Maine 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
40 hrs / year
Reporting cycle
Annual (Oct 1 - Sep 30)
Ethics requirement
4 hrs every 3 years
Issued by
Maine Board of Accountancy
Maine is an annual-hours state, not a multi-year-total state, and that single fact changes how you have to plan. You owe 40 hours of CPE every reporting year, which runs October 1 to September 30 - so there is no quiet year where the total carries you. On top of the annual hours sits a 4-hour ethics requirement that only comes due every three years, which is exactly the kind of rotating item that slips past people.
CPAs call this CPE (continuing professional education), not CE. Here is what an active Maine license actually requires, in plain English.
The base requirement: 40 hours every year
The Maine Board of Accountancy requires 40 hours of CPE in each annual reporting period, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Because the requirement resets every year, there is no rolling window to lean on - each year stands on its own. Maine accepts CPE from National Registry sponsors.
Ethics, carryover, and subject limits
- 4 hours of ethics are required every three years - because it is not annual, this is the requirement most likely to be forgotten.
- Up to 20 excess credit hours may be carried from one reporting period into the next, but carried hours cannot be used to satisfy the ethics requirement.
- Non-technical subjects - communication, business law, computer software applications, and similar - are limited to 50% of your total hours.
- Instruction credit and authorship credit are each capped at 50% of your total hours.
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?
Maine CPA licenses renew by September 30, and the CPE reporting period closes on the same date. The full 40 hours for the year, plus any ethics hours due in that three-year window, must be complete before you renew. Keep your completion certificates in case the Board requests proof.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track your 40-hour annual total with a live progress ring, plus a dedicated bucket for the 4-hour ethics requirement on its own three-year clock, so neither slips.
- Store every completion certificate with the course it proves, kept privately in your certificate vault.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your September 30 deadline - with remaining hours front and center.
- Hold licenses in more than one state? Every license gets its own card, deadline, and progress on a single dashboard, and a Board request becomes a one-click audit export.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours does Maine require?
40 hours every reporting year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Maine measures hours annually rather than over a multi-year total.
How much ethics CPE does Maine require?
4 hours of ethics every three years. Because it is not an annual requirement, it is easy to overlook between cycles.
Can I carry over extra hours in Maine?
Yes - up to 20 excess credit hours carry into the next reporting period, but carried hours cannot be used to satisfy the ethics requirement.
When is my Maine CPA renewal deadline?
September 30, which is also the close of the annual CPE reporting period. Finish your hours before you renew.
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.
CredTally tracks all of this for you
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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