Oklahoma CPA CPE Requirements

How to reach the regulator directly.

Oklahoma Accountancy Board
201 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Tel: (405) 521-2397
Fax: (405) 521-3118

Email: mmount@oab.ok.gov

The regulator's own published rules and related resources.

Oklahoma Accountancy Board

The total continuing education hours required.

Effective July 1, 2005: Beginning January 1, 2006: 120 hours. Certificate and license holders not otherwise exempt must complete one hundred twenty (120) hours of qualifying CPE within a rolling three (3) calendar year period.

Prior to July 1, 2005: 40 hours.

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

Certificate and License Holders Actively Involved in the Supervision or Review of Compilation Engagements for Third Party Reliance:

Effective January 1, 2011: If a certificate or license holder is actively involved in the supervision or review of compilation engagements for third party reliance, the certificate or license holder must complete a minimum of four (4) credits of CPE in the subject area of compilation engagements in each calendar year. This requirement shall be waived if:

1. the certificate or license holder works for a public accounting firm currently enrolled in a peer review program with an approved sponsoring organization; or
2. the certificate or license holder is a sole proprietorship currently enrolled in a peer review program with an approved sponsoring organization.

• Note from the OK Board: June 8, 2015: To satisfy the requirement, the coursework must cover "compilations" specifically. Courses in "Compilation and Review" are not sufficient under Board rules to meet the "Compilation" requirement. Your coursework must be specifically in Compilation, Compilation Engagements, SSARS 19 Compilation Guidance, etc. Courses with "Compilation and Review" tend to cover Review heavily and the Board has ruled that the focus should be on Compilation only. Courses with “Compilation and Review” in the title do not meet this requirement.

Effective July 1, 2005: A minimum of twenty (20) hours of acceptable CPE shall be completed each calendar year.

Ethics Requirement:

Effective July 1, 2008: Beginning January 1, 2009, four hours of professional ethics must be completed within each rolling three (3) calendar year period. The professional ethics requirement as mandated in this section may be met by courses from other licensed professional disciplines that relate directly to the practice of public accounting, such as law or securities and may be met by courses on ethical codes in jurisdictions other than Oklahoma.

Prior to July 1, 2008: An individual who applies to renew a permit, other than a new CPA, new PA, or reciprocal applicant shall document that the applicant has completed two (2) hours of professional ethics, within the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of the application for the permit; or within the three hundred sixty-five (365) day period immediately preceding the date of the application for the permit.

Industry License Holders:

Effective July 1, 2008: In addition to the 72-hour requirement below, a minimum of eight (8) hours in the areas of taxation, accounting or assurance is required per calendar year.

Effective July 1, 2005: If a certificate or license holder's main area of employment is industry and the certificate or license holder holds a permit to practice, at least seventy-two (72) hours of the one hundred twenty (120) hour requirement within a three (3) year period of the qualifying CPE completed by the certificate or license holder shall be in subjects related to the practice of public accounting.

Prior to July 1, 2005: If a CPA's or PA's main area of employment is industry, at least 24 hours of the qualifying CPE completed by the permit holder shall be in subject areas related to the practice of public accounting.

Non-CPA Owners of Public Accounting Firms or Affiliated Entities:

Effective January 1, 2012: A firm which includes non-CPA owners may not qualify for a firm registration and permit unless every non-CPA owner of the firm:

1. is an individual;
2. is actively providing personal services in the nature of management of some portion of the firm’s business interest or performing services for clients of the firm or
3. an affiliated entity;
4. is of good character as defined by OK Regulations;
5. is not a suspended or revoked CPA or PA;
6. who is a resident of Oklahoma is registered with the Board in the same manner as a CPA (under Section 15:14 of the Oklahoma Accountancy Act) on a form prescribed by the Board.

