National Association of State Boards of Accountancy
150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37219-2417

Tel: 615-880-4200
Fax: 615-880-4290

Email: cpe@nasba.org

NASBA

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

CPA’s should comply with all applicable CPE requirements and should claim CPE credit only for CPE programs when the CPE program sponsors have complied with the standards contained herein.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

CPA’s are responsible for accurate reporting if the appropriate number of CPE credits earned and should retain appropriate documentation of their participation in learning activities, including:

• Name and contact information of CPE program sponsors
• Title and description of content
• Date(s) of program
• Location (if applicable)
• Number of CPE credits, all of which should be included in documentation provided by the CPE program sponsor

In the absence of legal or other requirements, a reasonable policy is to retain documentation for a minimum of 5 years from the end of the year in which the learning activities were completed.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

CPAs should participate in learning activities that maintain/or improve their professional competence.

CPAs who complete sponsored learning activities that maintain or improve their professional competence should claim the CPE credits recommended by the CPE program sponsors.

Sponsored learning activities are measured by program length, with one 50-minute period equal to one CPE credit. One-half credit increments (25 minutes) are permitted after the first credit has been earned in a given learning activity.

• For learning activities in which individual segments are less than 50 minutes, the sum of the segments should be considered one total program.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

See regulations issued by the relevant licensing body.

Instructors or discussion leaders of learning activities should receive CPE credit for both their preparation and presentation time to the extent the activities maintain or improve their professional competence and meet the requirements of these standards.

• Instructors who present a learning activity for the first time should receive CPE Credit for actual preparation time up to 2 times the number of credits to which participants would be entitled, in addition to the time for presentation. (For example, if the participants receive 8 credits for a program, the instructors would receive 24 credits or 8 plus 16 credits of preparation.)
• For repeat presentations, CPE credit can be claimed only if it can be demonstrated that the learning activity content was substantially changed and such change required significant additional study or research.

Participants should maintain a certificate or other verification supplied by the CPE program sponsor.

See “Credit for Teaching and Repeat Credit” above.

See “Credit for Teaching and Repeat Credit” above.

Writers of published articles, books, or CPE programs should receive CPE credit for their research and writing time to the extent it maintains or improves professional competence.

For the writer to receive CPE credit, the article, book, or CPE program must be formally reviewed by an independent party.

Credit should be claimed upon publication.

Authors should maintain:

• A copy of the publication that names the writer as author or contributor
• A statement from the writer supporting the number of CPE hours claimed, and
• The name and contact information of the independent reviewer(s) or publisher.

See “Credit for Self-Study Education” below.

See “Credit for Self-Study Education” below.

See “Credit for Self-Study Education” below.

Permitted.

For university or college credit courses that meet these CPE Standards, each unit of college credit shall equal the following CPE credits:

• Semester System 15 credits
• Quarter System 10 credits

For university or college non-credit courses that meet these CPE standards, CPE credits shall be awarded only for the actual classroom time spent in the non-credit course.

CPE credit for self-study learning activities must be based on a pilot test of the average completion time.

Participants should maintain a certificate supplied by the program sponsor after satisfactory completion of an examination.

CPAs may engage in independent study under the direction of a CPE program sponsor who has met the applicable standards for CPE program sponsors when the subject matter and level of study maintain or improve their professional competence.

Independent study is an educational process designed to permit a participant to learn a given subject under the guidance of a CPE program sponsor one-on-one.

Participants in independent study should:

• Enter into a written learning contract with a CPE sponsor
• Accept the written recommendation of the sponsor as to the number of credits to be earned upon successful completion of the learning activity.
• Retain necessary documentation to satisfy regulatory requirements, as to the content, inputs and outcomes of the independent study.
• Complete the program in 15 weeks or less.

CPE program sponsors are responsible for compliance with all applicable standards and other CPE requirements.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Standards for Program Development:

• Sponsored learning activities must be based on relevant learning objectives and outcomes that clearly articulate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that can be achieved by participants in learning activities.
  • Learning activities should specify the level, content, and learning objectives so that potential participants can determine if the activity is appropriate.
• CPE program sponsors should develop and execute learning activities in a manner consistent with the prerequisite education, experience and/or advance preparation of participants.
• Sponsors must use activities, materials, and delivery systems that are current, technically accurate, and effectively designed. Sponsors must be qualified in the subject matter.
  • Sponsored programs and materials must be prepared, presented and updated timely.
• Sponsors of group and self-study programs must ensure learning activities are reviewed by qualified persons other than those who developed them to assure that the program is technically accurate and current and addresses the stated learning objectives. These reviews must occur before the first presentation of these materials and again after each significant revision of the CPE programs.
• Sponsors of independent study learning activities must be qualified in the subject matter.
• Self-study programs must employ learning methodologies that clearly define learning objectives, guide the participant through the learning process, and provide evidence of a participant’s satisfactory completion of the program.
  • To provide evidence of satisfactory completion of self-study courses, sponsors must require participants to successfully complete a final examination with a minimum passing grade of at least 70% before issuing CPE credit for the course.
  • If objective type questions are used, at least five questions per credit must be included on the exam.
• Sponsors must ensure instructors are qualified with respect to both program content and instructional methods used.
• Sponsors must ensure instructional methods employed are appropriate for the learning activities. Learning activities should be presented in a manner consistent with the descriptive and technical materials provided.

Not applicable

Not applicable

CPE program sponsors must retain adequate documentation, including attendance records, for 5 years to support their compliance with the standards and the reports that may be required of participants.

Program sponsors must provide program participants with documentation of their participation, which includes the following:

• CPE program sponsor name and contact information
• Participant’s name
• Course title
• Course field of study
• Date offered or completed
• If applicable, location
• Type of instructional/delivery method used
• Amount of CPE credit recommended
• Verification by sponsor representative

Sponsors must provide descriptive materials that enable CPAs to assess the appropriateness of the learning activities. To accomplish this, sponsors must inform participants in advance of:

• Learning objectives
• Prerequisites
• Program level
• Program content
• Advance preparation
• Instructional delivery methods
• Recommended CPE credit
• Course registration requirements

Sponsors must employ an effective means for evaluating learning activity quality with respect to content and presentation, as well as provide a mechanism for participants to assess whether learning objectives were met.

Evaluations should determine, among other things, whether:

• Stated learning objectives were met.
• If applicable, prerequisite requirements were appropriate.
• Program materials were accurate.
• Program materials were relevant and contributed to the achievement of the learning objectives.
• Time allotted to the learning activity was appropriate.
• Facilities and/or technological equipment was appropriate.
• Handout or advance preparation materials were satisfactory.
• Audio and video materials were effective.

CPE program sponsors must retain adequate documentation for 5 years to support their compliance with the standards and the reports that may be required of participants.

Evidence of compliance with responsibilities set forth under the Standards which is to be retained by CPE program sponsors includes, but is not limited to:

• Records of participation
• Dates and locations
• Instructor names and credentials
• Number of CPE credits earned by participants
• Results of program evaluations

For sponsors of self-study programs, appropriate test records must be retained regarding the following:

• When the pilot test was conducted
• The intended participation population
• How the sample was determined
• Names and profiles of sample participants
• A summary of participants’ actual completion time.

Not applicable