You must meet the Board's Education Requirements before you may take the CPA exam.  For information on the education requirements, see:

• WAC 4-25-710
• Board Policy #1998-1, Education
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Education Evaluation Worksheet

Education earned outside the United States:   If you received your education from a college or university outside the United States, you will need to have your records of academic studies evaluated by a Board recognized evaluation service to determine equivalency with Washington State requirements.   Please contact one of the Board recognized evaluation services.

To apply for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination:

1. Read the Board's Candidate Information Guide
2. Contact CASTLE Worldwide, Inc. - See overview below.

Any questions you  have regarding the CPA exam should be directed to CASTLE at:  wboa@castleworldwide.com (email), 1-800-655-4845, or (919) 572-6880.

For information on the Board's examination requirements, see:

• WAC 4-25-720 How do I apply to take the CPA examination?
• WAC 4-25-721 What does the board consider to be cheating on the CPA examination, what actions may the board take if cheating is suspected, and what sanctions may the board impose if cheating occurs? 
• Board Policy #2003-2, CPA Examination

Overview of CPA Exam Application Process for Washington State Applicants

The following is a very brief overview of the application process when applying to take the CPA exam as a Washington State candidate.  This is not intended to be a complete description of the process, but rather is meant to provide a basic understanding of the flow of information when applying for the CPA exam.

Step 1:   Applicant applies for the exam with CASTLE Worldwide, Inc. online or by calling 1-800-655-4845.

Step 2:   CASTLE receives complete application and for:

• Re-exam application - collects/updates applicant's information and fees, as eligibility has already been determined.
• First-time applicant - collects applicant's information and fees.  Determines if applicant meets Washington State's education requirements to take the CPA Exam.

Step 3:  Eligible applicant's data is sent to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Step 4:  The applicant data is reviewed by NASBA against the National Candidate Database.  Provided the applicant has not applied to take the exam in another state, NASBA will issue a Notice to Schedule (NTS) to the applicant.  The NTS is valid for six calendar months.

Step 5:  Applicant receives NTS from NASBA.  Applicant can then schedule an appointment to take the exam through Prometric's website or toll-free number (contact information is provided on the NTS).  Please note: The NTS has an expiration date of 6 months from the date of issuance.  There are no exceptions or extensions to this expiration date, even if it falls within a month that the exam is unavailable.  It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they schedule the exam prior to the expiration date at a time the exam is available.

Score Release:

The official scores for the CPA exam will be posted on CASTLE Worldwide, Inc.'s website as soon as they become available.  If you applied online and have a username and password with CASTLE, you can log in at https://idev.castleworldwide.com/wboa/application-login.asp to view your scores.

Your Performance Information (formerly known as Candidate Diagnostics) will be mailed to you separately.

If you changed your address since your applied for the examination and have not updated your address with CASTLE, please take the time to update your information when you log in to CASTLE's website.

Please see Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

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 * If you submitted a Certificate of Enrollment when you applied for the exam, your scores will not be released until you demonstrate that you have fully met the Board's education requirements within the amount of time required at the time you applied for the exam. 

Exam Grade Review and Appeal 

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) provides CPA exam grade review and grade appeal services.  NASBA charges applicants a separate fee for both a grade review and a grade appeal.  To request a review or appeal, candidates must submit the request directly to NASBA using NASBA's forms and paying NASBA directly for the associated grade review and/or appeal.  Please note: Based on past experiences, the likelihood that a grade will change because of a review or an appeal is extremely low.  However, the decision to request and pay for a grade review and/or appeal is up to you.

You must use the forms provided by NASBA.  The forms can be downloaded from NASBA's website.

Recommended Resources

• The Uniform CPA Examination  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA) guide to the CPA examination.
• Candidate Bulletin  The official handbook for individuals who plan to take the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination. Published by the CPA Examination partners ( AICPA, NASBA, and Prometric).