Effective January 1, 2012: Each of the non-CPA owners who are residents of Oklahoma must:

1. be in compliance with Oklahoma tax laws;
2. provide evidence of the successful completion (90% or better), within the past 365 days prior to initial registration, of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board;
3. comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct (as set out in 10:15-39-1);
4. hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree conferred by a college or university, or equivalent education as determined by the Board;
5. maintain any professional designation held by the individual in good standing with the appropriate organization or regulatory body that is identified or used in an advertisement, letterhead, business card, or other firm-related communication;
6. maintain continuing education (in accordance with Section 10:15-32-1), provided credit shall be given for any other professional CPE or equivalent professional continuing education earned;
7. submit to a national criminal history record check. The costs associated with the record check shall be paid by the non-CPA owner.

A "Non-CPA Owner" includes any individual who has any financial interest in the firm or any voting rights in the firm.

• NOTE: January 9, 2012: CeriFi CPEdge has confirmed with the OK Board that non-CPA owners who are residents of OK must meet the same CPE requirements as regular OK licensees, although they may use continuing education from other areas, such as CLE, provided it would also comply with the requirement that it would maintain or advance their proficiency in the field of accounting.

How the reporting cycle is structured.

Effective July 1, 2005: Rolling Triennial. Beginning January 1, 2006, all certificate and license holders not otherwise exempt must complete one hundred twenty (120) hours of qualifying CPE within three (3) calendar years.

Effective until December 31, 2005: An individual who applies to renew a permit, other than a new CPA, new PA, or reciprocal applicant shall document that the applicant has:

1. completed a minimum of forty (40) hours of qualifying CPE within the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of the application for the permit; or
2. completed a minimum of forty (40) hours of qualified CPE within the three hundred sixty-five (365) day period immediately preceding the date of the application for the permit.

When a reporting cycle begins.

Effective July 1, 2005: January 1. A certificate or license holder's three (3) year period begins January 1 in the year the certificate or license holder was required to report CPE.

Prior to July 1, 2005: Either January 1 or the date three hundred sixty-five (365) day period immediately preceding the date of the application for the permit.

How completed credits are reported to the regulator.

Each certificate or license holder shall annually report CPE for the preceding calendar year or claim an exemption to the CPE requirement for the preceding calendar year. This reporting shall take place in conjunction with the filing of the certificate or license holder's annual registration renewal based on the certificate or license holder's birth month. The Board shall provide a schedule for purposes of transitioning to the new staggered annual birth month renewal/reporting dates (refer to "Reporting Date" below).

CPE shall be reported annually on a form (or format) prescribed by the Board.

Individuals who complete sponsored learning activities that maintain or improve their professional competence should claim the CPE credits recommended by CPE program sponsors. CPE hours claimed for credit may be claimed only for the compliance period in which the course was completed and credit granted.

Each letter or certificate of completion shall include the date of completion of the seminar or course as evidenced by:

1. Date the in-attendance course was completed;
2. Date a self-study course was completed and evidenced by the date of certified mailing or date of facsimile transmission to the program sponsor;
3. Date an internet self-study course is transmitted to the program sponsor.

At the time of completing each course, or within sixty (60) days thereafter, the certificate or license holder shall obtain a letter or certificate attesting to completion of the course from the sponsor of the course. Such letters or certificates shall be retained for a period of five (5) years after the end of the compliance period in which the program is completed and shall include the specific information set forth in the Board's CPE Standards.

Participants in structured CPE programs shall also retain descriptive material for five (5) years which reflects the content of a course in the event the participant is requested by the Board to substantiate the course content.

Periodically, registrants participate in learning activities which do not comply with all applicable CPE requirements, for example specialized industry programs offered through industry sponsors. If registrants propose to claim credit for such learning activities, they should retain all relevant information regarding the program to provide documentation to state licensing bodies and/or all other professional organizations or bodies that the learning activity is equivalent to one which meets all these Standards.

Registrants are responsible for accurate reporting of the appropriate number of CPE credits earned and should retain appropriate documentation of their participation in learning activities, including:

1. name and contact information of CPE program sponsor;
2. title and description of content;
3. date(s) of program; and
4. number of CPE credits, all of which should be included in documentation provided by the CPE program sponsor.

