Understanding the CPE Carryover Rule
Carryover CPE hours are the most misunderstood aspect of the CPE requirement, and are often misapplied. Please review this information if you are considering using carryover to meet your requirement. If you needed carryover for the 2017 renewal, you can’t use carryover for the 2019 renewal. Why? If you didn’t physically earn more than 80 hours in 2016-2017, you don’t have extra hours to apply to 2018-2019.
All other benchmarks must still be met during each reporting period:
• At least 20 hours earned in each year;
• 2 hours of Board-approved state-specific ethics; and
• At least 40 hours in technical subjects.
Remember that you must provide all certificates to support the use of carryover CPE if you are selected for audit, so keep your CPE certificates for at least five years.
CPAs with a license first granted in 2018 must earn at least 40 hours for the 2019 renewal. If you have earned more than 40 hours, you may apply up to 12 carryover hours to the 2020-2021 reporting period.
Credit Tennessee State Board of Accountancy