The enrolled agent exam: dates, registration, length and passing score
The current enrolled agent exam window runs from July 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. You register and schedule each of the three parts with PSI, the IRS’s test vendor since March 1, 2026, after getting a PTIN. Each part has 100 questions in 3.5 hours, and the passing score is 500 on a scale of 200 to 800.
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Enrolled agent exam dates 2026 and 2027
There are no single enrolled agent exam dates. You choose your own appointment for each part within the testing window, and the current window is July 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. Appointments must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
Usually the IRS enrolled agent exam dates run from May 1 to the end of February, with a blackout in March and April. The 2026 window started later because testing with the new vendor PSI was rolled out from July 1, 2026. For international candidates, scheduling and testing are temporarily delayed, and the IRS has not set new start dates.
Source: PSI — IRS Special Enrollment Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (October 9, 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
What happened to the enrolled agent exam dates 2025?
The enrolled agent test dates of the previous cycle belong to the period before the vendor change: since March 1, 2026, Prometric no longer develops or administers the SEE. The IRS pages we checked describe earlier windows only by the general rule of May 1 to the end of February, so we do not list exact 2025 dates here.
If you passed a part in an earlier window, it carries over for three years from the date you passed. The IRS says candidates whose parts may expire because of the international delay will get additional time.
Source: IRS — Enrolled agent news. Checked 19 October 2026.
How to register for enrolled agent exam parts
Enrolled agent exam registration happens at PSI. You need a PTIN first, then you register for enrolled agent exam parts on the PSI website, where you can schedule at any time, or by phone at 844-645-2218 (toll-free) or 913-456-7498 (international). The $317 fee per part is paid when you schedule.
Each part is a separate enrolled agent registration and appointment, at a PSI test center in the U.S. or by remote proctoring, which is currently limited to candidates physically located in the United States.
Source: IRS — Enrolled agents: Frequently asked questions. Checked 19 October 2026.
How many questions are on the enrolled agent exam?
Each of the three parts has 100 multiple-choice questions, so the full exam has 300. In each part, 85 questions are scored and 15 are experimental questions that do not count; you cannot tell them apart. Only an onscreen calculator is provided.
The closest thing to an enrolled agent syllabus is the content outline in the PSI bulletin. It lists the domains and the number of scored questions per part, for example Income and Assets (17) in Part 1, Business Tax Preparation (37) in Part 2 and Representation before the IRS (25) in Part 3. Candidates should not consider legislation, court decisions or penalty amounts after December 31, 2025.
Source: PSI — IRS Special Enrollment Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (October 9, 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
How long is the enrolled agent exam?
Each part is 3.5 hours of testing, and the appointment is four hours to include a tutorial, a survey and two scheduled 10-minute breaks. The breaks come after questions 34 and 67, and the exam clock stops during them.
At a test center you may take an unscheduled break, but the clock keeps running. Remote candidates may not take unscheduled breaks. If you arrive 30 minutes or more late, you cannot test and lose the fee.
Source: PSI — IRS Special Enrollment Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (October 9, 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
Enrolled agent exam passing score and results
The enrolled agent passing score is 500 on a scaled range of 200 to 800, set by the IRS for each part. A scaled score is not a percentage, and the IRS does not publish how many correct answers make 500.
If you pass, your report shows a passing designation without a number. If you fail, you see your scaled score between 200 and 499 plus diagnostic information for your next attempt. You may take each part up to four times per testing window, waiting 24 hours after a failed attempt before you schedule that part again.
Source: PSI — IRS Special Enrollment Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (October 9, 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
Enrolled agent exam pass rate
The IRS FAQ and the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, both checked on 19 October 2026, do not publish an enrolled agent exam pass rate. Any enrolled agent pass rate you see elsewhere is not an official figure from these sources, and we do not repeat one.
Your own pass probability is better measured directly: take full-length timed practice per part and look at your results per domain before you book.
Source: IRS — Enrolled agents: Frequently asked questions. Checked 19 October 2026.
How to schedule enrolled agent exam parts well
To schedule enrolled agent exam parts, remember three rules: book at least 24 hours ahead, cancel more than 48 hours ahead to avoid losing the fee, and pass all three parts within three years. Starting with the part you are strongest in gives you a first passed part early, but the three-year clock starts with that pass.
Source: PSI — IRS Special Enrollment Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (October 9, 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
Enrolled Agent exam: questions people ask
What are the enrolled agent exam dates for 2026?
The current testing window is July 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027; you pick your own appointments. Source: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, checked 19 October 2026.
How do I register for the enrolled agent exam?
Get a PTIN, then register and schedule each part with PSI online or by phone, paying $317 per part. Source: IRS FAQ, checked 19 October 2026.
How many questions are on the enrolled agent exam?
100 per part (85 scored, 15 experimental), 300 across three parts. Source: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, checked 19 October 2026.
How long is the enrolled agent exam?
3.5 hours per part, in a four-hour appointment. Source: IRS FAQ, checked 19 October 2026.
What is the enrolled agent exam passing score?
500 on a scale of 200 to 800. Source: IRS FAQ, checked 19 October 2026.
What is the enrolled agent exam pass rate?
Not published by the IRS or PSI on the pages checked, 19 October 2026.
How long does it take to get an enrolled agent license?
The IRS sets limits rather than a typical duration: pass all three parts within three years, apply for enrollment and pay the $140 fee within one year of passing, then pass a suitability check. The IRS calls enrollment its license to practice. Sources: IRS and IRS Publication 5279, checked 19 October 2026.
Can I take the enrolled agent exam outside the U.S.?
International scheduling and testing are temporarily delayed, with no new start date set. Source: IRS enrolled agent news, checked 19 October 2026.
