Rhode Island 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
120 hrs / 3 years
Reporting cycle
Triennial (July 1 - June 30)
Ethics requirement
6 hrs professional ethics
Issued by
Rhode Island Board of Accountancy
Rhode Island uses a three-year total of 120 hours with no annual minimum, which sounds relaxed until you notice the ethics requirement is unusually large: 6 hours, where most states ask for 2 to 4. Without a yearly floor, it is easy to drift through years one and two and discover a steep climb in year three.
CPAs call this CPE (continuing professional education), not CE. Here is how an active Rhode Island permit works, in plain English.
The base requirement: 120 hours over three years
The Rhode Island Board of Accountancy requires a minimum of 120 hours of formal CPE during the three-year period preceding renewal of the CPA permit. The reporting period runs July 1 to June 30 across three years, and Rhode Island does not impose a separate per-year minimum on top of the three-year total.
Ethics and the major credit limits
- At least 6 of the 120 hours must be in subjects devoted to professional ethics, such as the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct or other authoritative professional codes.
- Self-study is limited to 80 hours over the three years, and the courses must be QAS-approved or interactive.
- Credit for serving as an instructor, speaker, or discussion leader is capped at 60 hours over the three years.
- Personal development and marketing subjects are limited to 24 credits per reporting period.
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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.
Start tracking — freeWhen is your deadline?
The three-year reporting period and the permit renewal both close June 30. Because there is no annual floor to force steady pacing, the safe pattern is to spread your 120 hours - and especially the 6 ethics hours - across all three years rather than leaving them for the final months.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the three-year 120-hour total with separate progress for the 6-hour ethics requirement, so the larger-than-usual ethics bucket is never a surprise.
- Cap warnings for self-study, instruction, and personal-development limits, each shown on its own.
- Store every completion certificate in a private vault attached to the course it proves, so a Board audit is a one-click export.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your June 30 deadline, with your remaining hours in the subject line.
- Licensed in more than one state? Each permit gets its own card, deadline, and reminder schedule on a single dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours does Rhode Island require?
120 hours over the three-year reporting period preceding renewal, with no separate annual minimum.
How much ethics CPE does Rhode Island require?
At least 6 hours in professional ethics within the 120-hour total - notably more than the 2 to 4 hours most states require.
Is there an annual minimum?
No. Rhode Island applies the 120 hours across the full three-year period without a per-year floor, so pacing yourself is up to you.
When is the Rhode Island deadline?
June 30, when both the three-year reporting period and the permit renewal close.
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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