CPAs need documentation for every CPE program they claim, and the certificate of completion from the sponsor is usually that documentation. The Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs, issued jointly by the AICPA and NASBA, sets out what sponsors should provide.
What to print on the certificate
- The participant’s name
- The program title and the field(s) of study
- The date(s) the program was completed
- The delivery method, for example group live, group internet based or QAS self study
- The number of CPE credits earned, by field of study where relevant
- The sponsor’s name and contact information
- The signature (or electronic signature) of the person responsible for the program
- If you are a NASBA Registry sponsor, your sponsor ID and the Registry statement in the form NASBA specifies
How CPE credits are calculated
For group and internet-based programs, the Standards measure credit in 50-minute periods: 50 minutes is one CPE credit. After the first full credit, credits can be awarded in increments of one-fifth (0.2) or one-half (0.5). Self-study programs are measured differently (typically by a pilot test or word count), so don’t use minutes for them. Our CPE credit calculator does the arithmetic for group programs.
Making CPE certificates for every participant
List participants in a spreadsheet with Full_Name, Course_Title, Field_of_Study, Delivery_Method, Completion_Date, CPE_Credits, NASBA_Sponsor_ID and Cert_ID, then upload it. See the CPE certificate generator.