Exam FAQ
Exam venue location information will be provided to candidates via email approximately 2 weeks prior to the scheduled exam date.
Your transcript can be found on the National Candidate Portal. If you are having trouble accessing your results on the National Candidate Portal, please email [email protected].
A decile ranking is a grouping of 1 to 10 that only appears at the top of your transcript if you were unsuccessful on the exam. This means that as a failing candidate, you are classified in one of ten groupings with the lowest number being closest to the passing standard and the highest number being furthest away. The decile ranking is provided to help you decide if you should request a re-mark. The higher the decile ranking, the further away you are from the passing standard and therefore the lower the chance of a change in status on re-mark.
Each module has a standard for participation that you are expected to meet. If you meet this standard, you are given a status of qualified to write (QTR) in My CPA portal approximately one week before the exam. This means that based on your module participation you are qualified to write the exam on the scheduled exam date.
If you do not meet the minimum submission requirements for the module you may be assessed as did not qualify (DNQ) to write the exam. If you are assessed as DNQ, our office will contact you at least one week before the exam and you will be given the option to appeal the assessment and write the exam. If you show up at the exam centre with a DNQ status that has not been overturned by our office through the appeal process, you will be turned away.
You can request a change of exam location after you register for the exam by emailing [email protected]. We will do our best to accommodate any requested changes; however, after the registration period closes all location changes are subject to location capacity.
You can request to write your exam in an exam centre outside of the CPAWSB region by emailing [email protected] at least four weeks before the exam. Granting the request is not guaranteed and is at the discretion of the other region.
If you are unsuccessful on your first attempt at an exam, you have the option to re-write the exam only or to participate in the full module for your second attempt. You can register for a re-write exam in any session, during the registration period. The re-write exam will count towards the total allowed attempts at the module. If you choose to take the full module on your second attempt, you are eligible for a re-write exam on your third and final attempt.
Once you are assessed as QTR (qualified to write the exam), you have the option to defer your exam to the next available offering. This can be completed through My CPA Portal and should be done before the scheduled exam date. There is a fee associated with this option; however, if you defer based on an extenuating circumstance (such as illness) you may be eligible for a refund of the deferral fee and should contact [email protected] to discuss.
Please note that if you defer an exam, you are required to write at the next offering, or your deferred exam will count as an unsuccessful attempt. Deferrals of previously deferred exams are considered on a case-by-case basis and require supporting documentation of an extenuating circumstance to be reviewed.
If you do not show up at your exam and do not defer your exam within the deferral period, you will receive an exam status of DNW (did not write). A DNW exam status counts as an unsuccessful attempt at the module. If you receive a DNW exam status, you are not eligible to register to re-write the exam and must complete the full module on your next attempt.
CPA Canada has strict exam rules. You must review the exam rules and regulations before each exam as this information is updated regularly. Exam information can be found here.
If you are unsuccessful on an exam, you can request a re-mark through My CPA portal within three business days of the exam results release. The fee for a re-mark is listed under administrative fees. Re-marks do not provide you with any additional feedback on your exam.
You can apply for a one-time accommodation or an ongoing accommodation depending on your situation. Review the information regarding the exam accommodation process, including the forms required for submission.
You can submit an accommodation request through the My CPA portal. If you request an exam accommodation you will need to submit the appropriate supporting documentation completed by the appropriate professional(s) and returned at least 10 weeks before the scheduled exam date. We encourage you to provide any additional documentation, such as a psychoeducational assessment, that will assist with supporting the request.
For this type of accommodation, please submit an accommodation request to ensure the on-site exam staff are informed of your requirements.
Please email [email protected] for assistance with your request.