Participants must document their claims of CPE credit. Examples of acceptable evidence of completion include:

1. For group and independent study programs, a certificate or other verification supplied by the CPE program sponsor;
2. For self-study programs, a certificate supplied by the CPE program sponsor after satisfactory completion of an examination;
3. For instruction credit, a certificate or other verification supplied by the CPE program sponsor;
4. For a university or college course that is successfully completed for credit, a record or transcript of the grade the participant received;
5. For university or college non-credit courses, a certificate of attendance issued by a representative of the university or college; and
6. For published articles, books, or CPE programs, (1) a copy of the publication (or in the case of a CPE program, course development documentation) that names the writer as author or contributor, (2) a statement from the writer in a format prescribed by the Board supporting the number of CPE hours claimed, and (3) the name and contact information of the independent reviewer(s) or publisher.

If you teach a college course, you will need a letter from the department head stating that you taught the course, which semester of which year you taught the course, the course title, the number of college semester credit hours participants of the course will receive from the college or university.

To protect the public interest, regulators require CPAs and PAs to document maintenance and enhancement of professional competence through periodic reporting of CPE. For convenience, measurement is expressed in CPE credits. However, the objective of CPE must always be maintenance/enhancement of professional competence, not attainment of credits. Compliance with regulatory and other requirements mandates that registrants keep documentation of their participation in activities designed to maintain and/or improve professional competence. In the absence of legal or other requirements, a reasonable policy is to retain documentation for a minimum of five years from the end of the year in which the learning activities were completed.

Participants in CPE programs shall also retain descriptive material for five (5) years which reflects the content of a curse in the event the participant is requested by the Board to substantiate the course content. Examples of such descriptive materials might include:

1. course descriptions;
2. course outlines; and
3. course objectives.

The renewal or reporting deadline.

Effective January 2012: Annual birth-month reporting is effective, and from January 2012 forward, all registrants are required to register their certificates during their birth month each year. During registration, CPE must also be reported. It is important to note that CPE is always reported for the previous calendar year. (When reporting your CPE that regardless of the month in which you are reporting your CPE, you must report hours earned in the previous calendar year only.The online renewal application is made available 60 days prior to your registration deadline.)

• Example: A registrant born in July will have a registration deadline of July 31 at which point CPE hours earned between January 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year will be reported.
• Example: A registrant born in August will have a registration deadline of August 31, at which point CPE hours earned between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year will be reported.
• Example: A registrant born in September will have a registration deadline of September 30, at which point CPE hours earned between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year will be reported.

Effective April 6, 2011: OK Board staff preparing for the launch of the transition to annual birth month registration for CPAs and PAs. The registration period will open June 1, 2011, and your registration fees and, if applicable, permit fees will be prorated until the last day of your birth month in 2012. You are encouraged to renew online, but paper forms will be available. If you renew online, the prorated fees will be calculated for you.

Effective April 6, 2011: In 2011, licensees with even numbered registrations will expire on June 30, 2011 and licensees with odd-numbered registrations will expire on July 31, 2011. Following these renewals, licenses will then expire on the last date of the birth month in 2012.

• For more information, refer to the schedule on the OK Board website.

Effective July 1, 2009: CPE shall be reported annually by July 31 on a form prescribed by the Board.

Prior to July 1, 2009: June 30.

→ Get monthly reminders before this deadline

What happens if the requirement is not met.

Certificate and license holders should comply with all applicable CPE requirements and should claim CPE credit only for CPE programs when the CPE program sponsors have complied with the Standards for CPE Program Presentation and Standards for CPE Program Reporting.

Certificate and license holders are responsible for compliance with all applicable CPE requirements, rules, and regulations of state licensing bodies, other governmental entities, membership associations, and other professional organizations or bodies. They should contact each appropriate entity to which they report to determine its specific requirements or any exceptions it may have to the standards presented herein.

Burden of proof

The burden of proof rests solely upon certificate and license holders to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board, in accordance with the Oklahoma Accountancy Act, that all continuing education courses reported meet all the requirements as to content and subject matter related to the profession as provided by the standards for continuing professional education.

