Maryland 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
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Ethics requirement
4 hrs (within the 80)
Issued by
Maryland Board of Public Accountancy
Maryland keeps the headline number clean - 80 hours over two years - and folds a 4-hour ethics requirement inside it rather than bolting it on top. The detail that catches people is the clock: your renewal period is biennial and pegged to your license issuance date, so it is personal to you, not a fixed statewide calendar year.
CPAs call this CPE (continuing professional education), not CE. Here is what an active Maryland license requires, in plain English.
The base requirement: 80 hours over two years
The Maryland Board of Public Accountancy requires 80 hours of approved CPE during the two-year period immediately preceding your renewal application. The Board accepts continuing education from NASBA National Registry sponsors, and credit covers a broad range of technical and non-technical subject areas.
Ethics and carryover
- 4 of the 80 hours must be in professional ethics - regulatory, behavioral, or AICPA/Circular 230 ethics subject areas all qualify.
- The 4 ethics hours count within the 80, not on top of it.
- Maryland allows excess hours to be carried into the next reporting cycle, but carried hours cannot be used to satisfy the ethics requirement.
- Failing to meet the requirement by renewal can result in the license lapsing and possible disciplinary action.
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?
Maryland CPA licenses renew biennially, with the period based on your individual date of license issuance rather than a uniform statewide date. Your exact expiration shows in your Maryland licensing account. Complete the full 80 hours, including ethics, before you submit your renewal.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the 80-hour total with a separate bucket for the 4-hour ethics requirement, so each shows its own progress.
- 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 personal biennial deadline - calibrated to your issuance-date clock, not a generic calendar.
- Hold licenses in more than one state? Each gets its own card and deadline on one dashboard, and a Board request becomes a one-click audit export.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours does Maryland require?
80 hours over the two-year period immediately preceding your renewal, including 4 hours of professional ethics.
Do ethics hours count toward the 80 in Maryland?
Yes - the 4 required ethics hours are part of the 80 total, not in addition to it.
Can I carry over extra CPE hours in Maryland?
Maryland allows excess hours to carry into the next reporting cycle, but carried hours cannot be applied to the ethics requirement.
When is my Maryland CPA renewal deadline?
It is biennial and based on your individual license issuance date, so it is personal to you. Check your Maryland licensing account for the exact date.
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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