The CPA Exam is getting a technology overhaul, and it's worth planning around now. Beginning in July 2027, the AICPA is moving the CPA Exam to a new technology delivery platform with an updated user interface. Along with it comes a testing blackout period and a temporary shift in how quickly you'll get your score.
None of this changes what's on the exam. It changes when you can sit for it and how long you'll wait to find out how you did. And, for candidates planning their testing calendar 12-to-18 months out, that's the kind of detail worth building into your plan today. Here's what's changing and how to plan around it without losing momentum.
Summary
Starting July 2027, the AICPA is moving the CPA Exam to a new delivery platform, which means an 11-day testing blackout (July 1-11, 2027) with no exam appointments available, plus a revised score release schedule through Q2 2028. The exam content itself isn't changing, just the platform, interface, and administration calendar. If you're planning to test in summer 2027, the smart move is to finish sections before the blackout or plan your next section around the new score windows. Becker's CPA Exam Review is updated continuously to reflect changes like this, so however your testing calendar shakes out, your prep stays current.
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Why Is the CPA Exam Changing Platforms?
Starting in July 2027, the CPA Exam will move to a new technology delivery platform, bringing changes to the user interface and requiring an adjusted testing and score release schedule. The software Prometric uses to deliver the exam at its test centers is being modernized, with the stated goal of improving accessibility, speeding up processing, and creating a more modern testing experience—while also making it easier for the AICPA to roll out additional technology upgrades in the future.
To be clear, this isn’t a content change; your Core and Discipline sections, the CPA Exam Blueprint, and what you're actually studying stay the same. This is about the delivery software and screen experience, not the material.
What and When Is the Testing Blackout?
Testing will pause temporarily during the transition from the old to the new interface, so the AICPA can finish processing candidate data before the new platform goes live. The current target dates are:
- July 1–11, 2027: CPA Exam testing blackout. No exam appointments available.
- July 12, 2027: Testing resumes, using the new platform.
During the 1-day testing blackout, no CPA Exam appointments will be available anywhere. The pause gives exam administrators time to close out the previous testing window, retire the legacy system, and get the new platform running. If you're mapping out your CPA Exam testing schedule for summer 2027, this is the window around which to plan your last pre-transition section (or your first post-transition one).
Why Will Score Release Take Longer After the Transition?
The score release timeline will be lengthened during the year after the new platform goes live. Why?
Even small interface changes—i.e.: navigation, accessibility features, screen layout—can affect how exam questions perform statistically. So, before scores can go out on the new platform, the AICPA will recalibrate exam items using real candidate response data collected after launch, ensuring that scoring stays accurate and fair. That recalibration takes time, which is why the score release schedule will be adjusted for the 12 months following the launch.
In practice, this means that Core section scores will be released roughly four times a year (previously eight), and Discipline section score releases shift to a similarly reduced cadence.
Core Section (AUD, FAR, REG) Score Release: Q3 2027 - Q2 2028
If You Test During | Your Target Score Release Is |
| July 12 – September 30, 2027 | October 19, 2027 |
| October 1 – December 15, 2027 | December 28, 2027 |
| January 1 – March 15, 2028 | March 28, 2028 |
| April 1 – June 15, 2028 | June 27, 2028 |
Discipline Section (BAR, ISC, TCP) Score Release: Q3 2027 - Q2 2028
If You Test During | Your Target Score Release Is |
| July 12 – August 12, 2027 | September 28, 2027 |
| October 1 – October 31, 2027 | December 17, 2027 |
| January 1 – January 31, 2028 | March 17, 2028 |
| April 1 – April 30, 2028 | June 16, 2028 |
All these are target dates and the AICPA has noted that they’re subject to change. It's important to check this score release schedule closer to your testing date to make sure that nothing has shifted.
How to Plan Your 2027 CPA Exam Testing Schedule
There are a few practical adjustments you can think about if your testing window falls anywhere near July 2027. First, if you're close to finishing before the blackout, see whether it's realistic to complete your remaining section(s) before July 1, 2027, so you're not caught in the 11-day gap. If you're testing right after the transition, build the longer score-release wait into your plan for your next CPA Exam section. It’s likely better to start review on your next section, rather than waiting 10 or more weeks to find out if you passed the last one.
Also keep an eye on your 30-month window. CPA candidates must complete all four sections within 30 months of passing their first section (in most states; check your state’s CPA requirements for your exact window). A longer score wait doesn't extend that clock, so factor this into your planning to avoid going over the window.
And finally, don't over-plan around the interface itself (yet). The AICPA hasn't released detailed specifics on the new navigation or screen layout. But when they do, Becker will update its course to reflect it and we'll cover it here.
Support No Matter Your CPA Test Date
Exam mechanics change more often than most candidates expect: new Disciplines, new blueprints, and now a new delivery platform. That's exactly why Becker's CPA Exam Review is built to update continuously rather than sit still. When the AICPA shifts a testing calendar, a scoring process, or an exam requirement, our content and course guidance get updated to match it, so you're not left to track down what has changed.
Whether your test date lands before the July 2027 blackout, right after it, or well outside this transition window entirely, the fundamentals of your prep don't change: consistent study, realistic section sequencing, and materials that reflect what's you’ll see on exam day.
Becker's adaptive learning technology, practice questions, and simulated exams are designed to help you succeed regardless of when you test. Plus, our team keeps watching AICPA and NASBA updates, so you don't have to. Start with a 14-day free trial to begin your journey to success on the CPA Exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the CPA Exam testing blackout in 2027?
The blackout runs July 1–11, 2027. No CPA Exam appointments will be available during that window at any Prometric test center, and testing resumes on the new platform starting July 12, 2027. If your testing plans fall around that stretch, it's worth scheduling your section before July 1 or after July 12, rather than assuming you can test in between.
Will the CPA Exam content or Blueprint change in 2027?
Maybe, but it has nothing to do with this update. This transition is about the technology delivery platform and user interface, not the exam content. Your Core and Discipline sections, and the skills and topics tested, stay aligned with the current CPA Exam Blueprint. If the Blueprint changes independently (which the AICPA does periodically), that will be a separate update from this platform transition.
Why will it take longer to get my CPA score after July 2027?
Because the new platform changes things like navigation and screen layout, even small adjustments can affect how exam questions perform statistically. The AICPA needs real candidate response data from the new platform before it can recalibrate exam items and confirm that its scoring is accurate and fair, which is why the score release schedule is adjusted for the 12 months following launch. Core sections move to four target release dates a year instead of the usual continuous rolling schedule, and Discipline releases follow a similar adjusted cadence through Q2 2028.
Does the longer score wait affect my 30-month testing window?
No. Your 30-month window (or longer, depending on your state) to pass all four sections starts from your first passed section and isn't extended by the platform transition. A longer score-release wait just means you should plan your next section's study timeline around the actual target release date rather than the faster turnaround you might be used to, especially if you're already testing later in your window.
Where can I find the most current score release dates?
The AICPA publishes and periodically updates its target score release schedule, and Becker updates our CPA Exam Score Release Dates page based on this information. Because all these dates are labeled as targets and subject to change, it's worth checking back as your test date approaches rather than relying on a schedule you saw months earlier.
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