
How long do CPA Exam scores last?
The answer is jurisdiction-specific. As of August 8, 2026, the verified U.S. Board records in this guide use 18-, 30-, and 36-month conditional-credit windows. The Northern Mariana Islands is not accepting Exam applications and therefore has no current candidate credit window.
When does the CPA Exam credit window start?
The start rule is not uniform. Many Boards use the score-release date, while some refer to the examination date or candidate notification. The expiration shown in the official candidate record is the operational deadline to follow.
What happens when a CPA Exam section expires?
If all four required sections are not passed within the applicable window, a section outside the window generally loses credit and must be retaken unless the Board grants an authorized extension or another specific transition rule applies.
Can a Board extend an expiring CPA Exam credit?
Some Boards publish hardship, military, illness, or good-cause authority, but extensions are discretionary and jurisdiction-specific. Submit a documented request before expiration whenever possible and do not assume approval.
Does transferring a score to another state restart its expiration period?
No. A transfer should never be treated as a reset. The receiving Board decides whether to recognize transferred credit, and expired credit generally cannot be made current merely by changing jurisdictions.
Sources and next steps
Verify before acting: This guide compares rules verified from official sources on August 8, 2026. Boards can change requirements, fees, accepted coursework, and interpretations without a widely distributed announcement. Confirm your individual situation with the controlling Board or its application designee before paying fees or enrolling in courses.
- NASBA 2026 CPA Exam Candidate Guide — current jurisdiction credit-window summary and national candidate rules.
- NASBA CPA Exam FAQ — Board authority over credit, conditional-credit deadlines, transfers, and post-Exam timing.
- NASBA credit-extension explanation — transition, 30-month model, and why expired credit cannot simply be transferred.
- CPA Exam requirements by jurisdiction — 55 detailed records with official Board, statute, regulation, and application sources.