Enrolled Agent

Exam at a glance

Exam fee

$267 USD per part, $801 total for all 3 parts; enrollment application (Form 23) $140; PTIN $19.75

Questions on exam

Each part has 100 multiple-choice questions (85 scored + 15 experimental/unscored)

Duration

3.5 hours (210 minutes) per part with scheduled 15-minute break after question 50; total testing time 10.5 hours across all parts

Passing score

Scaled 105 on a 40-130 scale per part, approximately 68-72% correct needed

Retake policy

Up to 4 attempts per part per testing window

Validity

Passing scores valid for 3 years. EA credential renewed every 3 years requiring 72 hours CE (minimum 16 hours/year, minimum 2 hours ethics/year)

Published exam facts, from the official outline.

What’s on the EA exam

1. Part 1 Preliminary Work with Taxpayer Data (16%)
2. Part 1 Income and Assets (20%)
3. Part 1 Deductions and Credits (20%)
4. Part 1 Taxation (17%)
5. Part 1 Advising the Individual Taxpayer (13%)
6. Part 1 Specialized Returns for Individuals (14%)
7. Part 2 Business Entities and Considerations (28%)
8. Part 2 Business Tax Preparation (50%)
9. Part 2 Specialized Returns for Businesses (22%)
10. Part 3 Practices and Procedures (25%)
11. Part 3 Representation Before the IRS (28%)
12. Part 3 Specific Areas of Representation (28%)
13. Part 3 Filing Process and Compliance (19%)

Official exam blueprint domains — your practice bank mirrors this outline.