All license holders in Arkansas must complete CPE to maintain an active license. Arkansas offers two reporting options: completion of 40 hours within the 12 months immediately preceding Jan. 1 of the year for which the license is renewed,
or completion of 120 hours within the prior 36 months.
CPE requirements
Arkansas CPAs may choose between two reporting cycles: 40 hours annually, completed within the 12 months preceding Jan. 1, or 120 hours triennially, completed within the 36 months preceding license expiration.
CPAs reporting 40 hours for the current renewal year may look back and apply up to three prior years of CPE to total 120 hours if deficient in the current reporting year.
Content and subject-area requirements
Licensees engaged in the practice of public accounting: Beginning Jan. 1, 2020 (for CPE completed for the 2021 license year and beyond), licensees engaged in the practice of public accounting must complete at least
40% of the required CPE hours in accounting, accounting ethics, attest or taxation.
Licensees not engaged in the practice of public accounting: Licensees not engaged in the practice of public accounting must complete at least 20% of the required CPE hours in accounting, accounting ethics, attest or
taxation.
Licensees engaged in attest or compilation functions: License holders engaged in any attest or compilation function must complete at least 20% of the required CPE hours in attest and accounting theory and practice.
Group study and self-study limitations
A minimum portion of required CPE hours must be completed through group study, which includes live webinars, conferences and classroom presentations. Licensees must complete at least 8 hours under the 40-hour reporting option or at
least 24 hours under the 120-hour reporting option.
Credits earned through independent study, self-study and authorship may not exceed 80% of the total CPE hours required. This limit applies collectively to self-study courses and articles, books or CPE programs authored by the licensee.
Arkansas ethics CPE requirements
All license holders must complete at least 4 hours of CPE in accounting professional conduct and ethics during the 36 months immediately preceding the expiration date of their current license.
Of the required ethics hours, 1 hour must focus specifically on the laws and rules of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy. This requirement may be satisfied by completing a free web-based course through the Board’s
website or by attending group training taught by a board member, board staff member or a designee of the Board.
New licensees who receive their initial license during the current calendar year are exempt from the ethics requirement until their first full calendar year of licensure.
Renewing your Arkansas CPA license
All Arkansas CPA licenses expire annually on Dec. 31. Registrants must renew their licenses by Dec. 31 each year, and all required CPE must be completed on or before the license expiration date.
Licenses not renewed before April 1 will lapse. Any license not renewed by April 1 following expiration is considered lapsed.
Documentation requirements
CPAs must retain documentation of completed CPE for five years following the end of the year in which the CPE hours were earned. Responsibility for documenting the acceptability of CPE courses rests with the CPA.
Credit measurement
A 50-minute period is considered equal to one CPE credit hour. One-half CPE credit hours, equal to 25 minutes, may be earned after the first full hour has been completed in a given course.