Maine CPA CPE Requirements

How to reach the regulator directly.

Maine Board of Public Accountancy
Department of Professional & Financial Regulation
Office of Professional & Occupational Regulation

Mailing address: 35 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0035

Delivery address/physical location: 76 Northern Avenue, Gardiner, Maine 04345

Tel: (207) 624-8672
Fax: (207) 624-8636
Email: accountancy.board@maine.gov

The regulator's own published rules and related resources.

Maine Board of Public Accountancy

The total continuing education hours required.

40 hours of CPE.

The detailed rules behind that total -- category minimums, ethics, and other conditions.

Updated January 1, 2020: All licensees shall obtain at least 40 hours of CPE annually, due at the time of renewal. The annual accumulation period for CPE is the twelve month licensure period prior to the renewal date.

All licensees shall obtain at least 4 hours of CPE in professional ethics every three years, beginning with the date of first renewal. Acceptable CPE in ethics may include a program of study of the accountancy laws and rules of the State of Maine, including the Rules of Professional Conduct set forth in Chapter 8 of the board's rules, or equivalent standards of the Securities Exchange Commission, the AICPA, or similar regulatory agency or professional organization.

The following subject matters are acceptable without limitation:

1. accounting, auditing & ethics;
2. specialized accounting areas of industry;
3. administrative practices;
4. taxation; and
5. management services.

Credit for the following subject matters are limited to 50% of the hours required:

1. Communication Arts.
2. Mathematics, Statistics, Probability & Quantitative Applications in Business.
3. Economics.
4. Business, Securities & Administrative Law.
5. Human Resources Policies.
6. Computer Software Applications.

Areas other than those listed above may be acceptable if the licensee can demonstrate to the Board that they contribute to the licensee's professional competence.

How the reporting cycle is structured.

Annual.

When a reporting cycle begins.

October 1.

How completed credits are reported to the regulator.

All licensees must certify at time of renewal completion of the continuing professional education required by this chapter. The licensee's certification is subject to audit as set forth in Chapter 13 of the rules of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, entitled "Uniform Rule for the Substantiation of Continuing Education Requirements."

Licensees shall retain documentation of compliance with the CPE requirement, including professional ethics, for the three annual licensure periods that immediately precede the current licensure period on a rolling basis. Such evidence should include course outlines and proof of attendance.

Licensees in group or self-study programs should document their participation including:

1. sponsor;
2. title and/or description of content;
3. date(s);
4. location; and
5. number of CPE contact hours.

Licensees attending a NASBA meeting must document the meeting agenda(s).

The renewal or reporting deadline.

September 30.

→ Get monthly reminders before this deadline

What happens if the requirement is not met.

The Board may verify information submitted by an applicant by whatever means it deems appropriate.

Assistance to the Board: The Board may look to recognized state or national accounting organizations for assistance in interpreting the acceptability of and credit to be allowed for individual courses.

If the CPE requirements are not met, the Board may choose to revoke or refuse to permit renewal of a member's license.

Reduced or prorated requirements for a first renewal.

Effective January 1, 2020: A person who obtains a license for the first time shall complete at least forty (40) credits of acceptable CPE during the first full annual period following the year in which the original license was obtained.

• February 22, 2020: Note From CeriFi: The ME Board has confirmed the following additional information:
  • Example: If licensed on 8/12/2019, then CPE is first due on 9/30/2020 (when 40 credits is due, including 4 credits of ethics).
  • New licensees can begin accruing the 40 credits of CPE from their date of licensure. Therefore, using the example above (licensed on 8/12/2019), the licensee could earn the 40 hours of CPE from 8/12/2019 through the 9/30/2020 deadline.

Effective October 27, 2010 - December 31, 2019: A person whose initial license is issued between August 1 and March 31 shall complete 20 hours of CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on September 30. A person whose initial license is issued between April 1 and July 31 need not complete any CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on September 30.

