Louisiana CPA CPE Requirements (2026): 80 Hours Every 2 Years
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Requirements Overview
Louisiana requires 80 hours of continuing professional education measured over a rolling two-calendar-year window, with at least 20 hours each year. The Board recommends completing 40 hours annually to avoid shortfalls in the rolling calculation. A 3-hour Board-approved professional ethics course is mandatory in even-numbered years, with approved vendors including LCPA, Surgent McCoy CPE, WebCE, Kaplan, and others.
CPAs participating in attest engagements (compilations, reviews, audits, agreed-upon procedures) must earn at least 8 hours annually in accounting and auditing. Only interactive self-study programs qualify — non-interactive sources like magazines, reference materials, and nano learning are not accepted. Personal development courses are capped at 20 hours per year.
Newly licensed CPAs and those reinstating licenses have no CPE requirement in their first year. Non-resident licensees whose principal business is outside Louisiana may meet their home state's CPE requirements instead. No carryover of excess hours is permitted. Documentation must be retained for 5 years, and invalid proof includes registration forms, nametags, sign-in sheets, and self-generated transcripts.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board-Approved Professional Ethics | 3 | Every other renewal | Required in even-numbered years only. Must be a Board-approved 3-hour ethics course. Approved vendors include LCPA, Surgent McCoy CPE, CeriFi CPEdge, WebCE, Kaplan, and others. |
| Accounting and Auditing | 8 | Every renewal | 8 hours minimum annually for CPAs participating in attest engagements (compilations, reviews, audits, agreed-upon procedures). Participation includes performing substantial portions of procedures, or planning, directing, or reporting an attest engagement. |
Renewal Pathways
Exemptions
- Newly Licensed CPA — No CPE required in the first year of licensure.CPE obligations begin in the second year
- Inactive/Retired Status — Inactive and retired CPAs are not required to report CPE.Must maintain inactive or retired statusCannot practice public accounting
- Non-Resident Reciprocity — Non-resident licensees whose principal place of business is outside Louisiana may meet home state CPE requirements instead.If home state has no CPE requirements, Louisiana standards apply
How You Can Complete Your CE
Louisiana CPE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Louisiana that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Annual minimum — at least 20 hours must be completed each year of the cycle, not just by the renewal deadline.
- Carry-over — No carryover of excess hours to subsequent years. Louisiana uses a rolling two-calendar-year window, so excess hours in one year do not carry forward. The Board recommends completing 40 hours annually to avoid shortfalls.
- Rolling two-calendar-year period (not fixed biennium).
- Annual caps that cannot carry over: Personal Development 20 hrs, published materials 10 hrs, teaching/speaking 20 hrs, credential exam completion 20 hrs.
- Only interactive self-study programs qualify; non-interactive sources (magazines, reference materials, nano learning) do not qualify.
- Live webcasts count as live presentations if broadcast live with verified attendance.
- 1 CPE credit per 50 minutes of completion/attendance time.
- CPE documentation must be retained for 5 years from completion.
- Invalid proof includes: registration forms, nametags, sign-in sheets, self-generated transcripts.
Provider Requirements
Louisiana does not require pre-approval of CPE providers. For ethics courses, the Board maintains a list of approved vendors including LCPA, Surgent McCoy CPE, CeriFi CPEdge, WebCE, Kaplan, Beacon Hill Financial Educators, My CPE, Master CPE, cpethink, LEARNCPE, and Illumeo. Self-study programs must be interactive to qualify.
Tips for Louisiana CPAs
- The ethics course is required only in even-numbered years — taking it in odd years will not count toward the requirement.
- Non-interactive self-study is rejected entirely in Louisiana, including nano learning and magazine-based programs.
- The rolling two-year window means the Board looks at any consecutive 24-month span, not a fixed biennium — complete 40 hours per year to stay safe.
- Keep only official certificates of completion as proof — sign-in sheets, registration forms, and self-generated transcripts are explicitly rejected.
Sources
- Cross-checked against the official published rules of the Louisiana State Board of CPAs
- Each stated figure recorded with its exact source excerpt
- 1 source cited — 1 primary (official board)
CPA Requirements in Nearby States
Other Professions in Louisiana
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