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

This page lists what the New Jersey 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.

New Jersey, field by field.

Board of accountancy

New Jersey State Board of Accountancy (N.J.S.A. 45:2B-45: the board "is further continued as the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy"); the Board's forms are issued under the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs, 124 Halsey Street, Newark.

CPE hours & reporting period

120 credits per triennial licence period, with a minimum of 20 credits in each year of the triennial period. N.J.S.A. 45:2B-68(a): as a condition for triennial license renewal the board requires CPAs and PAs "to complete 120 credits of continuing professional education during the immediately preceding triennial period of licensure." N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.2(a) (text as adopted at 51 N.J.R. 1424(a), effective September 3, 2019): "All applicants shall complete a minimum of 20 credits of continuing professional education in each year of the triennial period."; the 120 credits "shall include at least 24 credits in the areas of accounting or auditing, which may include review and compilation, for licensees who are engaged in the practice of public accountancy"; "All applicants shall complete at least 60 credits of the required 120 credits in the technical subjects set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3."; "The remaining 56 credits of the required 120 credits may include subjects specified in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.4." First renewal: no CPE is required (N.J.S.A. 45:2B-68(c); N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.2(d)). Non-residents: a non-resident licensee meets the requirement by meeting the CPE requirement of the state of the principal place of business and signing a statement on the renewal application, unless that state has no CPE requirement (N.J.S.A. 45:2B-68(e)). Reporting-period dates: Not verified — no official page read states the calendar dates of the triennial period; the NASBA summary (a pointer only) gives "1/1 to 12/31 triennially, reporting 2020, 2023, 2026, 2029, etc."

Ethics CPE requirement

4 credits in a New Jersey law and ethics course, counted within the 120 triennial credits. N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.2(a) (as adopted in 2019): "All applicants shall complete four credits of the required 120 credits in the New Jersey law and ethics course set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3A." New licensees: N.J.A.C. 13:29-1A.12 (adopted in 2019), within six months of initial licensure a licensee completes an orientation course that "at a minimum, shall include a four-credit course in New Jersey law and ethics approved by the Board", and this course "shall satisfy the four credits in the New Jersey law and ethics course required at N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.2(d)"; N.J.S.A. 45:2B-68(c) requires the orientation course within six months before or after initial licensure.

CPA firm permit / registration

Yes, registration with the Board. N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54(a)(1): "A firm shall register with the board if it:" (a) "Has an office in this State engaged in the practice of attest services;" (b) has an office in New Jersey that uses the title "Certified Public Accountant," "CPA," "Certified Public Accountant firm," or "CPA firm"; or (c) "Does not have an office in this State, but offers or renders attest services" unless it meets the ownership and responsibility qualifications of subsection b., complies with the peer review provisions of N.J.S.A. 45:2B-67, and "can lawfully offer or render attest services in the state where those individuals with practice privileges have their principal place of business." N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54(a)(2): a firm not covered by paragraph (1) may perform compilation services and other non-attest services under the CPA title without registering if it can lawfully do so in the home state and performs them through an individual with practice privileges under N.J.S.A. 45:2B-50.1. Ownership: N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54(b)(2), "a simple majority of the ownership of a firm, in terms of financial interest and voting rights" belongs to CPAs in good standing of any state; non-licensee owners are allowed if licensees "comprise not less than half of the owners, hold more than half of the equity capital, and possess majority voting rights of the firm" and the other conditions of N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54.1 are met. A firm engaged in attest services that is not registered or exempt under N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54 registers as a firm of public accountants (N.J.S.A. 45:2B-55(a)). Renewal: N.J.S.A. 45:2B-57, each firm "shall triennially register with and pay to the board a triennial registration fee"; N.J.A.C. 13:29-1A.11 (adopted in 2019): applications include the firm's letterhead, the Board's peer review compliance forms and, for a legal entity, its New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, and "Each registered firm shall triennially register with and pay to the Board the triennial registration fee".

Peer review requirement

Yes, for firms performing attest services or accounting and auditing engagements. Statutory authority: N.J.S.A. 45:2B-67(a), "The board may adopt regulations establishing a Peer Review Program for the review of audits, reviews, compilations or other reports issued by licensees or firms engaged in the practice of public accountancy in this State". N.J.A.C. 13:29-5.4(a) (text as adopted effective September 7, 2010, R.2010 d.181; unchanged by the 2019 amendments): "Participation in the Peer Review Program is required of each firm licensed with the Board that performs any attest service or any accounting and/or auditing engagements, including audits, reviews, compilations, forecasts, projections or special reports performed under professional standards"; a firm that "issues only compilations where no report is required" under SSARS is not required to participate. N.J.A.C. 13:29-5.4(c): a participating firm enrolls with an approved sponsoring organization "within one year from its initial licensing date or the performance of services that require a review, whichever is earlier", notifies the Board of its assigned review due date within 30 days, and "shall schedule and begin an additional review within three years of the previous review's due date". N.J.A.C. 13:29-5.4(b) (as amended in 2019): a firm not performing those services requests an exemption in writing "no later than June 30 of the first year the exemption is sought and for each subsequent triennial renewal period"; a firm that begins such services notifies the Board within 30 days, provides enrollment information within 12 months, and "shall have a review within 18 months of the date the services were first provided." N.J.A.C. 13:29-5.6 (2010 text): accepted peer review reports are filed with the Board within 30 days of receipt, and the Board's Peer Review Compliance Reporting Form within 30 days of final acceptance by the sponsoring organization. The Board's Peer Review Enrollment form and Affidavit for Exemption from Peer Review restate the N.J.A.C. 13:29-5.4 participation rule.

Licence renewal cycle

Triennial. N.J.S.A. 45:2B-58: every CPA and PA licensed in New Jersey "shall renew his license triennially with the board and pay a triennial license fee established by the board by regulation"; notice is given to a person who fails to renew within 60 days following the licence expiration date, and the licence is forfeited if the fee remains unpaid by the time stated in the notice. N.J.A.C. 13:29-1.7 (new rule adopted at 51 N.J.R. 1424(a), effective September 3, 2019): the Board sends a renewal notice at least 60 days before expiration; "A licensee shall renew his or her license for a period of three years from the last expiration date." and submits the renewal application and fee "prior to the date of license expiration"; a licensee may renew as inactive (13:29-1.7(c)); a licence not renewed before expiration may be renewed within 30 days of expiration (13:29-1.7(d)). Renewal date: Not verified — no official page read states the expiration date; the NASBA summary (a pointer only) gives "12/31 triennially".

Mobility / practice privilege

Yes, without a New Jersey licence, notice or fee. N.J.S.A. 45:2B-50.1(a) (last amended by P.L.2025, c.384): an individual whose principal place of business is not in New Jersey "shall have all the privileges of licensed certified public accountants of this State without the need to obtain a license" "or to notify the board or pay any fee" if the individual (1) "holds a current, valid, and unrevoked license as a certified public accountant from any state", (2) "has passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination or any other examination approved by the board", and (3) has one year of experience of the type described in N.J.S.A. 45:2B-51; 45:2B-50.1(b): "no notice or other submission shall be required of that individual"; 45:2B-50.1(c): the licensee and the employing firm consent to the board's jurisdiction and disciplinary authority, compliance with the Act and regulations, ceasing practice in New Jersey if the home-state licence is no longer valid, and appointment of the home board as agent for service of process; 45:2B-50.1(d): an individual with the privilege who performs attest services "may only do so through a firm" that meets N.J.S.A. 45:2B-54(a)(1)(c) or is registered in New Jersey; 45:2B-50.1(f): individuals who held practice privileges before the effective date of P.L.2025, c.384 keep them.