Minnesota Administrative Rules

1105.3000 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.

The requirements of continuing professional education in items A to K apply pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 326A.04, subdivision 4.

A.

A licensee holding a certificate with an active status shall complete at least 120 hours of continuing professional education complying with this chapter during the preceding three-year period, with a minimum of 20 hours in each year. No carryforward of CPE hours from a one- or three-year CPE period ended on June 30 to another CPE period is allowed. As further explained in part 1105.3100, a licensee holding a certificate with an active status shall demonstrate participation in a program of learning meeting the applicable standards set forth in the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs jointly approved by NASBA and AICPA, which is incorporated by reference. At least eight hours of the 120 hours shall be in accounting ethics or business ethics. A program in ethics includes topics such as ethical reasoning, state-specific statutes and rules, and standards of professional conduct, including those of other applicable regulatory bodies.

B.

A licensee who does not currently hold an active certificate but previously held such a certificate and who elects or is required to have an active certificate shall complete at least 120 hours of CPE complying with this chapter during the three-year period preceding application for an active certificate. Such licensee shall identify and complete a program of learning designed to demonstrate the currency of the licensee's competencies directly related to the licensee's area of service. A licensee who elected to be exempt from certificate renewal pursuant to part 1105.3700 shall comply with the continuing professional education requirements in part 1105.3700, item C, before applying to obtain an active certificate.

C.

For purposes of this part, the year ends on June 30.

D.

Certificates may not be renewed until CPE requirements of this part are met or an exception is granted.

E.

A licensee granted an exception from the competency requirement by the board under part 1105.3300 may discontinue use of the word "inactive" in association with the licensee's CPA title upon showing that the licensee has completed at least 120 hours of continuing professional education complying with this chapter during the three-year period preceding the licensee's request to discontinue use of the word "inactive."

F.

Licensees who have elected to be exempt from certificate renewal pursuant to part 1105.3700 need not comply with this part.

G.

Failure to report CPE, failure to obtain CPE required by this part, reporting of an amount less than that required, or fraudulently reporting CPE is a basis for disciplinary action under Minnesota Statutes, section 326A.08. A licensee not in compliance with this part on June 30 of each year shall be assessed a late processing fee of $50 for the first month, or partial month, of noncompliance and $25 per month, or partial month, of noncompliance thereafter until the date the licensee is in compliance with this part and provides documentation of compliance in writing to the board.

H.

A licensee may use CPE hours taken subsequent to the end of a CPE period ended on June 30 to satisfy the requirements of item A related to a period ended on June 30 provided the late processing fee specified in item G is paid. The hours must not be counted in two different reporting periods.

I.

A licensee electing to change the status of the licensee's active certificate to a status other than active can only do so effective on the January 1 following a written request for the change and on a form provided by the board. The request shall be accompanied with documentation showing that the licensee completed at least 120 hours of continuing professional education required under this chapter during the three-year period ended June 30 preceding the effective date of the status change, with a minimum of 20 hours each year.

J.

Licensees granted an initial certificate with an active status have no continuing professional education hour requirement for the year ending June 30 during which the initial certificate was granted. The 120-hour requirement and the ethics requirement in item A are not effective for these licensees until the June 30 following the third anniversary of the initial certificate issuance, at which time at least 120 hours of CPE and the ethics requirement complying with this chapter must be completed. The 20-hour requirement in item A is not effective for these licensees until the June 30 following the first anniversary of the initial certificate issuance.

K.

A licensee shall report compliance with this part as required by parts 1105.2500, item B; 1105.3200, items A and C; or upon request by the board under part 1105.3200, item B.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 326.18; 326A.02

History:

27 SR 1425; 28 SR 1636; 30 SR 422; 33 SR 476

Published Electronically:

September 18, 2008