What if I renew my certificate in October or November, but plan to complete CPE credits in December? 

Answer: If you know what and how many credits you are planning to take in December, you may report those credits when you renew your certificate online. Any “pending” courses must be completed and documentation uploaded using the CPE reporting tool on your Individual Dashboard in order to complete CPE reporting requirements. If something changes and you are not able to complete those credits or took additional credits by December 31st , you will need to access the CPE reporting tool on your Individual Dashboard to make updates and changes. You have until the deadline of January 15th the following year to update any “pending” courses to "completed" and upload the certificate of completion, or make any necessary adjustments, at which time, the ability to edit prior year CPE will be removed. Please contact the Board office at wycpaboard@wyo.gov if you have any question or need assistance. 

What if I am unable to complete the required hours by December 31st? 

Answer: You may request an automatic 90-day extension (March 31st completion date) on your renewal or by emailing wycpaboard@wyo.gov if your renewal has already been submitted. If more than the 90 day extension is needed, a formal request must be submitted to the Board, but no later than March 1st , outlining good cause for the extension and providing supporting documentation. (Note, any extension request automatically subjects the certificate to audit.) 

What’s at stake if I do not adhere to the CPE requirements? 

Answer: Your certificate to practice as a CPA in Wyoming is at stake. CPE is a legal requirement for certificate renewal and a hallmark of the CPA profession. If CPE requirements are not observed by the holder, the law with respect to renewal of the certificate has not been followed. The Board may file a complaint on its own motion pursuant to W.S. 33-3-123 and Chapter 7, Section 5 of Board rules and regulations; an investigation will ensue, leading to possible disciplinary action up to and including revocation of the certificate.

What if I don’t have appropriate evidence of completion of a course? Can I still count the credits? 

Answer: No, you cannot count those credits for your CPE requirement. The number of CPE credits reported in the certificate renewal application MUST BE substantiated with acceptable certificates of completion. You will be asked to provide the appropriate documentation when your certificate is renewed annually or, access the CPE reporting tool throughout the year to report and provide evidence of completion for CPE courses. The number of credits earned and reported at the time of certificate renewal must match the number of credits documented. 

Do “off the shelf” software courses such as MS Excel or Quickbooks qualify for CPE? 

Answer: Yes, they qualify as Code B courses. Holders must obtain proper evidence of completion per Chapter 5, Section 5 of Board rules and regulations. 

Do CPA Review Courses qualify for CPE credit? 

Answer: Yes, credit may be claimed based on each 50 minutes of time (minus break periods) an individual participated in the review course. Credits are valid only if earned after the Wyoming certificate is issued. 

A group course was offered through my firm, what is appropriate evidence of completion for it? 

Answer: If the CPE was earned through in-firm or inter-firm education programs, a copy of the attendance roster with course details, time frame of the course, and attested to by a CPA associated with the firm may be submitted. 

What if I am not sure a particular course would qualify for CPE? 

Answer: You will need to refer to Board Rules and Regulations, Chapter 5, Section 3, in particular. Generally speaking, Section 3 explains that it is the certificate holder’s responsibility to determine whether or not the course contributes to his/her professional competency as a CPA. If you believe the course meets the requirements, you need to keep the required documents evidencing the content of the course and verification of completion. If your certificate is audited and the Board questions the course, you will be asked to provide the documentation demonstrating why you feel it should qualify towards your CPE requirement.  Be sure to include explanation on how the credits are calculated (i.e. based on a 50 minute period verbiage or a timed agenda).  

How can I confirm when my deadline is for the regulatory and professional ethics requirement? 

Answer: Holders may refer to  their Individual Dashboard to see when the four-credit ethics course is required to be completed.  The due date will be displayed on their dashboard at the bottom of the page.

How can I find out which providers are Board approved for the regulatory and professional ethics requirement? 

Answer: Please visit the Wyoming Ethics page on the Board's website for a list of approved courses.  Please keep in mind that general ethics do not meet this requirement.  

Is there a maximum number of self-study courses I may use during any given renewal period? 

Answer: No. Independent Study is limited, but Self Study is not. 

What is independent study? 

Answer: Independent study is a program wherein individuals design a particular learning program – usually a one-time program – to meet a specific learning objective (such as a research project or a proprietary computer application training program). A contract between the individual and a qualified sponsor (individual or formal provider) is required. Independent study is limited to 12 credits in any three year renewal period.