How to Schedule the EA Exam with PSI (2026-2027)

Current PSI administration facts (2026-2027)

As of October 2026, PSI Services, LLC develops and administers the EA Special Enrollment Examination. The IRS transition from Prometric took effect March 1, 2026, so candidates should schedule only through the current PSI IRS portal or PSI phone lines listed on this page. For U.S. domestic candidates, appointments run July 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027 at $317 per part (test center or remote, subject to PSI rules). Each part may be attempted up to four times in the window. International scheduling and testing remain temporarily delayed. Pair this page with the dates-and-fees guide for the full logistics summary, and confirm rules on IRS.gov plus the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin before you pay.

Prometric to PSI: what changed on March 1, 2026

Effective March 1, 2026, the IRS contracted PSI Services, LLC to develop and administer the Special Enrollment Examination. Prometric, LLC no longer delivers the SEE. Schedule only through the PSI IRS portal for the current cycle. Parts already passed under Prometric still count under IRS three-year carryover rules; check the IRS FAQ for carryover and limited 2026 extensions.

Schedule in six steps

1) Obtain an active IRS PTIN at irs.gov/ptin. 2) Create a PSI profile on the PSI IRS SEE site; enter first and last name exactly as on the ID you will present (the same name must later match Form 23). 3) Choose a U.S. PSI test center or remote proctoring (international is remote-only when available and is currently delayed). Remote testing is currently limited to candidates physically located in the United States on test day. 4) Select Part 1, 2, or 3 in any order, book at least 24 hours ahead, and pay $317 at scheduling (Mastercard, Visa, or American Express; IRS: fee is non-refundable and non-transferable). 5) Save the confirmation number and immediately review the confirmation email for part, date, time, and location or remote details. 6) Reschedule or cancel at least 48 hours ahead to avoid another full examination fee; inside 48 hours another full fee generally applies; miss or arrive 30+ minutes late and you forfeit the fee. After failing a part, wait 24 hours before booking that same part again. Phone: 844-645-2218 (U.S./Canada) or 913-456-7498 (international), Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

Domestic window, fee, and attempts

U.S. domestic appointments run July 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027. Testing is unavailable in March and April while the exam is updated. The fee is $317 per part ($951 for three first-attempt parts). Each part may be attempted up to four times in one testing window. For this window, references are generally to the Code, forms, and publications as amended through December 31, 2025, and “current tax year” means calendar year 2025 (see the dates-and-fees guide for the logistics summary). PSI collects the exam fee at scheduling, separate from the cost of any prep course.

International delay

International scheduling and testing are temporarily delayed. Scheduling had been expected to begin September 1, 2026, with testing September 2, 2026; the IRS has not announced replacement dates. IRS Publication 5279 (Rev. 6-2026, issued June 2026) still says "Beginning September 1, 2026, international testing will be offered through remote proctoring." The newer IRS enrolled agents FAQ (page last reviewed Oct. 14, 2026) and the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (revised October 9, 2026, page 10) both say international scheduling and testing are delayed and a new start date has not been determined, so follow those. When available, international testing is remote-proctored only (no in-person international centers under the current arrangement). Candidates whose parts may expire because of the delay should read the IRS carryover-relief note and monitor IRS enrolled agent news plus PSI.

ID and test-day basics

Bring one original, unexpired government-issued photo ID with your name, photo, and signature; first and last name must match registration. If one card lacks both photo and signature, bring a second original government-issued ID. Military IDs may be accepted at a test center when they include photo and valid signature, but not for remote testing. Arrive at least 30 minutes early for a center appointment; remote check-in can begin up to 15 minutes before start. The exam is closed book with an onscreen calculator; centers provide scratch paper and pencil, while remote candidates use an electronic whiteboard. Each part has 100 multiple-choice questions (85 scored and 15 unscored) and 3.5 hours of exam time (about four hours of seat time). Request accommodations through the PSI portal during scheduling, include the completed Testing Accommodations Request Form and supporting documentation, and allow 3 to 5 business days for review. To schedule an accommodated appointment by phone, PSI's hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and your confirmation email are controlling for locker, remote-room, break, and ID edge cases; re-read them the day before you sit.

