Continuing Professional Education

CPE Limitations

The following hour limitations apply during the rolling three-year CPE period:

• A maximum of 60 hours may be claimed for presenting or instructing qualifying courses or seminars (see "Teaching/Speaking Credits" below for more details);
• A maximum of 60 hours may be claimed for authoring articles, books, or CPE courses for publication or for content review of the same (see "Authoring/Writing/Reviewing Credits" below for information on how to calculate and report);
• At least 24 hours must be obtained from attending group or blended learning programs.
• The identical self-study course may not be retaken for credit within the same one-year CPE period.
• A minimum of 60 hours must be obtained from technical learning activities (as defined in NASBA Fields of Study); and
• At least 72 hours must be obtained through approved CPE sponsors (those meeting the requirements under MN Rules 1105.3100, subpart 1).
• Partial-hour credits are allowed as specified in the 2019 Statement on Standards for CPE. These vary by delivery method. Consult Standard 16 for details.

Teaching/Speaking Credits

Instructors, discussion leaders, or speakers who present a learning activity for the first time may receive CPE credit for actual preparation time up to two times the number of CPE credits to which participants would be entitled, in addition to the time for presentation, subject to regulations and maximums established by the Board.

For example, for learning activities in which participants could receive 8 CPE credits, instructors may receive up to 24 CPE credits (16 for preparation plus 8 for presentation). For repeat presentations, CPE credit can be claimed only if it can be demonstrated that the learning activity content was substantially changed and such change required significant additional study or research. See Standard 20.

Documentation for teaching/presenting credits needs to include the following:

• the name and contact information of the sponsor,
• the title and description of the content of the program, its date and location and the number of CPE hours those attending were awarded;
• a copy of the detailed timed agenda for the program;
• a statement by the licensee describing how the program contributes to the licensee's professional knowledge and competence; and
• the total hours (preparation and presentation) the licensee is claiming.

If you submit teaching/speaking credits as "Approved," be sure to include the NASBA registry number or otherwise note the approved sponsor (see the list of approved CPE sponsors) in your records.

Authoring/Writing/Content Reviewing Credits

Writers of published articles, books, or CPE programs may receive CPE credit for their research and writing time to the extent it maintains or improves their professional competence. For the writer to receive CPE credit, the article, book, or CPE program must be formally reviewed by an independent party. CPE credits can be claimed only upon publication. CPE credits cannot be claimed for both authoring and presenting the same program or authoring and reviewing or presenting. See Standard 20 and 21.

Documentation for authoring/writing/reviewing credits needs to include the following:

• a copy of the publication (or in the case of a CPE program, course development documentation); for authoring credit it must name the CPA as author or contributor
• a statement from the writer or reviewer supporting the number of CPE hours claimed, and
• the name and contact information of the independent content reviewer(s) for authoring/writing credit or the publisher's representative for content reviewing.

If you submit writing credits as "Approved," be sure to include the NASBA registry number or otherwise note the approved sponsor (see the list of CPE sponsors) in your records.

Independent Study Credits

NOTE: Independent study is not self study. It is "an educational process designed to teach a participant a given subject using a learning contract with a continuing professional education program sponsor." (MN Rule 1105.0100 Subp. 9d)

The "learning contract" and the sponsor/instructor must meet the criteria defined in the CPE Standards (see Article 2.5). Some required outcomes include a written report and a presentation to the instructor/sponsor. The sponsor must certify the credits earned and provide their sponsor number (if applicable), name, and contact information.

Independent study can be taken from approved or nonapproved sponsors, as long as it meets the requirements of the Standards. For participants to claim the CPE, they must document the course as specified in MN Rule 1105.3200.