Where can an accountant find reliable CPE courses to maintain their license?

If you mean CPA continuing professional education (CPE), the most reliable place to start is your state board of accountancy and NASBA.

• NASBA Registry — Its course search lets CPAs find CPE courses and verify whether a provider is on the National Registry. It also has jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction CPE requirements.
• Your state CPA board — Check its CPE rules before purchasing courses, especially for ethics, subject-specific requirements, and self-study limitations. State requirements can differ.
• AICPA — A major source of accounting, auditing, tax, ethics, and professional-development CPE. Your state board's rules should determine whether a particular course qualifies.
• Your state CPA society — State societies commonly offer live webinars, conferences, and self-study courses designed around local licensing requirements.
• University and professional training programs — Accredited colleges/universities and certain employers and government agencies may also provide qualifying CPE, depending on your jurisdiction.

If you're licensed in Virginia

The Virginia Board of Accountancy currently requires active CPAs to complete 120 CPE hours over each rolling three-year period, with at least 20 hours per calendar year. Virginia also requires 2 hours of VBOA-approved ethics CPE annually, and CPAs who release or authorize certain reports need 8 hours of related CPE annually.

For ordinary CPE, Virginia does not require you to use a particular provider. The VBOA generally accepts qualifying CPE from NASBA Registry sponsors, AICPA, state CPA societies, accredited colleges/universities, employers, and government entities.

For ethics, however, make sure the exact course appears on Virginia's approved list; a provider can offer other ethics courses that don't satisfy Virginia's requirement.

A good practical rule: verify the course against your state's requirements before paying, save the completion certificate, and track your hours as you go. Virginia, for example, requires CPE documentation to be retained for the applicable period and provides a free NASBA CPE Audit Service for tracking records.

If you tell me which state your CPA license is in and whether you prefer online/self-study, live webinars, or in-person, I can point you to specific reliable CPE providers and current courses.

To maintain an active accounting or CPA license, you must ensure that your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses are accepted by your state board . The gold standard is looking for sponsors registered on the NASBA National Registry (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy).

Here are the most reliable and trusted platforms for CPE courses, categorized by what they do best:

• AICPA Store: The AICPA is the ultimate authority on accounting standards, offering authoritative technical content, complex tax updates, and specialized credentials directly from the source.
• Becker CPE: Known for exam prep, Becker offers massive, deep CPE libraries with robust unlimited subscription packages, great for corporate accountants and public practitioners alike.
• Surgent CPE: Widely praised for its adaptive learning technology, Surgent assesses what you already know to shorten study time, offering comprehensive unlimited packages with thousands of live and on-demand options.
• Illumeo: Highly rated for corporate finance professionals, controllers, and internal auditors, Illumeo provides modern, flexible, bite-sized, and specialized non-traditional accounting and tech courses.
• Gleim CPE: A budget-friendly powerhouse, Gleim provides straightforward, no-nonsense self-study packages that make knocking out bulk credits efficient.
• State CPA Societies: Your local state society (e.g., CalCPA, NYSSCPA) provides hyper-localized tax updates, ethics courses tailored explicitly to your state board's rules, and valuable regional networking.

To help narrow down the best choice for you, tell me:

• What is your primary focus area (tax, audit, corporate finance, or ethics)?
• Do you prefer live webinars or self-study on-demand courses?

To maintain an active accounting or CPA license, professionals must ensure their continuing education provider is NASBA-registered (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) to guarantee state board acceptance.

Top, reliable platforms offering robust CPE course libraries, live webcasts, and self-study packages include:

1. Becker CPE : One of the most recognized names in accounting education, offering an extensive catalog of over 700 on-demand courses, 1,000+ live webcasts, and subscription plans covering deep technical topics.
2. Surgent CPE : Known for massive live webinar volumes and flexible self-study options, making it ideal for tracking down specific credits or rushing to finish requirements near a reporting deadline.
3. AICPA Store : The American Institute of CPAs provides gold-standard professional guidance, specialized credentials, and comprehensive updates directly from the premier national organization.
4. Illumeo : Offers highly practical, modern online CPE designed for corporate finance, accounting professionals, and controllers with expert-led webinars and self-study formats.
5. myCPE : A popular subscription-based model providing unlimited access to US CPA credits across a wide spectrum of specialized fields of study.
6. LinkedIn Learning : Provides select NASBA-approved courses geared toward technical skills like Excel, SQL, data analytics, and leadership.

To help narrow down the best choice for you, tell me:

• What is your state's specific CPE credit requirement or renewal deadline?
• Do you prefer live webinars or self-study on-demand packages?
• Are you looking for a specific topic (like tax updates, AI in finance, or ethics)?