Verification of CPE Credit.

The Board may periodically conduct verification of the CPE credit reported by certificate and license holders.

Such verification shall be conducted by requesting the certificate or license holder to submit to the Board the documentation and evidence required to be retained by the certificate or license holder.

If a CPE course is not accepted for credit, the certificate or license holder will be notified and the Board may grant a period of time for the certificate or license holder to correct the deficiency.

In order to determine compliance with the CPE standards, the Board may inspect the records of CPE program sponsors and CPE program developers.

Certificate and license holders shall automatically be included in the subsequent verification of CPE in any of the following instances:

1. If the certificate or license holder failed to satisfactorily comply with CPErequirements as determined by the Board;
2. if a certificate or license holder has been the subject of an enforcement action by the Board during the preceding credit verification.

Registrants are required to substantiate credit reported to the Board, regardless of whether the registrant continues to be required to hold a permit.

Current valid credit may be substituted for disallowed credit if offered to the Board by the registrant within sixty (60) days, or a number of days as determined by the Board, following notification of a credit deficiency.

Before enforcement action is taken as the result of a CPE audit deficiency, the Board will issue a second request for documents and allow sixty (60) days, or a number of days as determined by the Board, for compliance with the request.

Penalties to certificate and license holders for noncompliance with the CPE requirement

Failure by a certificate or license holder to document CPE credits shall constitute a cause for disciplinary action pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Accountancy Act.

Reduced or prorated requirements for a first renewal.

A certificate or license holder’s rolling three (3) calendar year period begins January 1 in the year the certificate or license holder was required to earn CPE. There will be no pro rata requirements.

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

All certificate and license holders must comply with CPE reporting requirements unless exempted below.

1. The Board exempts from the requirements of CPE the following classifications:
1. Retired certificate or license holders who are no longer employed or practicing public accounting;
2. Certificate or license holders who are on active military service;
3. Disabled certificate or license holders who are no longer employed or practicing public accounting due to medical circumstances;
4. Certificate or license holders who are (A) not employed due to circumstances other than retirement, military service or disability or (B) certificate or license holders employed but not performing any services associated with accounting work. For purposes of this section, the term "associated with accounting work" shall include but is not limited to the following:
1. working or supervising work performed in the areas of financial accounting and reporting; tax compliance, planning or advice; management advisory services; accounting information systems; treasury, finance or audit or preparing personal financial statements or investment plans; or
2. representing to the public, including an employer, that the registrant is a CPA or PA in connection with the performance or sale of any services or products involving accounting work, including such designation on a business card, letterhead, promotional brochure, advertisement, office, website or any electronic media.
5. Effective August 1, 2019: Certificate of license holders who reside and are registered as a CPA or PA in another state, who do not serve Oklahoma clients, and who demonstrate compliance with the resident state’s CPE requirements. Registrants whose state of residence does not have a CPE requirement shall comply with Oklahoma CPE reporting requirements.
6. Other good cause as determined by the Board on an individual basis.
2. In order to be granted an exemption based (1) above, certificate and license holders must request an exemption each year in a format prescribed by the Board. An exemption may be denied at any time if it is determined that the certificate or license holder was not eligible for the exemption claimed.
3. In order for an exemption to be granted under (1) above, the Board may require the following affidavits:
1. The registrant completes and forwards to the Board a sworn affidavit indicating that the registrant will not be associated with accounting work during the period for which the exemption is requested. A registrant who has been granted this exemption and who re-enters the work force shall be required to comply with 10:15-30-9 (refer to "Re-Entering Active Status" below); and
2. The registrant forwards to the Board a sworn affidavit from the employer or organization indicating no association with accounting work. The affidavit shall include, as a minimum, a brief description of the duties performed, job title, and verification by the registrant's immediate supervisor that there is no reliance on the registrant's expertise as a CPA or PA.
4. The Executive Director or his/her designee may grant extensions or exemptions for good cause on a case by case basis, and a report of such actions shall be provided to the Board.
5. A certificate or license holder exempt from the requirement of CPE by reason of retirement or inactive status must indicate "retired" or "inactive" if they use their "CPA" or "PA" designation in any manner.