Remote testing rules to know before you book

Remote proctoring is currently available only to candidates physically located within the United States at the time of the exam, and giving false information about your location to get a remote appointment is prohibited. Test in a walled room where you will not be disturbed; no one else, including pets, may be in the room while you test. Check-in takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and you can begin it up to 15 minutes before your start time. Military IDs are not accepted for remote testing. Water is allowed only in a clear container with no writing or labels and with a lid or cap, which PSI staff inspect; other food and drinks are not allowed in the testing area. You get two scheduled 10-minute breaks and no unscheduled breaks, and you take notes on an electronic whiteboard instead of paper. Run the PSI system check and read the remote testing regulations in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin before test day. At a test center, water and snacks stay in your locker and can be used during breaks.

Sources: IRS enrolled agents FAQ, Test center environment (questions 2 and 3 updated Aug. 26, 2026; question 6 updated Oct. 5, 2026; question 8); PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, revised October 9, 2026: Examination Locations (pages 10 to 11), Remote Testing Break Policy (page 21), Remote Testing Regulations (page 24); PSI system check.

What happens on test day

These steps follow the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and the IRS enrolled agents FAQ, in the order they happen. Where a test center and a remote exam differ, the step says so.

1. Arrive or check in. At a test center, arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment. For a remote exam, you can start check-in up to 15 minutes before your start time, and it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If you are 30 minutes or more late, you cannot test and you lose the fee.
2. Show your ID. Bring one original, unexpired, government-issued ID with your photo and signature, in the name you registered under. Photocopies and digital images are not accepted. A military ID works at a test center but not for a remote exam. Without proper ID you cannot test and you lose the fee.
3. Pass the security check. At a test center, you store personal items in a locker, turn out your pockets, and are scanned with a metal detector wand before each entry to the test room. For a remote exam, your computer must run the PSI Proctoring Platform, and you record a video of your testing area that a PSI proctor reviews before the exam starts. Your desk must be clear, the room must be walled, and no one else may be in it. In both settings, eyeglasses are checked for recording devices.
4. Tutorial and agreement. You get an introduction to the testing system and can take a tutorial. At the start of the exam, you must read and accept the non-disclosure agreement.
5. Take the exam. Each part has 100 multiple-choice questions (85 scored and 15 unscored) and 3.5 hours of exam time, with an on-screen timer. The appointment is booked for four hours to cover the tutorial and a survey at the end. You get an onscreen calculator. At a test center, PSI gives you scratch paper and a pencil and collects them at the end. A remote exam gives you an electronic whiteboard instead.
6. Breaks. The exam has three sections: questions 1 to 34, 35 to 67, and 68 to 100. After each of the first two sections, you are offered a scheduled 10-minute break, and you may decline it. Once you finish a section and confirm it, you cannot go back to it. If you are not back within 10 minutes, the exam clock restarts. At a test center, you sign out and back in with your ID, and you may take extra restroom or locker breaks, but the clock keeps running. For a remote exam, tell the proctor before you leave. Unscheduled breaks are not allowed, and leaving the camera view ends the test.
7. After you submit. A pass or fail message appears on your screen. PSI then emails your score report, and you can give feedback in a voluntary survey. On a remote exam, fully close the proctoring application before you leave the webcam view.

Test center vs remote

Both options are the same exam. What changes is where you sit and the rules around you. Use this table to pick the setting that suits you, then confirm the details in the bulletin.

The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin is the authority for every rule on this page. PSI may update it, so reread the current bulletin before you book and again before test day.

After you schedule: study against the appointment

Work backward from the booked PSI date inside the July 2026 to February 2027 window and leave buffer before the March blackout if you still need attempts. Pair this scheduling page with the dates-and-fees guide, scoring page, practice-exam method, free practice by part, study plan, and Part 1 to 3 hubs. PassFast plans are one-time priced on /pricing/; PSI and IRS exam fees are separate.