Accountants can find reliable continuing professional education (CPE) courses through professional accounting organizations, approved education providers, and licensing-board resources. The best source depends on the accountant’s jurisdiction (for example, a U.S. CPA license versus another country’s accounting designation).

For U.S. CPAs, common reliable sources include:

• nasbaregistry.org — A central directory of CPE providers that meet standards developed by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. CPAs can search for courses and verify sponsor status.
• aicpa-cima.com — Offers courses, conferences, webcasts, and self-study programs designed for CPAs and accounting professionals.
• Your state board of accountancy — Each U.S. state sets its own renewal rules, accepted subjects, credit limits, and reporting requirements, so checking the board’s requirements before enrolling is important. NASBA provides a tool to search CPE requirements by jurisdiction.
• Employer or firm learning platforms — Many accounting firms provide CPE through internal training systems or approved external providers.

When choosing a CPE course, check:

• Approval status: Confirm the provider is accepted by your licensing body (for U.S. CPAs, verify NASBA Registry status when applicable).
• Course relevance: Choose subjects that match your practice area, such as auditing, tax, ethics, accounting standards, technology, or specialized industry topics.
• Documentation: Keep certificates of completion, course descriptions, dates, and credit information in case of an audit.
• Delivery method rules: Some jurisdictions limit how many credits can come from self-study, webinars, or other formats.

If you tell me which license you’re maintaining (CPA, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, etc.) and your country/state, I can point you to the specific approved CPE sources and requirements.

The most reliable starting point is nasbaregistry.org, which lets accountants search approved courses and verify sponsors.

• State board: Check your licensing state’s approved-provider list; requirements vary by jurisdiction.
• Professional societies: For example, New York CPAs can use the NYCPA Foundation for Accounting Education.
• Verify before enrolling: Confirm the provider, delivery method, subject area, and ethics requirements are accepted by your board.

To maintain a CPA or accounting license, ensuring your continuing professional education (CPE) courses are accepted by your state board generally means looking for providers registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Top-tier, reliable NASBA-approved CPE providers vary based on your specific learning style, budget, and professional focus:

• AICPA & CIMA Store : Best for authoritative technical updates. As the canonical source for accounting and auditing (A&A) standards, tax law changes, and professional ethics, it is the gold standard for foundational compliance.
• Surgent CPE : Best for webinar volume and flexibility. They offer massive live-webinar schedules and self-study packages, making them a lifesaver if you need last-minute credits before a reporting deadline.
• Becker CPE : Best for a deep, premium catalog. Leveraging its CPA exam-review heritage, Becker provides over 1,700 robust technical courses, podcasts, and broad industry recognition.
• Learnsignal : Best for modern and practical skills. A NASBA-registered subscription option that focuses heavily on emerging trends like AI in finance, ESG reporting, and strategic leadership.
• Gleim CPE : Best self-study value. Offers budget-friendly, straightforward self-study packages covering core tax, accounting, and auditing topics.
• NASBA Registry Course Library : Best for verification and searching individual multi-provider courses across thousands of specialized fields of study.

Tip: Always cross-reference a provider or specific course on the official NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors to ensure compliance with your specific state board's unique requirements.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your state board or jurisdiction
• Whether you prefer self-study or live webinars
• Your primary field of study (Tax, Audit, Ethics, or Industry topics)

I can narrow down the ideal course package or provider for your exact situation.

For an accountant or CPA, the safest place to start is NASBA’s National Registry of CPE Sponsors. It lets you search for courses and verify that a provider is an approved sponsor.

Good sources include:

• nasbaregistry.org — Search thousands of CPE courses and approved sponsors. NASBA says Registry sponsors follow nationally recognized CPE standards developed with the AICPA.
• aicpa-cima.com — A strong option for accounting, auditing, tax, ethics, and professional-development courses.
• Your state Board of Accountancy — Always check this before buying courses because CPE requirements vary by state and may include specific ethics, subject-area, or delivery requirements. NASBA provides a state-by-state requirements search.

If you're licensed in Virginia

The Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) currently requires active CPAs to complete 120 CPE hours over a rolling three-year period, with at least 20 hours each year, including 2 hours of VBOA-approved ethics annually. CPAs who release or authorize certain attest, compilation, or financial-statement-preparation reports also need 8 hours of related CPE.

Interestingly, Virginia generally doesn't require you to use a particular CPE sponsor, except for the approved ethics requirement. The VBOA does require you to retain appropriate documentation, such as certificates of completion.

Best practice: Check your state requirements first → choose a NASBA Registry provider/course → verify the course's subject area and delivery method → save the completion certificate.

If you tell me which state your CPA license is in, I can point you to reliable CPE providers and the exact requirements for that state.

