Wisconsin CPA CPE Requirements
Wisconsin CPAs must complete 80 hours of continuing professional education every two years to renew an active license. At least 20 hours must be completed during each 12-month period of the compliance cycle, at least 40 hours must come from formal learning activities, and 3 hours must be in ethics. Wisconsin’s compliance biennium runs from December 15 of an odd-numbered year through December 14 of the next odd-numbered year.
This page provides general educational information to help certified public accountants understand how Wisconsin determines CPA CPE requirements for license renewal, including biennial reporting periods, annual minimums, ethics requirements, formal-learning minimums, documentation expectations, and renewal considerations.
Wisconsin CPA CPE Requirements at a Glance
The chart below summarizes the core CPE requirements every WI CPA should know:
License Renewal Date and CPE Reporting Period
Beginning with the 2021 renewal, Wisconsin uses a 2-year CPE compliance period. The biennium runs from December 15 of an odd-numbered year through December 14 of the next odd-numbered year. At least 20 credits must be completed during each 12-month period within that biennium.
Wisconsin CPA Continuing Education Requirements for License Renewal
Wisconsin requires 80 CPE credits that contribute to growth in professional knowledge and professional competence. Of those 80 hours, at least 40 must come from formal learning activities.
Ethics Requirement
Wisconsin requires 3 CPE credits in ethics during each 2-year compliance period.
Reporting and Documentation
Licensees must retain documentation for each activity claimed for at least 5 years from the date the activity was completed. Wisconsin’s renewal page also requires the licensee’s signature regarding completion of continuing education.
Excemptions and Waivers
The Board may waive all or part of the required CPE credits if it finds exceptional circumstances such as prolonged illness, disability, or similar hardship. Service members and spouses may also request extensions or waivers in certain cases.
Wisconsin CPA CPE Courses: What to Know
Wisconsin’s rule focuses on whether the activity contributes to professional knowledge and competence and whether it meets the criteria for acceptable formal or informal learning. That makes course quality, delivery method, and documentation important when choosing CPE.
Self-Study and Accepted Formats
Wisconsin recognizes both formal and informal learning activities, subject to the administrative code criteria for acceptable learning activities. The official CE page highlights the 40-hour minimum from formal learning activities, while the code sets criteria for acceptance and documentation.
Audio-Based Self-Study and LumiQ
LumiQ provides CPE credits in an audio-based format designed to support Wisconsin CPAs through accessible, on-demand learning. Licensees remain responsible for making sure any course they complete fits Wisconsin’s biennial total, annual minimum, ethics requirement, formal-learning rules where applicable, and documentation requirements.
CPAs remain responsible for:
- Meeting Wisconsin’s 80-hour biennial CPE requirement
- Completing at least 20 hours during each 12-month period
- Completing at least 40 hours from formal learning activities
- Completing 3 hours in ethics
- Keeping supporting documentation for 5 year
LumiQ does not determine a licensee’s individual Wisconsin CPA license renewal obligations and does not provide legal, regulatory, or individualized compliance advice.
Wisconsin CPA License Renewal
The Wisconsin DSPS and the Accounting Examining Board are the final authorities on Wisconsin CPA license renewal and continuing education compliance. Licensees should treat Wisconsin statutes, administrative code, and current renewal materials as controlling.
Reviewed by Danielle Marion, Regulatory Compliance Manager at LumiQ. Danielle has more than 20 years of experience in regulatory compliance and professional education governance, including leadership roles at Deloitte LLP.
LumiQ Inc. Sponsor ID Numbers: NASBA (146039), New York (002996), Texas (010643)
LumiQ’s subject matter classifications are made in accordance with NASBA’s Fields of Study that qualify for Continuing Professional Education.
Each State Board of Accountancy retains final authority on the acceptance of individual episodes, credit hours, and the classification of fields of study for CPE purposes.
