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Certain preparers must complete a one-time competency test, tax compliance check, and suitability check to become Registered Tax Return Preparers, including 15 hours of continuing education each year starting in 2012. The RTRP competency test is a timed 2½-hour exam for the 2010 Form 1040 series, priced at $116, administered in English via Prometric test centers, with scheduling and scoring timelines described.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/registered-tax-return-preparer-test-explained-fs-2011-12-november-2011/394446/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/registered-tax-return-preparer-test-explained-fs-2011-12-november-2011/394446.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"awa","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-06","2026-09-26",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What steps are required to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Paid tax return preparers must register each year and obtain a PTIN. Certain preparers also must pass a one-time competency test, complete a tax compliance check, and a suitability check to receive the Registered Tax Return Preparer designation.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How is the RTRP competency test structured, and what does it cover?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The test is a timed, 2½-hour exam covering the Tax Year 2010 Form 1040 series and related tax schedules. It includes 120 questions in multiple choice and true or false formats.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How do test scheduling, payment, and scoring work?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Test takers must schedule an appointment through their online PTIN account and pay the $116 fee at scheduling time, or schedule and pay by phone if they do not have an online PTIN account. 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This program requires all paid tax return preparers to register with the IRS each year and have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) .  \nCertain tax return preparers who prepare the Form 1040 series returns must take additional steps. These preparers must pass a one-time competency test, a tax compliance check, and a suitability check. Preparers who meet these requirements will be given a new designation: Registered Tax Return Preparer. Additionally, they must complete 15 hours of continuing education each year, starting in 2012.  \nCurrently, PTINs are issued with either an active or provisional status. Active PTINs are given to Enrolled Agents, Certified Public Accountants and attorneys, among others, because these individuals are not required to take the competency test. Tax return preparers who must pass the competency test are given a provisional PTIN. These individuals have until Dec. 31, 2013, to pass the test.  \nRTRP Competency Test Overview  \nThe fee for taking the Registered Tax Return Preparer competency test is $116. The test is a timed, 2½ hour exam that will cover the Tax Year 2010 Form 1040 series and its related tax schedules. There are 120 questions in a combination of multiple choice and true or false formats. Test takers cannot bring any resource materials but they will have access to the Form 1040, Form 1040 instructions, and Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax.  \nThe test is available in English only at this time and generally will be administered in a computer based testing format. The test must be taken at Prometric Inc. , test centers. Prometric will eventually offer the test at more than 260 domestic centers nationwide, but it is not available at all locations currently. Those who initially do not locate a nearby test site should check back because additional test sites will be added daily.  \nThere is no limit on the number of times the test can be taken, but preparers must pass the test only once. If an individual takes the test more than once, the $116 fee will apply each time the individual takes the test.  \nInitial test takers won’t receive their test scores for two to six weeks to allow the IRS to validate the exam and determine the pass/fail cutoff. Once validation is complete, around mid-January, those taking the computer-based test will receive their scores atthe test center immediately upon completing the test.  \nWho Must Take the Registered Tax Return Preparer Test  \nA paid tax return preparer must take the Registered Tax Return Preparer competency test and meet the other requirements for becoming a Registered Tax Return Preparer unless the tax return preparer is a:  \no Certified Public Accountant, attorney, or an Enrolled Agent;  \no Supervised preparer, which is an individual who:  \n􀂃 Does not, and is not required to, sign a tax return as paid preparer,  \n􀂃 Works at a firm at least 80 percent owned by CPAs, attorneys or Enrolled Agents, and  \n􀂃 Is supervised by a CPA, attorney or Enrolled Agent  \no Preparer who does not, for compensation, prepare, or assist in the preparation of, all or substantially all of any Form 1040 series return. For purposes of this exemption, Forms 1040-PR and 1040-SS are not Form 1040 series returns.  \nPaid tax return preparers will be notified by the IRS of their test requirement either in their welcome letter if they are obtaining a new PTIN or in their “next steps” notification when they renew their PTINs.  \nPreparing for the Test  \nThe IRS has released test specifications which outline the general individual income tax topics that wil","cbCaisvW8iyifxIc","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisvW8iyifxIc","pdf",114141,"English","# RTRP Competency Test Overview\n## Who Must Take the Registered Tax Return Preparer Test\n## Preparing for the Test\n## Scheduling a Test and Paying the Fee\n## International Preparers\n## Additional Resources","[{\"question\":\"What steps are required to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer?\",\"answer\":\"Paid tax return preparers must register each year and obtain a PTIN. Certain preparers also must pass a one-time competency test, complete a tax compliance check, and a suitability check to receive the Registered Tax Return Preparer designation.\"},{\"question\":\"How is the RTRP competency test structured, and what does it cover?\",\"answer\":\"The test is a timed, 2½-hour exam covering the Tax Year 2010 Form 1040 series and related tax schedules. It includes 120 questions in multiple choice and true or false formats.\"},{\"question\":\"How do test scheduling, payment, and scoring work?\",\"answer\":\"Test takers must schedule an appointment through their online PTIN account and pay the $116 fee at scheduling time, or schedule and pay by phone if they do not have an online PTIN account. Scores for initial test takers are provided after two to six weeks for validation, while computer-based testers receive scores at the test center once validation is complete.\"}]","Registered Tax Return Preparer Test Explained - FS-2011-12 - November 2011 | PDF",1790403484]