• Additional Notes:
  • A person whose initial license is issued between August 1 and September 30 shall earn 40 hours of CPE during the licensee’s initial license term, which will end on the second September 30 following the date of licensure.
  • A person whose initial license is issued between October 1 and March 31 shall complete 20 hours of CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on the first September 30 following the date of licensure.
  • A person whose initial license is issued between April 1 and July 31 need not complete any CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on the first September 30 following the date of licensure.

Prior to October 27, 2010: A person who is issued his initial certificate as a CPA or as a PA will not be required to meet the CPE requirements for his first renewal period ending September 30.

Who may be excused from all or part of this requirement.

License Reinstatement:

A former licensee who applies for reinstatement (pursuant to 32 M.R.S. §12234(2)) shall demonstrate completion of 80 hours of continuing professional education in the 24 months preceding application that meets the requirements of Section 8 of this chapter. The 80 hours of continuing professional education must include four hours of ethics.

Whether unused credits can apply to the next period.

If a licensee obtains more than 40 hours of CPE in any measurement period, no more than 20 hours of such excess may be carried forward and utilized in the immediately succeeding measurement period.

• For example, an individual who obtains 70 hours of CPE in one year and 30 hours in the succeeding year has 30 excess hours in the first year. The licensee may carry forward 20 hours from the first year to the second in order to make up a deficiency and satisfy the CPE requirement for the second year. However, the licensee may not carry any of the excess from the first year to satisfy the CPE requirement in any subsequent year.

→ CE Tracking calculates carryover for you

Rule changes the regulator has finalized, with effective dates.

Refer to the specific sections above for more details on any of the items noted below.

Effective January 1, 2020: The ME Board updated CPE regulations. Changes included:

• New licensees: A person who obtains a license for the first time shall complete at least forty (40) credits of acceptable CPE during the first full annual period following the year in which the original license was obtained.
  • February 22, 2020: Note From CeriFi: The ME Board has confirmed the following additional information:
    • Example: If licensed on 8/12/2019, then CPE is first due on 9/30/2020 (when 40 credits is due, including 4 credits of ethics).
    • New licensees can begin accruing the 40 credits of CPE from their date of licensure. Therefore, using the example above (licensed on 8/12/2019), the licensee could earn the 40 hours of CPE from 8/12/2019 through the 9/30/2020 deadline.
• Measurement: For purposes of this chapter, one hour is equal to 50 minutes of learning time.
  • February 13, 2020: Note from CeriFi: The ME Board has confirmed that under the new CPE measurement rule noted above, programs accredited using NASBA Standards would be accepted by the Board, for example a 0.2 credit nano-learning course is acceptable. As a result of this new interpretation, the content distributor has been updated to calculate credits and increments based on the current NASBA CPE Standards.
• Other minor wording changes.

Requirements for New Licensees:

Effective October 27, 2010: A person whose initial license is issued between August 1 and March 31 shall complete 20 hours of CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on September 30. A person whose initial license is issued between April 1 and July 31 need not complete any CPE during the licensee's initial license term ending on September 30.

General Characteristics of Accredited Education:

Effective October 27, 2010: Professional education courses shall be credited for continuing education purposes in one-half CPE credit increments (equal to 25 minutes) after the first credit has been earned in a given learning activity. A course participant must attend substantially an entire course to be granted credit for the entire course and, if a record of registration and attendance is not maintained by the sponsoring organization, the course participant must be able to prove registration and attendance.

Credit for Self Study Education:

Effective October 27, 2011: Effective with the annual period ending September 30, 2011, licensees may now obtain 100% of their CPE online or through formal correspondence or other individual study programs.

Effective October 1, 2004:

• The Board requires all licensees to obtain 40 hours of CPE annually.
• The new cycling period will be from October 1 to September 30.
• If a licensee obtains more than 40 hours of CPE in any measurement period, no more than 20 hours of such excess may be carried forward and utilized in the immediately succeeding measurement period.