New CPE Demands for License Renewal

New California Board of Accountancy CPE Requirement FAQs

The California Board of Accountancy has amended CPA requirements for continuing education and license renewal to:

• Make ethics education a priority.
• Ensure CPAs are highly competent and aware of changing tax laws and standards throughout their licensure.


• Ensure licensees understand the laws and regulations governing the public accountancy practice in California.

Under the proposal, all licensees renewing a license in an active status will be required to complete:

• Four hours of ethics CE every renewal period;
• A two-hour regulatory review course every six years covering the California Accountancy Act, plus CBA regulations and enforcement actions; and
• A minimum of 20 hours of CE (with a minimum of 12 hours in technical subject matter) each year of the two-year license renewal period as part of the 80-hour CE requirement.

CBA Reinstates CE Audit Program
The CBA’s Renewal and Continuing Competency Unit is reinstating its continuing education audit program to ensure that licensees are complying with CE requirements as specified in the CBA regulations. Licensees will be randomly preselected during the license renewal process and notified of the audit approximately 90 days prior to their license expiration date.

If renewing a license in an active status, licensees will be instructed to submit—either in hardcopy or electronically—documents (i.e. certificates of completion) substantiating completion of a minimum of 80 hours of CE reported at the time of renewal, which will be verified against the CE Reporting Worksheet accompanying the renewal application.

Licensees are required to retain CE certificates of completion for four years after renewal, and Professional Conduct and Ethics certificates of completion must be retained for six years.

For all CPE you take through the CalCPA Education Foundation, an electronic certificate of completion is stored with your online CPE record . 

Delivering the CPE You Need
The CalCPA Education Foundation offers 800 live and online events in various formats, allowing you to choose the learning method that best suits your needs. With so many events to choose from each day, you’ll find it easy to stay in compliance with the new CPE requirements.

Courses and Conferences  |  Webcasts | On-Site Education and Training | Self-Study | Discount Programs