All Certified Public Accountants (CPA's) holding an Active certification must maintain continuing professional education (CPE) in order to renew a certification to practice accountancy in the state of Colorado.
Effective immediately upon certification, CPAs accrue 10 hours of CPE for every full quarter their certificate is active during the reporting period. The reporting period is a two-year window from January 1 of an even-numbered year through December 31 of an odd-numbered year. A full reporting period equates to 80 hours of CPE. Though CPE hours are accrued each quarter, they may be completed at any time during the reporting period. The due date for the completion of CPE hours is every December 31 of odd years (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.).
The current reporting period runs from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2025.
Standards
Both the licensee and the CPE provider must be in compliance with the NASBA/AICPA CPE Standards for the activity to be accepted as meeting the CPE requirements. The Board does not pre-approve courses or providers. The certificate holder must contact the CPE Provider to determine if the CPE meets the NASBA/AICPA Standards. Acceptable subjects for CPE courses are defined in the NASBA CPE Fields of Study.
Requirements
- No more than 20 percent of CPE can be in Personal Development, as defined by the NASBA CPE Fields of Study (Subjects related to personal development include, but are not limited to Career Planning, Leadership, Time Management).
- No more than 50 percent of CPE can be in any combination of teaching or publishing an article or book.
- For internet-based CPE programs, a minimum of 75 percent of the polling questions, if used as a monitoring mechanism, must be answered by the CPA in order to receive credit for the CPE activity.
- Program sponsors will be deemed in compliance with Joint Standard 14 of the Joint Standards regarding CPE credit for self-study learning activities if the program developer or vendor pilot tests the representative completion time, or computes the recommended CPE credit using the prescribed word count formula, or attests to the appropriateness of the recommended CPE credit for the self-study learning activity.
- Learning activities that do not maintain and/or improve professional competence as a CPA will not count for credit. Such activities include, but are not limited to activities that teach fundamental accounting skills such as, or comparable to, first and second-semester principles of accounting or their equivalent.
- FOUR HOURS OF CPE MUST BE IN ETHICS, of which two (2) hours may be in Colorado Rules and Regulation (CR&R). For the purpose of CPE, Behavioral Ethics will not be considered to be Personal Development.
Colorado Rules &, Regulations (CR&R)
CR&R courses must cover current Colorado Revised Statutes and Board Rules, and comply with the CR&R Content Outline (below). A CR&R course must address all provisions of the applicable Colorado Revised Statutes, Board Rules, and Board Policies. Satisfactory CR&R course presentations need not be limited to two (2) hours, however, CR&R course credit hours granted in excess of two (2) hours will not be considered CR&R or Ethics CPE, but the excess hours will count as Specialized Knowledge and Applications as defined in the NASBA CPE Fields of Study.
CR&R Content Outline:
- Overview of Regulatory Requirements
- Review of Colorado Revised Statutes (as they pertain to accountancy), Board of Accountancy Rules, and Policies.
- Legislative changes affecting the accounting profession, as applicable.
- State Board of Accountancy and website overview
- Organization and duties of the Board
- Certified Public Accountant Designation
- Proper use - Holding Out
- Types of Certificates
- Status and maintenance of Certificates
- Licensure‚ Examination and Certification
- continuing Professional Education
- Disclosures
- Names
- Mobility/Practice Privilege and Reciprocity
- Peer Review
- Professional Conduct
- Unlawful Acts
- Accountant/Client Privilege
- Grounds for Disciplinary Action
- Client Records
- Firms, Firm Registration, and Firm Names
CR&R course materials and/or certificates of completion must include the date on which the current version offered/taught was last updated.
Documentation
Documentation for CPE Programs must include a Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Attendance, or Firm Transcript that includes:
- Name and contact information of CPE program sponsor,
- Participant's name,
- Title of the program,
- Field of study, as described in Rule 7-3,
- Date the program was offered or completed,
- Location of the program (if applicable),
- Type of instruction/delivery method,
- Number of CPE credits completed, and
- Verification by the CPE program sponsor (signature, seal, or other similar indicia)
**Audits of compliance will be conducted after each two-years reporting period ends.**
Documentation should not be submitted to the Board unless specifically requested.
Exceptions
The Board may make exceptions from CPE requirements for holders of certificates who cannot continue their education for reasons of health, military service, or other good cause. A written request justifying the exception must be sent to the Board for approval before a license is renewed without meeting CPE requirements.
CPE FAQs
View frequently asked questions for more information.
Contact Information
State Board of Accountancy: Continuing Professional Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-894-2363| Fax: 303-869-0329 | Email: dora_dpo_continuedcompetency@state.co.us