New Mexico uses a rolling three-year CPE system tied to a CPA’s birth month. Licensees must complete 120 hours of continuing professional education over any three-year period, including at least 20 hours each year.
Rolling triennial requirement
CPAs complete 120 hours of CPE during a rolling three-year reporting period. The reporting cycle runs from the first day of the month following the CPA’s birth month through the last day of the birth month three years later.
Licenses renew annually on the last day of the CPA’s birth month.
Example: A CPA born in April has a reporting period from May 1 through April 30 over three years. At each renewal on April 30, the CPA must demonstrate completion of 120 hours earned during the preceding three years.
Annual minimum
New Mexico requires a minimum of 20 CPE hours each year within the rolling three-year reporting period.
Technical subjects requirement
At least 96 of the 120 hours must be in technical subject areas. Technical subjects include:
- Accounting and governmental accounting
- Auditing and governmental auditing
- Business law
- Economics
- Finance
- Information technology
- Management services
- Regulatory ethics
- Specialized knowledge
- Statistics
- Taxation
The remaining 24 hours may be in nontechnical subjects such as practice management, communication skills or professional development.
External provider requirement
At least 24 of the 120 hours must come from organizations other than the CPA’s firm or employer. This ensures participation in external learning programs.
Examples of acceptable external providers include NASBA National Registry sponsors, state CPA societies, AICPA programs, universities and other independent education providers.
In-firm training may count toward the remaining hours but cannot be used to satisfy the external provider requirement.
Ethics requirement
New Mexico requires 4 hours of ethics CPE during each rolling three-year period. Acceptable ethics topics include regulatory ethics, the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, Treasury Circular 230, New Mexico professional licensing laws, malpractice avoidance and professional responsibilities to the public, clients and colleagues.
The ethics requirement counts toward both the 120-hour total and the 96-hour technical requirement.
Credit limitations
Instruction and authorship
Credit for teaching and authorship is limited to a combined maximum of 60 hours during the rolling three-year period.
Instruction credit equals presentation time plus preparation time. Preparation credit is limited to the same amount as presentation time. Repeat instruction receives credit only for actual presentation time.
Board meeting attendance
Attendance at New Mexico Public Accountancy Board meetings may count for up to 4 hours of CPE during the rolling three-year period.
Nano learning
Nano learning programs earn one-fifth credit hour per program. A maximum of 8 CPE hours may be earned through nano learning during the rolling three-year reporting period.
Credit calculation
Partial credit
Partial credit is permitted in half-hour increments after the first full hour of participation.
University credit
- 1 semester hour equals 15 CPE hours.
- 1 quarter hour equals 10 CPE hours.
- Noncredit courses earn 1 CPE hour for each classroom hour.
Approved providers
New Mexico accepts CPE from NASBA National Registry sponsors and programs that meet AICPA or NASBA Quality Assurance Service standards. Separate pre-approval by the board is generally not required.
No carryover
New Mexico’s rolling three-year system does not allow traditional carryover of excess CPE hours. At each renewal, the board evaluates the hours earned during the previous three years.
Enforcement
CPAs who fail to meet the 120-hour requirement by the end of the reporting period may be placed in noncompliance status. Licensees must submit a written explanation and request an extension. Failure to complete CPE within an approved extension may result in disciplinary action.