Louisiana 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 / rolling 2 years
Annual minimum
20 hours/year
Ethics requirement
Board-approved course (even years)
Issued by
Louisiana State Board of CPAs
Louisiana uses a rolling two-year window - the current year plus the prior year must total at least 80 hours - with a 20-hour floor every year so you cannot let a year go empty. The ethics piece is the part to watch: a specific board-approved ethics course is required, but only in even-numbered years.
CPAs call this CPE (continuing professional education), not CE. Here is how an active Louisiana license actually works, in plain English.
The base requirement: 80 hours, rolling two years
The Louisiana State Board of CPAs requires at least 80 hours of CPE within a rolling two-calendar-year period - the current year's hours plus the previous year's must total at least 80. There is always a minimum of 20 hours in each year, although newly licensed or reinstated CPAs have no requirement in their first year. The Board advises aiming for roughly 40 hours a year to stay comfortably ahead of the rolling math.
The ethics course and attest rule
- A board-approved professional ethics course is required, but only in even-numbered years - for the current even-year requirement it is a 3-hour course from an approved vendor.
- Because the ethics course is tied to even years, it is easy to overlook in the odd year between - which is exactly when people forget it is coming.
- CPAs who participate in attest engagements (compilations, reviews, audits, agreed-upon procedures) during the year must earn and report at least 8 hours in accounting and auditing subjects.
- Ethics and A&A hours count within the 80-hour total, not on top of it.
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Start tracking — freeWhen is your deadline?
CPE courses must be completed by December 31, and your hours must be reported through the Board's online portal by January 31 of the following year. Louisiana CPA licenses renew annually, expiring December 31, with online renewal typically opening November 1 - so the completion deadline and renewal deadline land together at year-end.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the rolling two-year 80-hour total alongside the 20-hour annual minimum so the rolling window never catches you short.
- A dedicated bucket for the board-approved ethics course on its even-year clock, plus a flag for the 8-hour A&A requirement if you do attest work.
- Store every completion certificate in a private vault, attached to the exact credit it proves, so a Board audit is a one-click export.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your December 31 deadline, with remaining hours per requirement.
- Hold licenses in more than one state? Each gets its own card, deadline, and progress on a single dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours does Louisiana require?
At least 80 hours over a rolling two-calendar-year period - the current year plus the prior year - with a minimum of 20 hours in each year.
How does the Louisiana ethics requirement work?
A board-approved professional ethics course is required in even-numbered years; the current even-year requirement is a 3-hour course from an approved vendor. Always confirm the current course with the Board.
Is there an accounting and auditing requirement?
Yes, for attest work. CPAs participating in attest engagements during the year must earn and report at least 8 hours in accounting and auditing subjects.
When are CPE hours due in Louisiana?
Courses must be completed by December 31 and reported through the Board's online portal by January 31 of the following year. Licenses renew annually, expiring December 31.
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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