Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination - Exam Content

Exam Content

The exam has been reduced in time to a fourteen hour exam, and the sections have been reorganized as follows:

• Auditing and Attestation (4.0 hours): (AUD) – This section covers knowledge of planning the engagement, internal controls, obtaining and documenting information, reviewing engagements and evaluating information and preparing communications.
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (4.0 hours): (FAR) – This section covers knowledge of concepts and standards for financial statements, typical items in financial statements, specific types of transactions and events, accounting and reporting for governmental agencies, and accounting and reporting for non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations.
• Regulation (3.0 hours): (REG) – This section covers knowledge of ethics and professional responsibility, business law, Federal tax procedures and accounting issues, Federal taxation of property transactions, Federal taxation – individuals, and Federal taxation – entities.
• Business Environment and Concepts (3.0 hours): (BEC) – This section covers knowledge of business structures, economic concepts, financial management, information technology, and planning and measurement.

The Uniform CPA Exam tests primary understanding and the ability to apply authoritative literature — such as auditing and accounting standards, the Uniform Commercial Code, and the Internal Revenue Code — that are universally adopted by all U.S. jurisdictions, or that are federal in nature. Every effort is made to avoid asking about subject matter that may have different correct answers in different jurisdictions.

Here is a summary of the topics which are tested in each section of the examination:

Auditing and attestation

• 12-16% engagement acceptance and planning
• 16-20% entity and internal control
• 16-20% procedures and evidence
• 16-20% reports
• 12-16% accounting and review services
• 16-20% professional responsibilities

Financial accounting and reporting

• 17-23% concepts
• 27-33% accounts and disclosures
• 27-33% transactions
• 8-12% governmental
• 8-12% not-for-profits

Regulation

• 15-19% ethical and legal responsibilities
• 17-21% business law
• 11-15% federal tax process
• 12-16% gain and loss taxation
• 13-19% individual tax
• 18-24% taxation of entities

Business environment and concepts

• 16-20% corporate governance
• 16-20% economics
• 19-23% finance
• 15-19% IT
• 10-14% strategic planning
• 12-16% operations management