To register for and take the APA® certification exam, a candidate must meet ONE of the following requirements:
NOTE: If the candidate has an International Degree, evidence of equivalent academic credentials will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Candidates interested in taking the APA® Exam must submit an application, evidence that they meet the eligibility requirements, and the Examination Fee to the APA® Administrator at a minimum of forty-five (45) days prior to an exam-testing window (refer to Exam Fees below). Should the candidate be determined to be ineligible to take the exam, a refund (less the Administrative Fee) will be given.
Once the application fee is submitted and all eligibility requirements are deemed to have been completed, the candidate will receive access to the APA® Review Course, including summarized study material and sample question bank for each domain/subdomain. Review Course access will be valid for two (2) years from the date of purchase, except as noted below.
The Review Course subscription includes two examination attempts any time during the two-year window. Registration for either exam must be completed through the COPAS Office and during the examination period as published. Passing either of the two examination attempts included with the subscription terminates the subscription at that time.
A separate subscription to the Review Course is required for each exam taker. No account or password sharing is permitted. Successful candidates cannot transfer access to another candidate. Content cannot be copied and exported from the system.
The APA® Administrator will contact Meazure Learning (formerly Scantron), the testing vendor, to begin the exam registration process. The candidate will receive instructions directly from Meazure Learning to register with Meazure Learning’s online test scheduling system to select a testing session. Candidates may select from Meazure Learning’s network of test sites, based on seating availability, or complete the exam in a live online-proctored (LOP) setting. Candidates who choose to take the exam at a test site will select from a listing of available testing centers by geographical location and test date.
Candidates registered for the exam will receive an email notification from Meazure Learning with instructions to download and print out a confirmation notice once an examination date, site, and time have been selected and approved. The confirmation process for the exam registration is an automated process, with email confirmation that registration dates are either approved or unavailable generally received by candidates within minutes of submitting their registration. However, on occasion, this process can take up to 2–3 business days following registration. On the day of the examination, candidates must report to the testing center no later than 15 minutes prior to the registered start time indicated on the email confirmation and, for identity purposes, present the confirmation notice and a current government-issued ID with photo and signature that matches the name on the confirmation notice.
NOTE: Once a candidate’s preferred testing site, date, and time choices are approved, the candidate is subject to the reschedule and cancellation policy. Walk-in registrations are not permitted at any time. Special scheduling, rescheduling and cancellation policies apply for live-online proctored (online) exams. Please refer to email instructions from Meazure Learning for further details.
| Retail Exam Pricing (U.S. and Canada) |
COPAS Member Fee | Non-Member Fee |
| First Time Exam | $1,600.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Administrative Fee (ineligibility or failure to schedule) |
$50.00 | $50.00 |
| Meazure Learning Reschedule/ Cancellation Fee |
$50.00 | $50.00 |
| Late Registration Fee (within 30 days of testing window) |
$75.00 | $75.00 |
| No Show Fee (no reschedule or cancellation of appointment) |
One exam attempt will be deducted | One exam attempt will be deducted |
The APA® Certification Exam is built around the accounting practices, guidelines, and principles of the United States only. No international accounting practices, procedures, guidelines, or principles are part of this examination. However, the APA® certification exam is offered through Meazure Learning’s international testing sites (outside the US or Canada). All candidates must follow the procedures listed above. If a candidate chooses an international testing site, an international testing surcharge of $150 will be required when registering in Meazure Learning’s network of test sites. This fee will be charged immediately upon selection of an international testing facility.
For questions about the exam, or to take an international exam outside of the U.S. and Canada, please contact the APA® Administrator at APAadministrator@copas.org.
$2,000.00