Everything You Need to Know About CPE Credits for CPAs (And How to Get Them)

Maintaining your status as a certified professional accountant (CPA) is a significant professional milestone, but it comes with an ongoing commitment: Earning 120 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits every three years. That requirement might sound manageable on paper, but balancing those hours against the demands of a high-pressure finance career can feel like adding a second full-time.

These credits serve as more than just a regulatory hurdle; they are your proof of expertise in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. By consistently engaging in professional development, you validate your skills to employers and prove that you remain at the forefront of compliance laws and industry standards.

Ignoring these requirements, however, can lead to more than just a stressful scramble before a reporting deadline. If you fall behind on your CPE credits or mishandle your documentation, you risk jeopardizing your professional standing and the very license you worked so hard to earn.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what you need to know about navigating your CPE requirements with confidence. We’ll explore the most effective ways to earn your credits—whether through webinars, in-person conferences, or on-demand learning—and share practical strategies for tracking your progress.

What are CPE credits for CPAs?

Continuing professional education (CPE) credits are units that financial professionals earn by furthering their education. They are needed to achieve the designation of CPA and are earned by taking part in certain educational programs.

The aim of attaining CPE credits for CPA is to ensure your knowledge reflects current compliance laws and regulations. It also helps you effectively maintain and update your credentials, ensuring you have the necessary skills to carry out your job as a licensed accountant.

CPE credits also help to prove to employers and professional bodies that your knowledge is up-to-date, and that you're making the effort to stay current in your field. They’re essential for keeping your CPA license active and in good standing.

How many CPE credits do I need for CPA?

Typically, you need 120 hours of CPE credits every three years. This is working on the model that one CPE credit is equal to 50 minutes of active learning or study for your CPA. Annually, you are often required to spend around 20 to 40 hours. However, CPE regulations vary by each state’s Board of Accountancy—this means that the number of credits you need, required reporting dates, and recognized ethics courses vary by state. It’s a good idea to double-check with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) to make sure you meet specific requirements.

If you’re a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), you’ll need to meet the 120-hour minimum every three years, regardless of what state you work in.

How to get CPE credits for CPA

There are various ways to earn the required CPE credits for your CPA accreditation. However, the learning path and programs you choose must be completed through the NASBA or by state-approved sponsors.

Besides traditional learning, credits can also be achieved through:

• Teaching and presenting qualifying courses
• Authoring articles and books
• Serving on technical committees

Some of your options include:

Webinars and virtual courses

There are various live webinar programs and virtual courses tailored to relevant roles, regulations, and skills. You can access these through approved organizations like the CPA Academy and AICPA Learning.

Pros:

• Online courses offer high flexibility as you can attend from anywhere
• They can be more cost affective as some are accessible for free online
• Wide selection of topics
• Real-time Q&As with industry experts in live sessions

Cons:

• Potential for technical and access issues
• Less direct networking than in-person events
• Requires self-discipline to consistently attend

In-person conferences and seminars

In-person learning events allow you to further your education while networking and building contacts, all while earning valuable CPA credits. Events are often regular, and you can find them by going through your local state CPA Society or the AICPA.

Pros:

• Led by high-quality speakers and leading industry experts
• Immersive learning environment
• Invaluable networking opportunities with peers and industry experts
• Often cover cutting-edge topics

Cons:

• It can be time consuming as it requires travel and dedicated full days
• There may be a higher cost to cover things like registration, travel and accommodation
• Less flexible scheduling

University or professional programs

These CPE credits and courses help you explore further opportunities to attain advanced degrees or qualifications. You’ll also be able to go through your university or organization to find approved development programs. You can still look on the AICPA Learning site to find relevant courses specific to your field of study or work.

Pros:

• Dive deeper into specific subjects
• Provides academic rigor
• Potential to advance your degree or further specialize credentials
• Significant credit accumulation

Cons:

• Can be high-cost
• Requires a significant time commitment over an extended period
• Less immediate applicability and accessibility—you often need to be accepted

On-demand learning platforms

On-demand learning platforms provide the msot flexible option when accumulating CPE credits for your CPA accreditation. They’re wholly online, so you can explore and choose relevant programs and learning materials that suit your needs. Again, you can go through the AIPA to find these.

Pros:

• Ultimate flexibility—learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere
• Often a fixed annual fee for unlimited access
• Great for fitting learning into small time blocks

Cons:

• Requires strong self-motivation to attend
• Limited direct interaction with peers and experts
• Quality can vary between platforms

How to choose high-impact topics for CPA credits

Getting your CPE credits allows you to strategically develop your areas of study, relevant skills, and knowledge; it’s not all about maintaining compliance. There can be quite a lot of flexibility when it comes to choosing your areas of focus. However, some key topics you may want to consider include:

• Compliance and regulatory updates: This includes staying up to date with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations. You’ll also be able to stay current with changes to tax law and industry-specific compliance.
• Risk management: You may want to elevate your knowledge on Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), advancing cybersecurity risks, and financial fraud detection.
• Leadership and strategy: Focus on improving your leadership skills with courses on general strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) due diligence, change management, and executive communication.
• Technology and data analytics: If you’re looking to take the next step in advancing your technical knowledge, you could consider studies on AI in finance, blockchain, data visualization, predictive analytics, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG): Learn more about effective and accurate reporting, impact measurement, and sustainable finance methods.

How to track and document credits for audit purposes

It’s important to keep a record of when and how you earned CPE credits for your CPA. This is so you can prove to employers and professional bodies that you’ve met state requirements.

The best way to do this is by maintaining secure, centralized, and easily accessible digital documentation for all your CPE documentation. It’s up to you how you collect this information, but you'll be required to present it to gain your accreditation.

What to keep:

• • Certificates of completion
  • Attendance records, for live events and some webinars
  • Course outlines and agendas
  • Provider information to ensure they’re approved
  • Date and number of credits earned

Tools for tracking:

• • Secure and accessible spreadsheets
  • Provider platforms: many offer automated tracking, but you may want to do prior research
  • Professional association portals—e.g. via the AICPA and state CPE societies

How to incorporate your learning into your busy CFO schedule

As a CFO or financial professional, it’s important that you carve out consistent time to earn CPE credits to maintain your CPA title and meet state requirements. This can be tricky to balance between your daily responsibilities—both professional and personal.

However, some strategies to consider could include:

• Strategic time blocking: Try dedicating specific, recurring slots in your calendar for CPE learning.
• Micro-learning: Use free time—commutes, lunch breaks, or short gaps—for more on-demand or ad-hoc courses.
• Leverage business travel: There may be opportunities to combine CPE conferences with necessary business trips.
• Company-sponsored learning: Advocate for internal training programs or group subscriptions to learning platforms. This could benefit wider teams, in addition to yourself.
• Listen and learn: Use podcasts or audio courses during non-screen time. Don’t forget to track and document everything you listen to.

Keep up with CPA credit requirements

Attaining CPE credits is a long-term investment in your professional development, and in maintaining state-specific CPA compliance. Given the consistent, ongoing learning model, you should regularly assess your current CPE strategy and explore new, time-efficient opportunities. This can help you to stay at the forefront of the financial world, while also empowering your peers and teams to do the same.