Required CPE for Issuance of a Lapsed Permit

Effective July 1, 2009: Certificate and license holders previously holding a permit to practice public accounting must report a minimum of forty (40) hours of CPE earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application and shall also provide evidence of the successful completion of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application before a permit will be issued. If the ethics examination course is to be counted toward the CPE required for the permit, it must have been completed during the same period as the remaining CPE reported to obtain the permit. The passing score is determined by the Board. Any ethics course meeting the requirements for the renewal of a lapsed permit:

1. must be one course which has been recommended for at least eight (8) hours of CPE credit by the course provider; and
2. must have been passed with a score of 90% or above.

Effective July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009: Certificate and license holders previously holding a permit to practice public accounting must report a minimum of forty (40) hours of CPE, and shall also provide evidence of the successful completion of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application before a permit will be issued. The passing score is determined by the Board.

Effective July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008: Beginning January 1, 2006, all certificate and license holders previously holding a permit to practice public accounting must report a minimum of forty (40) hours of CPE, including two (2) hours of professional ethics, earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application before a permit will be issued. A certificate or license holder shall also provide evidence of the successful completion of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board. The passing score is determined by the Board.

Re-Entering Active Status

Effective July 1, 2009: An inactive status registrant upon return to active status must comply with CPE requirements as follows:

1. The three (3)-year CPE cycle of a registrant returning to active status shall begin January 1 of the year in which the registrant returns to active status. Forty (40) hours of the CPE credit reported to meet the requirements to return to active status will be counted toward the three (3)-year CPE cycle for the calendar year in which it is earned if the credit is earned:
1. within the calendar year the registrant returns to active status, or
2. within one year of the date the registrant returns to active status.
2. For each calendar year in which the registrant claimed an exemption or failed to report CPE pursuant to the CPE requirement, the registrant must complete forty (40) hours of CPE.
3. The maximum number of CPE hours required to return to active status shall be one hundred twenty (120) hours, including at least four (4) hours of professional ethics.
4. If the number of CPE hours required to return to active status is fewer than one hundred twenty (120), two (2) hours of professional ethics must be included.
5. The registrant may claim any CPE hours earned while on inactive status during the preceding three (3)-year period.
6. A registrant who immediately gives written notice to the Board upon changing to active status may be granted the following time periods in which to complete the CPE required by this section:
1. Sixty (60) days from the date of the return to active status for registrants needing forty (40) or fewer hours of CPE; and
2. One year from the date of the return to active status for any additional CPE above the (40) hours described in (A) above.
7. A registrant must document, on a form prescribed by the Board, all qualified CPE required by this rule.
8. At its discretion, the Board may modify the requirements of this rule for good cause on a case by case basis.

Effective July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009: [No. (2) below is amended as follows:] The maximum number of qualified CPE hours required by this rule shall be one hundred twenty (120) hours, including at least four (4) hours of CPE in ethics.

Effective July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009: An inactive status registrant upon return to active status must comply with CPE requirements as follows:

1. For each month the registrant was on inactive status, three and one-third (3 1/3) hours of qualified CPE, rounded up to the nearest half credit.
2. The maximum number of qualified CPE hours required by this rule shall be one hundred twenty (120) hours.
3. The registrant can claim any CPE hours earned while on inactive status during the preceding three (3) year period.
4. A registrant who immediately gives written notice to the Board upon changing to active status may be granted the following time periods from the date of the change of status in which to complete the CPE required by this section.
1. From the date of the change of status, for registrants needing forty (40) hours or less to comply with (1) or (2) above, sixty (60) days; and
2. From the date of the change of status, a registrant shall complete additional CPE over the forty (40) hours described in (a) above within one hundred eighty (180) days.
5. A registrant must document, on a form prescribed by the Board, all qualified CPE required by this rule.
6. At its discretion, the Board may modify the requirements of this rule for good cause on a case by case basis.

Whether unused credits can apply to the next period.

Not permitted.

