Arizona CPA CPE Requirements, Explained
Last reviewed June 2026 against the official sources linked below. Requirements change — always confirm with your board before relying on them.
Total hours
80 hrs / 2 years
Subject minimums
40 hrs technical; 16 hrs classroom/live
Ethics requirement
4 hrs ethics (incl. AZ statutes hour)
Issued by
Arizona State Board of Accountancy
Arizona looks like a simple 80-hours-over-two-years state until you read the fine print: there is a 40-hour technical minimum, a 16-hour classroom-or-live minimum, and a 4-hour ethics requirement that itself contains two specific one-hour pieces. The mix matters as much as the number, and the deadline rides on your birth month.
CPAs call this CPE (continuing professional education), not CE. Here is how an active Arizona license actually works, in plain English.
The base requirement: 80 hours over two years
The Arizona State Board of Accountancy requires 80 hours of CPE per two-year reporting period for an active license. The period is personal: it runs to the last business day of your birth month, on a two-year cycle keyed to whether your birth year is even or odd. CPE must come from acceptable sponsors, generally those on the NASBA National Registry.
The subject and delivery minimums
- At least 40 of the 80 hours must be in accounting, auditing, taxation, business law, or management advisory services, and at least 16 of those must be in accounting, auditing, or taxation specifically.
- At least 16 of the 80 hours must be in a classroom setting or via live interactive webinar - passive self-study alone cannot cover the whole requirement.
- 4 hours of ethics are required, including at least 1 hour on ethics related to the practice of accounting and at least 1 hour on Arizona Board statutes and administrative rules.
- The ethics hours count within the 80, not on top of it.
Stop tracking this in a spreadsheet
Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
Start tracking — freeWhen is your deadline?
Your reporting period and renewal both end on the last business day of your birth month, every two years. The full 80 hours, the technical and classroom minimums, and the 4-hour ethics requirement must all be complete before you renew.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the 80-hour total with dedicated buckets for the 40-hour technical minimum, the 16-hour classroom-or-live minimum, and the 4-hour ethics requirement.
- Flag the two specific ethics hours - accounting ethics and Arizona statutes - so the requirement is never half-met.
- Store every completion certificate with its course, so a Board audit is a one-click export.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your birth-month deadline, with every state license on one dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours does Arizona require?
80 hours over a two-year period, including at least 40 technical hours and at least 16 hours in a classroom or live interactive setting.
What does the Arizona ethics requirement include?
4 hours of ethics, with at least 1 hour on ethics related to the practice of accounting and at least 1 hour on Arizona Board statutes and administrative rules.
Can I meet the requirement entirely with self-study?
No. At least 16 of the 80 hours must be earned in a classroom or live interactive webinar setting.
When does my Arizona reporting period end?
On the last business day of your birth month, on a two-year cycle tied to whether your birth year is even or odd.
Official sources
CredTally is a record-keeping tool and is not affiliated with any licensing board. This guide is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
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Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
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