The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) this week released the updated Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints, the official document of content eligible for assessment on the CPA exam. The Blueprints are based on the knowledge and skills required of a newly licensed CPA to meet the demands of firms, employers, and clients.

The AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) are in the process of transforming the CPA licensure model—an initiative called CPA Evolution—to recognize the rapidly changing skills and competencies the practice of accounting requires today and will require in the future.

The redesigned CPA exam, which will launch next year, places a greater emphasis on technology and analytical skills, as well as on tax, accounting, and audit.

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“Through CPA Evolution, new exam candidates will gain the skills and competencies they need to better meet the public’s, clients’, and employers’ needs,” said Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, CEO of Public Accounting at the AICPA. “Candidates will also have the flexibility to choose their preferred area of focus within the multitude of career paths available in the profession.”

Under the CPA Evolution licensure model, all candidates will be required to take three core sections:

Financial Accounting and Reporting;
Auditing and Attestation; and
Taxation and Regulation.

Then each candidate will choose a discipline in which to demonstrate additional knowledge:

Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR);
Information Systems and Controls (ISC); or
Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP).

Regardless of a candidate’s chosen discipline, this model leads to full CPA licensure.

In line with the importance of emerging technologies on the profession, there is an increased focus on data and technology concepts in all core and discipline CPA exam sections.

Additional new content is primarily in the ISC and TCP discipline exam sections. IT infrastructure, platforms and services; security, confidentiality and privacy; and considerations for system and organization controls engagements are included in the ISC discipline exam section. Personal financial planning and tax planning are assessed in the TCP discipline exam section.

The Blueprints are a result of the AICPA’s Practice Analysis research to align the CPA exam to the CPA Evolution initiative and are included in its final report.

The Practice Analysis collected input from a wide range of stakeholders who share an interest in preserving the strength and mission of the profession—ranging from individual CPAs to boards of accountancy, public accounting firms, individuals working in business and industry, government, and academia.

“The CPA Evolution-aligned exam will ensure that candidates possess the knowledge required for the profession now and in the future,” said Colleen Conrad, CPA, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NASBA. “For current candidates, we developed a transition policy to allow them to seamlessly continue their CPA exam journey from where they are when we transition to the 2024 CPA exam.”

Access to the full transition policy and related webcast recordings and frequently asked questions are available on NASBA’s website. Candidates should note that the last day of testing for all current CPA exam sections is anticipated to be Dec. 15, 2023. The CPA Evolution-aligned CPA exam will begin in January 2024.

For additional information, view the CPA exam transition FAQs or email feedback@evolutionofcpa.org.