CPE requirements for CPAs
District of Columbia CPA CPE Requirements
Checked against the NASBA Registry. Published on September 4, 2026 · Last checked September 5, 2026
The short answer
District of Columbia CPAs must complete 80 hours every two years. The requirement includes 4 hours of ethics every two years. All 80 hours may be earned through self-study. The reporting period ends on December 31 of even years, every 2 years.
- Total hours
- 80
- every 2 years
- Annual minimum
- None
- Ethics
- 4 hrs
- every two years · general course qualifies
- Self-study
- No limit
- Period ends
- December 31 of even years
- every 2 years
- Carryover
- None
How many CPE hours do District of Columbia CPAs need?
District of Columbia CPAs must complete 80 hours every two years.
Reporting period: 1/1 to 12/31 biennially.
NASBA Registry wording: 80 hours.
What is the District of Columbia ethics CPE requirement?
District of Columbia requires 4 hours of ethics every two years. A general ethics course qualifies.
NASBA Registry wording: Four (4) hours of Professional Ethics.
Does District of Columbia limit self-study CPE?
District of Columbia places no limit on self-study CPE, so all 80 hours may be earned through self-study courses.
When is District of Columbia CPE due?
The reporting period ends on December 31 of even years, every 2 years.
License renewal: December 31 even years.
There is no grace period.
Can District of Columbia CPAs carry over extra CPE hours?
Excess hours do not carry over to the next reporting period.
Are there other District of Columbia CPE limits?
- Committee, Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner and Firm Meetings: Combined credit is limited to 25% of the total required credits.
- CPE Technical Reviewer/Instruction: Combined credit is limited to 50% of the total required credits.
- Published Material: Credit for preparation of publications is limited to 25%. In exceptional circumstances, an applicant may request additional credit by submitting the publication to the Board with an explanation of the circumstances which justify a greater credit. The amount of credit awarded for a given publication shall be determined by the Board.
- Non-Approved Subject Areas: Credit may be granted by the Board for subjects other than those specified in the regulations if the licensee can demonstrate that the subjects contribute to professional competence. These credits are limited to 25%.
What other District of Columbia CPE policies apply?
- The Board shall only approve programs from organizations that are EXEMPT (AICPA, NASBA, State Accounting Boards, Professional Firms, Colleges and Universities, Greater Washington Society of CPAs and any other state society) OR courses from providers that are members of NASBA's National Registry of CPE Sponsors or that are QAS approved.
Does Pacific CPE count toward District of Columbia CPE?
Pacific CPE is a sponsor on the NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors (Sponsor #143718), delivering QAS self-study courses. District of Columbia accepts self-study for all 80 hours, so the whole requirement can be met with Pacific CPE courses.
A general ethics course satisfies District of Columbia's 4-hour ethics requirement. Pacific CPE's ethics courses include Frivolous Tax Arguments and Scams, Ethics and Integrity for Industry CPAs, Fraud Prevention and Management Misconduct.
Sources
- NASBA Registry: District of Columbia CPE requirements · revised 5/20/2025
- District of Columbia Board of Accountancy: CPE requirements · the board's own page
- District of Columbia Board of Accountancy website
Every figure on this page was checked against the NASBA Registry summary for District of Columbia (revised 5/20/2025). Verified by Pacific CPE on September 4, 2026. The sources are re-checked automatically about every 30 days; the last check, on September 5, 2026, found no changes. The District of Columbia Board of Accountancy's website did not publish its CPE figures when we checked; its site is linked above and governs where it differs. Rules change. If you find a difference, tell us and we will re-check the sources.