FAR,
answered
Short answers with their sources, written so they can be quoted whole. Where we do not know, the answer says so.
Is 75 passing on the CPA exam?
Yes. CPA Exam sections are reported on a 0–99 scale and 75 is the passing score. It is a scaled score, not a percentage: it does not mean you answered 75% of the questions correctly, and there is no fixed number of questions that corresponds to it.
What is the FAR pass rate?
FAR’s cumulative pass rate for 2025 was 42.12%, the lowest of the three Core sections. Quarterly figures for 2024–2026 are on our pass rate page, each with its verification status.
How many simulations are on the FAR exam?
Seven task-based simulations, spread across three testlets of two, three and two, alongside 50 multiple-choice questions in two testlets of 25.
How long is the FAR exam?
Four hours total for all five testlets. Our time budget tool turns that into minutes per simulation and seconds per cell.
How much of the FAR score comes from simulations?
About half. Multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations each carry roughly 50% of the score, which means the seven simulations are worth as much as the fifty multiple-choice questions.
What are the FAR Blueprint area weights?
Area I (Financial Reporting) 30–40%, Area II (Select Balance Sheet Accounts) 30–40%, Area III (Select Transactions) 25–35%. Skill allocation runs Remembering & Understanding 5–15%, Application 45–55%, Analysis 35–45%. The full group list is on our Blueprint page.
Do retakers pass FAR less often than first-time candidates?
Almost certainly, but no free primary source publishes the size of the gap: the AICPA reports one rate per section per quarter across all candidates, and the first-time-versus-repeat split sits in a priced NASBA report we have not bought. So we state the direction and no figure. Even the direction does not establish why: the repeat pool is selected for having already not passed, so it would be expected to score below average even if study method made no difference. Treat it as a fact about difficulty, not a diagnosis.
How many hours does it take to study for FAR?
Commonly quoted ranges run 120–150 hours for FAR, which at 10–15 hours a week is roughly 8–15 weeks. Treat these as industry rules of thumb rather than measured figures — the sources that publish them also sell preparation.
When are CPA scores released in 2026?
Core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) run on continuous testing, so releases follow a schedule of data-file cut-offs rather than fixed testing windows. Our countdown lists the 2026 dates, all of them flagged as not yet verified against the AICPA primary schedule.
What practice score means I am ready for FAR?
There is no published number, and anyone who gives you one without saying where it came from is guessing. What can be done honestly is to start from the population rate and move away from it in proportion to the evidence you have — which is what our estimator does.
Can I retake FAR immediately after failing?
Under continuous testing you can re-apply once your score is released, subject to your state board’s rules and a new notice to schedule. Retake fees apply. Check your own state board — requirements differ and we do not track them.
What is a pass probability, and how is it different from a readiness score?
A readiness score is usually a re-scaled measure of your recent practice accuracy. A pass probability is an estimate of an outcome, which forces two things a readiness score can avoid: a prior — ours is the national 42.12% rate — and an interval showing how much evidence stands behind it. Ours is not calibrated against real exam outcomes and we say so on every page it appears.
Source: UWorld Accounting, “About the FAR CPA Exam” · checked 2026-08-15 · exam format and Blueprint weights
Source: UWorld Accounting, “CPA Exam Pass Rates”, compiling AICPA quarterly reports · checked 2026-08-15 · pass rates
Source: AICPA, “Learn more about CPA Exam scoring and pass rates” · checked 2026-08-15 · passing score, scoring method and pass rates