To maintain a CPA license, accountants must ensure their continuing professional education (CPE) courses are accepted by their state board —which almost universally means finding sponsors registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Top reliable providers and platforms offering NASBA-approved CPE courses include:

• Professional Associations & Standard Setters : The AICPA Store provides authoritative technical content, updates on GAAP/GAAS, and specialized taxation modules straight from the source.
• Comprehensive Exam-Prep & Mega-Libraries : Providers like Becker CPE and Surgent CPE feature massive, robust libraries covering everything from basic accounting to advanced corporate tax, offering both self-study and live webcast options.
• Subscription & Niche Models: Learnsignal offers finance-focused video courses via a flexible subscription model, while Illumeo targets corporate accounting, controllers, and CFOs with modern professional development tools.
• A La Carte & Budget Self-Study: LearnCPE provides straightforward, pay-per-credit self-study courses without forcing an annual subscription.
• Verification Tool : Always cross-reference a provider or specific course before purchasing by checking the official NASBA Registry of CPE Sponsors to guarantee it matches your specific state board's requirements.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your state of licensure
• Your preferred format (live webcasts vs. self-study modules)
• Your primary field of study (tax, audit, ethics, or general corporate accounting)

I can narrow down the best specific provider or bundle for your renewal deadline.

For a U.S. accountant—especially a CPA—the safest place to start is the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) National Registry of CPE Sponsors.

• NASBA National Registry: You can search for approved CPE courses and sponsors, and check requirements by state. Registry sponsors follow nationally recognized CPE standards.
• AICPA: The American Institute of CPAs offers extensive CPE for accounting, auditing, tax, ethics, technology, and other subjects. When choosing a course, confirm that it qualifies for your particular state.
• Your state CPA society: State societies often offer CPE specifically designed around local licensing requirements.
• Major accounting firms and professional education providers: Firms such as the Big Four and established CPE providers offer live, virtual, and self-study courses. Verify the individual course's approval rather than assuming every course from an approved provider qualifies—NASBA specifically notes that not every course offered by a Registry sponsor is necessarily Registry-approved.

The important part: check your state's rules

CPE requirements vary substantially by jurisdiction. For example, Illinois CPAs currently have a 120-hour requirement over a three-year reporting period, including 4 hours of ethics and 1 hour of sexual-harassment-prevention training, with additional limits on certain types of CPE.

So before paying for a course, check:

1. Your state board's current CPE requirements.
2. Whether the specific course is approved—not merely whether the provider is approved.
3. Whether the delivery format (live, online, self-study, etc.) is permitted.
4. Whether the course covers any required ethics or state-specific subjects.
5. That you'll receive a compliant certificate of completion and retain your records.

If you're an enrolled agent rather than a CPA, use the IRS's approved-provider system instead; EAs generally need 72 hours of qualifying CE every three years, including ethics, and must use an IRS-approved provider.

If you tell me your state and whether you're a CPA, EA, CMA, or another credential, I can point you to the best approved CPE sources and explain exactly what you need to complete.

To maintain a CPA license, the golden rule is ensuring that any Continuing Professional Education (CPE) provider you use is approved by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) or your specific state board of accountancy.

Here are the most reliable, top-tier platforms and sources categorized by learning style and needs:

• Comprehensive Self-Study & Unlimited Packages:
  • Surgent CPE: Highly rated for unlimited packages, adaptive learning technology that shortens study time, and robust libraries covering tax, accounting, and ethics.
  • Becker CPE: Famous for CPA exam prep, Becker also offers trusted, high-quality professional CPE webcasts, multi-course packages, and web seminars.
  • AICPA: The American Institute of CPAs offers direct, gold-standard technical content, specialized certificates, and extensive self-study or webcast options.
• Subscription & Corporate/Team Training Platforms:
  • Illumeo: Great for corporate finance professionals, controllers, and accountants looking for flexible on-demand courses, live webinars, and robust compliance tracking.
  • Corporate Finance Institute (CFI): Offers specialized professional development and NASBA-approved CPE credits geared toward financial modeling, valuation, and analytics.
• Free or Low-Cost Options:
  • Major Accounting Firms (The Big Four & Mid-Tier): Firms like Deloitte, PwC, EY , and KPMG frequently host complimentary public webcast series (audit, tax, and accounting updates) that offer valid NASBA-approved CPE credits.
• Verification Tool:
  • Always double-check a provider's active standing before purchasing using the official NASBA Registry Sponsor Search.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your state of licensure (as ethics and specific credit caps vary)
• Your primary focus area (tax, audit, industry accounting, or management)

I can recommend a specific package or free resource tailored to your requirements.