CPE REQUIREMENTS

What are the membership CPE requirements?

a) A minimum of 20 CPE credits annually b) 80 CPE credits, including 3 ethics credits during each 2-year reporting period and not less than 40 CPE credits from formal learning activities

What is the current CPE compliance period?

Jan. 1, 2022 – Dec. 31, 2023

What is the ethics requirement?

A minimum of 3 ethics credits must be completed during each 2-year compliance period. Ethics credits must be obtained through a formal CPE activity that includes verification of participation.

What counts as “ethics” to meet the requirement?

The type of information that may be covered in a formal creditable ethics presentation may include a broad spectrum of ethics concepts that include but are not limited to Wisconsin CPA regulatory ethics, AICPA professional ethics standards, other regulatory ethics concepts such as tax or securities ethical requirements, and situational or behavioral ethics relating to business decisions and communications that are not the subject of regulations or professional standards.

I joined in the middle of the year. Do I still need to complete the full CPE requirement?

New members who join in the first year of the compliance period are reduced by one-half of the total credits for the compliance period. However, members must complete a minimum of 40 credits the following year (the second year of the compliance period), including 3 ethics credits.

New members who join in the second year of the compliance period are exempt from the total credit requirement for the compliance period.

Do I need to comply with the membership CPE requirement if I am a student, employed part time, unemployed or retired?

Students do not need to comply with the membership CPE requirement until they move to Affiliate or CPA status. Part-time and unemployed members are required to meet the membership CPE requirement.

Retired members (working less than 1,000 hours per year) who are no longer licensed CPAs are not required to meet the membership CPE requirement.

Is CPE required to renew a Wisconsin CPA license with the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)?

Yes. Beginning with December 2021 license renewal, all licensed CPAs and those who practice as a CPA must complete CPE requirements to renew their licenses.

Are the WICPA membership CPE requirements the same as DSPS?

Yes, WICPA CPE requirements are the same as those of DSPS; however, CPA license renewal is through Dec. 14 of the second year of the reporting period. In addition, WICPA membership CPE requirements apply to all CPA certificate holders (licensed or inactive) and Affiliate members.

What if I’m a CPA and don’t renew my CPA license with DSPS?

WICPA membership requires continuing education for each compliance period, regardless of whether a CPA license has or has not been renewed. All CPA certificate holders are required to complete the membership requirements for continuing education.

Can I still use “CPA” if I don’t renew my license?

If you do not renew your CPA license with DSPS, you must identify yourself as “CPA inactive certificate holder.”

What learning activities count toward CPE?

Acceptable formats for formal and informal learning activities include all the following:

• Attending, listening to or presenting in-person and online lectures

• Participating in online webinars and webcasts

• Completing self-study courses developed by a vendor

• Researching a course

• Performing independent research

• Listening to podcasts

• Watching videos

• Reading books and articles

• Attending meetings and serving on boards, committees and task forces

• Engaging in learning activities that enhance professional growth and competence

Are CPE activities or providers required to be approved or accredited?

No, neither CPE activities nor providers are required to be approved or accredited by the WICPA or any other organization.

What are the requirements for formal learning activities?

A formal learning activity must meet all the following requirements: a) Participation can be objectively confirmed by a program sponsor. b) Materials describing the activity specify the subject matter, prerequisites, advance preparation, format and number of credits awarded. c) The program sponsor or presenter has the education and experience appropriate for the activity to enhance the competency of participants.

What are the requirements for informal learning activities?

Informal learning activities must document the following: a) The format of the activity b) The date(s) on which the learning activity was performed and completed c) The subject matter of the activity d) The number of CPE credits claimed for participating in the activity e) The materials prepared or used by the participant in conjunction with the activity, which may include any of the following:

• The title and author of a book that was read

• A copy of an article that was read, or the title of the article and the name of the publication in which the article appeared

• Minutes from a meeting attended

• A program outline or handouts from an activity attended

• A link to reading, video, audio or any other online learning materials or activities performed or completed

Can I meet my CPE requirement with 100% formal or 100% informal credits?

At least half of required CPE credits must be completed through formal CPE activities. All credits can be acquired through formal learning if desired. Ethics credits must be obtained through a formal CPE activity that includes verification of participation.

How do I calculate CPE credits?

Many formal CPE activities already have a pre-determined number of credits; no additional calculation is needed. Time-based CPE activities must be recorded using a minimum of 5-minute increments; 50 minutes is equivalent to 1 CPE credit.

However, in situations such as attending a college course or program not assigned with a CPE credit value, the following formulas can be used to calculate the number of CPE credits:

• 1 credit semester course = 15 CPE credits

• 1 credit quarter course = 10 CPE credits

• 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 CPE credits

Note: Time for studying or taking an exam does not count toward CPE credits. Additionally, the number of CPE credits that may be claimed by an instructor, discussion leader or speaker for preparation and presentation of a CPA learning activity may not exceed three times the number of credits awarded to individuals attending or participating in the activity. For repeat presentations, CPE credit can be claimed only if it can be demonstrated that the learning activity content was substantially changed and that such change required significant additional study or research.

How do I calculate CPE credits for informal activities?

For informal learning activities, rather than developing granular rules specifying CPE computation formulas to estimate competency enhancement achieved from every type of learning activity, the WICPA Board decided to adopt a principles-based approach requiring each member to apply professional judgment in computing CPE credits for learning activities.

What are the recordkeeping and reporting requirements?

Each member must keep records of CPE credits earned. Members should maintain detailed supporting records for a period of 5 years following the completion of the learning activity for all CPE credits completed.

Ultimately, the CPE credit claimed is the responsibility of the individual member. Each member may claim credit only for the learning activities he or she fully completed that increased his or her professional competence.

How should members report their CPE credits?

By paying dues, members are verifying that: a) CPE requirements have been met. b) Records and documents that support the CPE compliance have been maintained. c) Records and documents may be audited. d) Misrepresenting CPE compliance may result in publication of noncompliance and misrepresentation, as well as classification as a member not in good standing. It may also result in termination of WICPA membership as well as reporting