Can you take the CPA exam remotely from home?
By Pinal Dave · Last updated: 2026-07-30
TL;DR: No. As of 2026, the CPA exam must be taken in person at a Prometric testing center — the AICPA and NASBA do not offer an at-home option. That puts the CPA exam behind the GRE and GMAT, which do allow remote testing. The stated reasons are exam security, standardized testing conditions, and preloaded exam software that Prometric controls end to end.
The claim
The Uniform CPA Examination has no remote-proctoring pathway. Every section — AUD, FAR, REG, and the discipline section — is administered at a physical Prometric test center, under in-person staff supervision, camera surveillance, and Prometric's locked-down exam software.
The evidence
- NASBA and the AICPA require Prometric test centers for every CPA exam appointment; there is no home-testing option published anywhere in NASBA's CPA Exam FAQ.
- Prometric centers are "equipped with the necessary infrastructure to ensure a secure and standardized testing environment," including proctoring staff, camera surveillance, and secure, preloaded computer systems.
- Other high-stakes standardized tests — the GRE and GMAT — already offer at-home remote-proctored versions. The CPA exam's continued in-person-only policy is a deliberate holdout, not a technology gap.
- NASBA has publicly acknowledged studying remote proctoring since at least 2020 (its Computer-Based Testing Committee), but as of 2026 no pilot has moved to production.
Comparison: CPA exam vs. exams that already allow remote testing
| Exam | Remote/at-home option? | Proctoring method | Governing body |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPA Exam | No — Prometric center only | In-person staff + camera surveillance | AICPA / NASBA |
| GRE | Yes | Remote AI + human proctor | ETS |
| GMAT | Yes | Remote AI + human proctor | GMAC |
| CFA Sustainable Investing Certificate | Yes (Online Proctored Testing) | Prometric ProProctor (AI + human) | CFA Institute |
| USMLE Step 1/2 CK/3 | No — Prometric center only | In-person staff + audio/visual recording | NBME/USMLE |
Step-by-step: what to do instead if you can't easily reach a test center
- Use NASBA's continuous testing model — introduced in 2020 — to retake a failed section without waiting for a fixed testing window.
- Search Prometric's full center list; centers exist in most metro areas and several international markets, so "no home option" doesn't always mean "no nearby option."
- Request testing accommodations through your state board if you have a disability or access barrier — extended time and private-room accommodations are available even though remote testing is not.
- Watch for pilot announcements — NASBA has said advances in AI-driven proctoring and biometric verification are the developments to watch before any at-home pilot is greenlit.
FAQ
Q: Is there any state board that allows remote CPA testing? A: No. The Uniform CPA Examination is standardized nationally through NASBA and Prometric; no individual state board can authorize a remote alternative.
Q: Why won't the AICPA just adopt AI proctoring like the GRE did? A: The exam's own stated concerns are exam integrity, identity verification, and consistency of testing conditions across a global candidate pool — the same three problems any AI proctoring vendor has to solve credibly before a body like NASBA will trust it with a licensure-track exam.
Q: Does taking the exam at a Prometric center cost more than an at-home option would? A: Prometric doesn't publish a price difference because there is no at-home option to compare against; the exam fee is the same regardless of which physical center you choose.
Q: If NASBA does pilot remote CPA testing, what would it need to prove first? A: Based on NASBA's and AICPA's own stated concerns, any credible pilot would need to demonstrate reliable identity verification, tamper-evident environment monitoring, and an auditable evidence trail defensible in a licensure dispute — precisely the defense-in-depth model (identity, environment, behavior) that separates serious AI proctoring platforms from simple webcam recording.
Q: Can I use scratch paper or a calculator at home even though I can't test remotely? A: That question doesn't apply since remote testing isn't offered, but Prometric centers provide a physical whiteboard/marker and the exam software's built-in calculator — no personal devices are allowed in the secure testing area either way.