CPA exam fingerprinting: FAQs

Note: The following information is provided by the American Institute of CPAs.

Following a year of consultation with state boards and board committees about the security benefits of the biometric identification management system (BIMS), NASBA, the AICPA and Prometric decided to introduce it in the CPA exam beginning Jan. 1, 2008. Information about BIMS was widely available well in advance of the start date.

Once a candidate has provided fingerprints the first time he or she enters a Prometric test center, BIMS will:

verify the candidate’s identity each time that individual returns to the test center after a break or to take another exam section;
protect the candidate’s privacy by enabling the individual to move around the test center without having to carry and present identification documents; and
prevent fraud by detecting test-taking by unauthorized candidates.

Here is what you need to know about BIMS:

The Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS) is designed to protect exam candidate privacy and improve exam security.
When new tools are developed that can improve security and, therefore, the protection of the public interest, we employ them.
State boards, state CPA societies, review course providers and 38,000 exam candidates were notified in 2007 that biometric fingerprinting would be incorporated into the exam registration process beginning in January 2008.
The data are used solely for identity verification. Only NASBA, Prometric and the vendor storing the information have access to it.
Since biometrics were introduced in January, more than 60,000 exam sections have been administered. Only one person has declined to have his fingerprints taken.

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