→ 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.

Exemptions:

Effective August 1, 2019: Certificate of license holders who reside and are registered as a CPA or PA in another state, who do not serve Oklahoma clients, and who demonstrate compliance with the resident state’s CPE requirements. Registrants whose state of residence does not have a CPE requirement shall comply with Oklahoma CPE reporting requirements.

Breakdown of Specific Requirements:

Non-CPA Owner of a Public Accounting Firm (or Affiliated Entity) Whose Residence is in Oklahoma:

Effective for annual periods beginning January 1, 2012: Non-CPA owners of public accounting firms (or affiliated entities) whose residence is in Oklahoma are required to earn and report CPE in the same manner as regular OK licensees. Such non-CPA owners may use continuing education from other areas, such as CLE, provided it would also comply with the requirement that it would maintain or advance their proficiency in the field of accounting.

• NOTE: January 2012: CeriFi CPEdge has confirmed that the first annual period in which non-CPA owners firm owners must complete CPE is January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012. Similar to new OK licensees, non-CPA owners will be held responsible for meeting the minimum CPE reporting requirements beginning in the year that they are registered. However, over each three year period a non-CPA firm owner will need to report a total of 120 credits.

Reporting Date:

Effective April 6, 2011: OK Board staff preparing for the launch of the transition to annual birth month registration for CPAs and PAs. The registration period will open June 1, 2011, and your registration fees and, if applicable, permit fees will be prorated until the last day of your birth month in 2012. You are encouraged to renew online, but paper forms will be available. If you renew online, the prorated fees will be calculated for you.

Effective April 6, 2011: In 2011, licensees with even numbered registrations will expire on June 30, 2011 and licensees with odd-numbered registrations will expire on July 31, 2011. Following these renewals, licenses will then expire on the last date of the birth month in 2012.

• For more information, refer to the schedule on the OK Board website.

Breakdown of Specific Requirements:

Effective January 1, 2011: If a certificate or license holder is actively involved in the supervision or review of compilation engagements for third party reliance, the certificate or license holder must complete a minimum of four (4) credits of CPE in the subject area of compilation engagements in each calendar year. This requirement shall be waived if:

1. the certificate or license holder works for a public accounting firm currently enrolled in a peer review program with an approved sponsoring organization; or
2. the certificate or license holder is a sole proprietorship currently enrolled in a peer review program with an approved sponsoring organization.

Certificates of Attendance for Courses/Programs Meeting the "Supervision or Review of Compilation Engagements for Third Party Reliance" Requirement:

• December 2010: CeriFi CPEdge has confirmed with the OK Board, that in order to meet this requirement, Oklahoma registrants must have at least 4 hours each year specifically in compilations (not in a combination of compilations and reviews). To get credit toward the requirement, the program sponsor should provide a certificate of attendance showing how many CPE hours were dedicated to compilations. If this CPE hours dedicated toward complilations is not provided on the certificate supplied by the sponsor, the title of the course (also noted on the certificate) may be acceptable, but note that if the course title says 'compilations and reviews,' the registrant will likely not get credit toward the compilation requirement. Sponsors are advised to confirm the adequacy of their certificates of attendance for this requirement with the OK Board.

Reporting Date:
Effective July 1, 2009: CPE shall be reported annually by July 31 on a form prescribed by the Board.

Requirements for New Licensees:
Effective July 1, 2009: Certificate and license holders applying for their first permit to practice public accounting must report a minimum of forty (40) hours of CPE, earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application and shall also provide evidence of the successful completion of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board before a permit will be issued. If the ethics examination course is to be counted toward the CPE required for the permit, it must have been completed during the same period as the remaining CPE reported to obtain the permit. Any ethics course meeting the requirements for issuance of an original permit:

1. must be one course which has been recommended for at least eight (8) hours of CPE credit by the course provider; and
2. must have been passed with a score of 90% or above.

