In order for a CPA to renew a license to practice public accounting, he or she must earn 40 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) annually, of which 8 hours must be in accounting/auditing and 2 hours of ethics.

Hours earned in excess of the required 40 hours may be carried over to the following continuing education period up to a maximum of 8 accounting/auditing hours, 2 hours of ethics and 30 "other" hours. A CPA may only claim a maximum of 20 hours of "self-study" or "teaching" in any continuing education period.

A continuing education period begins July 1 and ends June 30. CPE is reported every two years and is due by July 31 of odd numbered years.

Extensions
A CPA who fails to earn 80 hours of CPE by June 30 of a reporting year may make-up the deficiency through December 31, by earning and reporting an additional 4 hours of continuing education for each month it takes to make up the deficiency. These are penalty hours which cannot be used toward the next year's CPE requirement.

Reentry
A CPA who has been in a "Registered Only" status for a minimum of one year may become licensed again through reentry. To be eligible for reentry, a CPA must have completed, in the 12 months preceding application, 40 hours of continuing education, including 8 hours of accounting/auditing. All CPE hours submitted must be verified by the sponsor.

Once an application for reentry has been approved, the CPA will be notified of the additional number of pro-rated continuing education hours which will be needed to renew the license.