Vermont operates on a biennial continuing professional education cycle running Aug. 1 through July 31 of odd-numbered years. CPAs must complete 80 hours every two years, including 4 hours of ethics and 8 hours of accounting and auditing.
General requirement
CPAs must complete 80 hours of CPE during each two-year reporting period. The reporting period runs Aug. 1 through July 31 biennially, ending in odd-numbered years. License renewal is due July 31 of odd-numbered years. The current period runs Aug. 1, 2025, through July 31, 2027.
Ethics requirement
Vermont requires 4 hours of ethics CPE each biennial period. Acceptable ethics content includes the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and Vermont accountancy statutes and rules.
Carryforward hours cannot be used to satisfy the ethics requirement. Four ethics hours must be earned in each reporting period.
Accounting and auditing requirement
Vermont requires 8 hours in accounting and auditing each biennial period. This requirement counts toward the 80-hour total and is in addition to the ethics requirement.
Carryforward hours cannot be used to satisfy the accounting and auditing requirement.
Credit limitations
- Instruction: Maximum of 40 hours (50%).
- Published materials: Maximum of 20 hours (25%).
- Self-study: No hour restriction. Up to 100% of the requirement may be completed through self-study from NASBA-approved sponsors.
- Nano learning: Accepted in any increment.
Credit calculation
- Standard measurement: One CPE credit equals 50 minutes of instruction.
- Instruction: Credit equals presentation time plus preparation time, with preparation limited to two times presentation time.
- Repeat instruction: Accepted only if the course material has been substantially revised.
- Rounding: Whole credits only, except for nano learning.
- University credit: 15 CPE hours per semester hour and 10 CPE hours per quarter hour.
New licensees
CPE requirements are prorated based on when the license is issued:
- Licensed prior to the start of the renewal cycle: 80 hours required, including 4 ethics hours and 8 accounting and auditing hours.
- Licensed in the first year of the renewal cycle: 40 hours in accountancy-related subjects.
- Licensed after the first year of the renewal cycle: No CPE required for that period.
If a license is issued within 90 days of the first renewal expiration date, the license remains valid until the next renewal date.
Carryforward
Up to 10 hours of excess CPE may be carried forward to the next reporting period. Carryforward hours count as general CPE only and cannot be used to satisfy the ethics or accounting and auditing requirements. Both subject-specific requirements must be earned within each reporting period.
Acceptable subjects
Qualifying subjects include accounting and auditing, taxation, management, information technology, ethics, mathematics, statistics, economics, business law, finance, production, marketing, personnel management, business management and organization, and specialized areas of industry. Other subjects may qualify if the licensee can demonstrate they contribute to professional competence.
Exemptions
The board may grant exceptions to CPE requirements for circumstances such as health conditions or military service.
Provider requirements
Vermont accepts CPE from NASBA National Registry sponsors. All CPE must adhere to the AICPA/NASBA Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education.