Maryland CPE Requirements

Pacific Northwest Tax School programs meet Maryland CPE provider requirements. Final authority for CPE rests with the Maryland State Board of Accountancy. It is the responsibility of each CPA to verify whether CPE programs and sponsors meet Maryland Board requirements.

A summary of CPE requirements and contact information for the Board is provided below.

CPE Sponsor Requirements: The overriding consideration in determining whether a specific program qualifies is that it shall be a formal program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competence of an individual after this individual has been licensed to practice certified public accountancy.

B. Group Continuing Education Programs.
(1) Group continuing education programs will qualify only if §A of this regulation is met and:
(a) An outline is prepared in advance and preserved for review by this Board, if required;
(b) The program is at least 1 hour (50-minute periods) in length;
(c) The program is conducted by a qualified instructor;
(d) A record of attendance is preserved;
(e) The sponsor agrees to admit a member of the Board or of the CPE Advisory Committee on request to monitor the program.
(2) These programs would include:
(a) Professional development programs of recognized national and state accounting organizations and their chapters;
(b) Technical sessions at meetings of recognized national and state accounting organizations and their chapters;
(c) Non-credit short courses at universities and colleges;
(d) Formal, organized in-firm education programs;
(e) Programs offered by other recognized professional or industrial organizations.
C. University and college courses taken for academic credit will qualify only if §A of this regulation is met. Credit towards the continuing education requirement will be calculated at 15 hours for each semester hour credit and 10 hours for each quarter hour credit.
D. Other Programs. A program other than a group program will qualify only if:
(1) The program meets the requirements of §A of this regulation;
(2) An outline is prepared in advance and preserved for review by the Board, if required;
(3) The program is at least 1 hour in length (50-minute period); and
(4) The program provides evidence of satisfactory completion.

CPE Requirements: The applicant shall complete a minimum of 80 hours of acceptable continuing education in each 2-year license term after initial renewal.

Educational Content and Delivery Method Requirements

Pertinent Fields of Study: The Board requires each licensee to earn four (4) hours of professional ethics as part of the minimum of 80 hours reported to qualify for license renewal. This is the only subject requirement for CPE. The Board accepts CPE courses in 23 subject fields of study. These fields of study include:

Ethics Requirement: A minimum of 4 hours of the continuing education for each 2-year license term shall be in professional ethics with no carry forward provision for excess hours.

Self Study: Currently, self study can be interactive or regular (self reading). The maximum CPE that can be earned per license period through self study is 60 hours for which no more that 40 hours can be earned in regular self study. Twenty hours of CPE must be earned through participation in a classroom.

Legislation is pending which may change or repeal rules limiting the amount of CPE which can be obtained through self-study. It is the responsibility of the CPA to verify current CPE self-study rules with the Maryland Board of Accountancy.

Click here to visit the Maryland Board of Accountancy Website