Exemptions:
Effective July 1, 2009: Required CPE for Issuance of a Lapsed Permit. Certificate and license holders previously holding a permit to practice public accounting must report a minimum of forty (40) hours of CPE earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application and shall also provide evidence of the successful completion of the AICPA Ethics Examination or its equivalent as determined by the Board earned within the previous calendar year or within 365 days immediately preceding the date of the application before a permit will be issued. If the ethics examination course is to be counted toward the CPE required for the permit, it must have been completed during the same period as the remaining CPE reported to obtain the permit. The passing score is determined by the Board. Any ethics course meeting the requirements for the renewal of a lapsed permit:

1. must be one course which has been recommended for at least eight (8) hours of CPE credit by the course provider; and
2. must have been passed with a score of 90% or above.

Exemptions:

Effective July 1, 2009: Re-Entering Active Status. An inactive status registrant upon return to active status must comply with CPE requirements as follows:

1. The three (3)-year CPE cycle of a registrant returning to active status shall begin January 1 of the year in which the registrant returns to active status. Forty (40) hours of the CPE credit reported to meet the requirements to return to active status will be counted toward the three (3)-year CPE cycle for the calendar year in which it is earned if the credit is earned:
1. within the calendar year the registrant returns to active status, or
2. within one year of the date the registrant returns to active status.
2. For each calendar year in which the registrant claimed an exemption or failed to report CPE pursuant to the CPE requirement, the registrant must complete forty (40) hours of CPE.
3. The maximum number of CPE hours required to return to active status shall be one hundred twenty (120) hours, including at least four (4) hours of professional ethics.
4. If the number of CPE hours required to return to active status is fewer than one hundred twenty (120), two (2) hours of professional ethics must be included.
5. The registrant may claim any CPE hours earned while on inactive status during the preceding three (3)-year period.
6. A registrant who immediately gives written notice to the Board upon changing to active status may be granted the following time periods in which to complete the CPE required by this section:
2. Sixty (60) days from the date of the return to active status for registrants needing forty (40) or fewer hours of CPE; and
3. One year from the date of the return to active status for any additional CPE above the (40) hours described in (A) above.
7. A registrant must document, on a form prescribed by the Board, all qualified CPE required by this rule.
8. At its discretion, the Board may modify the requirements of this rule for good cause on a case by case basis.

Credit for Self-Study Education:

Effective July 1, 2009: Self-study courses considered for CPE credit must be:

1. offered by sponsors registered with NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy); or
2. courses offered by the AICPA or other such organizations as determined by the Board.

Breakdown of Specific Requirements:
Effective July 1, 2008: Ethics Requirement: Beginning January 1, 2009, four hours of professional ethics must be completed within each rolling three (3) calendar year period. The professional ethics requirement as mandated in this section may be met by courses from other licensed professional disciplines that relate directly to the practice of public accounting, such as law or securities and may be met by courses on ethical codes in jurisdictions other than Oklahoma.

Effective July 1, 2008: Industry License Holders: A minimum of eight (8) hours in the areas of taxation, accounting or assurance per calendar year.

Credit for Writing:
Effective July 1, 2007: CPE credit from this activity shall be limited to 10 CPE credits per calendar year and will be determined by the Board on a case by case basis.

Credit Hours Required:
Effective July 1, 2005: Beginning January 1, 2006: 120 hours.

Breakdown of Specific Requirements:
Effective July 1, 2005: A minimum of twenty (20) hours of acceptable CPE shall be completed each calendar year.

Effective July 1, 2005: Industry License Holders: If a certificate or license holder's main area of employment is industry and the certificate or license holder holds a permit to practice, at least seventy-two (72) hours of the one hundred twenty (120) hour requirement within a three (3) year period of the qualifying CPE completed by the certificate or license holder shall be in subjects related to the practice of public accounting.

Cycling Period:
Effective July 1, 2005: Rolling Triennial. Beginning January 1, 2006, all certificate and license holders not otherwise exempt must complete one hundred twenty (120) hours of qualifying CPE within three (3) calendar years.

Start Date:
Effective July 1, 2005: January 1. A certificate or license holder's three (3) year period begins January 1 in the year the certificate or license holder was required to report CPE.