CPA Exam testing administrator Prometric has confirmed the re-opening of select testing sites beginning May 1, 2020, albeit on a “market by market” basis that still adheres to social distancing guidelines.
Prometric previously announced test site closures through the end of April. As May 1 approaches, CPA testing sites will be eligible to re-open on a local basis, as the federal government has deemed accounting an “essential service.”
On Thursday, a Becker CPA Exam Review-hosted webcast, “CPA Exam: COVID-19 Impacts and Updates,” featured members of Prometric and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy to update test-takers on the current state of exam testing within the U.S.
Mark Muth, vice president of global account management at Prometric, stated, “As of May 1, we are going to be able to start opening our test centers on a market by market basis. Right now, we are looking at 118 markets across 34 states that will be able to open as of May 1.” A full list of Prometric test center openings is available on its site here.
Colleen Conrad, executive vice president and COO of NASBA, added that social distancing guidelines will be strictly enforced at open testing centers. She said candidates must supply their own masks and wear the masks inside testing centers, adding, “If you don’t come with a mask, you’ll be turned away.”
The CPA Exam testing situation is still fluid, and candidates are encouraged to regularly check their email and NASBA social media channels for the latest updates on how new developments apply to them. Test center openings, dependent on the local guidelines in which they’re located, will be reviewed on a rolling two-week basis, according to Prometric, with emails to candidates expected to go out in that timeframe as well.
Test center closures will not affect the previously announced Continuous Testing model for U.S. candidates, which is still set to launch on July 1, 2020. All appointments past April 30 will remain scheduled, with candidates responsible for either attending their exams or rescheduling.
To view the webinar, head to Becker’s site here. NASBA has also posted a list of coronavirus and CPA Exam-related FAQs and answers on its site here.