Connecticut: CPE, firm permit and peer review rules for CPAs.

This page lists what the Connecticut board of accountancy publishes for a CPA and a CPA firm: CPE hours and the reporting period, the ethics requirement, whether a firm permit or registration is required, whether peer review is required, the licence renewal cycle, and whether an out-of-state CPA may practise under a practice privilege.

It is built for owners of small accounting and bookkeeping firms, especially those licensed in one state and serving clients in another. Every entry is a snapshot of what the cited source published on the verification date; it is a research starting point, not licensing advice.

Connecticut, field by field.

Board of accountancy

Connecticut State Board of Accountancy (Department of Consumer Protection)

CPE hours & reporting period

40 hours each year, earned July 1 through June 30 and reported by December 31 with the annual renewal. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-281d(e): "For renewal of a license under this section, an applicant shall show that he or she has completed forty hours of continuing professional education during each year from the date of issuance or last renewal." Regs. Conn. State Agencies § 20-280-25(a) (amended August 8, 2024): "each applicant shall complete forty (40) hours of continuing professional education in accordance with this section and section 20-280-26 ... during the period from July 1 through June 30, immediately preceding each such December 31, and shall report completion of such continuing professional education as required by section 20-280-27 ... by such December 31." Newly licensed CPAs are exempt for the initial July 1 to June 30 period in which they were first licensed (§ 20-280-25(b)). Up to 20 hours in excess of 40 may be carried from the preceding year to the subsequent year, but not toward the eight attest or compilation credits (§ 20-280-25(e)). Licensees who perform or supervise attest or compilation services or sign financial statement reports must earn at least 8 of the 40 hours in attest or compilation subject areas (DCP CPE Questions and Answers page; § 20-280-25(e) refers to § 20-280-24 for this requirement). Late CPE fees: $315 if any of the 40 hours were earned after June 30 and by September 30; $625 if any were earned after June 30 and by December 31 (§ 20-281d(f)). Only licensed CPAs report CPE; holders of a certificate or registration only do not (DCP CPA and CPE Information pages). A renewal applicant with a principal place of business outside Connecticut may certify compliance with the CPE requirements of that state (§ 20-281d(e)).

Ethics CPE requirement

4 hours every three CPE cycles. Regs. Conn. State Agencies § 20-280-25(f) (amended August 8, 2024): "Each licensee shall meet an ethics requirement of four (4) hours within three (3) consecutive continuing professional education cycles after the expiration of the exemption period set forth in subsection (b) of this section and for every subsequent three (3) year period. Such requirement may be met through any course covering ethical behavior and the understanding of the State and National Code of Conduct, Professional Conduct and State Licensing Regulations." No state-specific course is prescribed; the DCP CPE Questions and Answers page restates the requirement with a cycle table and states that completing the four hours earlier restarts the three-cycle count.

CPA firm permit / registration

A firm permit is required to practise public accountancy in Connecticut, renewed annually by December 31. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-281(a): "No firm shall practice public accountancy in this state unless such firm: (1) Has obtained a permit to practice, or (2) is exempt from the permit requirement contained in section 20-281e." § 20-281e(b): "Permits shall be initially issued and renewed annually." § 20-281e(g): the following firms must hold a permit: "(1) Any firm with an office in this state performing attest services; (2) Any firm with an office in this state that uses the title 'Certified Public Accountant', 'CPA', 'CPA firm' or other similar title; or (3) Any firm that does not have an office in this state but performs attest services described in subparagraph (A), (C), (D) or (E) of subdivision (13) of section 20-279b for a client having its home office in this state." Out-of-state firms without a Connecticut office may perform the services in § 20-279b(13)(B) and (14) for Connecticut home-office clients, and other services, without a permit through a practice-privilege holder if the conditions in § 20-281e(h)-(i) are met. A simple majority of the firm's ownership must hold a valid license from a U.S. state or territory (§ 20-281e(c)(1)). Annual fee $150; no fee for a firm having not more than one licensee (§ 20-281e(e)). DCP firms page: a permit is required of a person or firm that "Engages in the practice of public accountancy in Connecticut", uses the CPA or PA designation in the firm name, or "Provides any attest or compilation services to Connecticut clients"; "All firm registrations expire annually on December 31st."; "For a firm of one (1) CPA who holds a CPA license there is no renewal fee required."

Peer review requirement

Required every three years as a condition of firm permit renewal, with a waiver for firms that do not perform audits, compilations or reviews. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-281(b): the board shall require "as a condition to renewal of a permit to practice issued under section 20-281e that permit holders undergo a quality review ... Such a review shall be required every three years, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section." § 20-281(c): a waiver is available if the permit holder annually represents that "It does not engage in financial reporting or attest areas of practice, including audits, compilations and reviews", does not intend to during the following year, and will immediately notify the board if it does; waiver requests are made in writing, under oath, on board forms, at the time of permit renewal, and a firm granted the waiver that takes on such an engagement must undergo a quality review during the first calendar year after its initial acceptance. The firm must furnish the review opinion letter to the board within thirty days of acceptance of the final report by the oversight body (§ 20-281(b)). Board page: "Permit holders, as a condition of renewal, must undergo a peer review to determine compliance with technical standards." DCP firms page lists a Quality Review Reschedule and Waiver Form.

Licence renewal cycle

Annual; licenses expire December 31. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-281d(b): "Licenses shall be initially issued for one year and renewed annually." Regs. § 20-280-25(a) (amended August 8, 2024): a license "shall be valid for a period of one year from January 1 to December 31"; each licensee "shall annually apply electronically for renewal" by December 31; a renewal received after December 31 but before February 1 is accepted as a late application, and one received on or after February 1 "shall be rejected and the license shall lapse." § 20-280-25(g): a license lapsed for more than ninety days may be reinstated on application made not later than three years after expiration; a lapse of three years or more requires a new license. DCP CPA Renewal page: "CPA license and/or registration is renewed annually, expiring on December 31st of each year"; fees listed: License $565.00, Registration $40.00, Firm Permit $150.00; renewal notices are emailed about 45 days before December 31. Renewal is through the online eLicense system (§ 20-281d(i)); the statutory license renewal fee is the professional services fee for class I under § 33-182l (§ 20-281d(g)). DCP CPA License Renewal Form guide: an inactive or lapsed credential within 150 days of the expiration date may be reinstated online; beyond 150 days a paper reinstatement application is required.

Mobility / practice privilege

Yes, without notice, fee or other submission. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-281n(a): an individual whose principal place of business is not in Connecticut "shall qualify for a practice privilege and have all the privileges of licensees of this state without the need to obtain a license pursuant to section 20-281d" if the individual holds a valid CPA license from a state that the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal Service has verified as substantially equivalent to the AICPA/NASBA Uniform Accountancy Act, or obtains individual verification. § 20-281n(b): "no notice, fee or other submission shall be required of any such individual." § 20-281n(c): the individual and the employing firm consent to Board jurisdiction, agree to comply with state law and Board rules, to cease practising if the home-state license becomes invalid, and to service of process through the home-state board. § 20-281n(d): financial statement audits, SSARS reviews, SSAE examinations, reviews or agreed-upon-procedures engagements and PCAOB engagements for an entity with its home office in Connecticut may be provided only through a firm holding a permit under § 20-281e.