Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 20-11-.02 - Requirements

(1) An applicant for renewal of his or her individual license to practice as a CPA must have completed 80 hours of acceptable continuing professional education, of which 16 hours shall be in accounting and auditing subjects, during the two-year period immediately preceding each biennial renewal date as a condition for renewal, except as provided under paragraphs (2) and (4) below. A minimum of 20 of the 80 hours will be earned in each year.

(2) An applicant for renewal of his or her individual license to practice as a CPA who has been initially certified by this state for one year, but less than two, will have completed 40 hours of acceptable continuing professional education after the date of licensure but prior to the expiration date of his or her first license, of which at least 8 hours of continuing professional education reported shall be in accounting and auditing subjects, as a condition for renewal. An applicant who has been initially licensed as a CPA by this state for less than one year at the date of expiration of his or her first license shall not be required to have completed any hours of continuing professional education prior to that first expiration date as a condition for renewal.

(3) "Accounting and auditing courses" for purposes of this section shall be defined as follows:

(a) Accounting-related courses shall include, but not be limited to courses which enhance or develop understanding of generally accepted accounting principles, particularly as they relate to presentation of financial statements, as promulgated by authoritative literature in the United States and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

(b) Auditing-related courses shall include, but not be limited to, courses which enhance or develop understanding of generally accepted auditing standards, particularly as they relate to reporting on financial statements (including related standards for compilation and review services) as promulgated by authoritative literature in the United States, including the Statement on Auditing Standards and the Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and standards issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board as well as courses related to auditing in specialized industries (e.g., governmental auditing requirements) and environments (e.g., computer systems).

(4) Up to fifteen hours of acceptable education completed during the period immediately preceding the renewal date of a license in excess of the requirements for such preceding period may be applied to satisfy the continuing professional education requirements of the following period. No carryover hours can be used to satisfy the accounting and auditing hours requirement provided for in this section.

(5) Any licensee who has attained 70 years of age is exempt from the continuing professional education requirement for renewal of his or her individual license to practice public accountancy.

(6) The Board may relax or suspend the requirements of continuing professional education for reasons of individual hardship or health of the applicant.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 20-11-.02

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-3-8, 43-3-18, 43-3-19.

Original Rule entitled "Conduct of Audit" adopted. F. Nov. 27, 1968; eff. Dec. 16, 1968. Repealed: New Rule entitled "Requirements" adopted. F. Feb. 9, 1978; eff. Mar. 1, 1978. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Sept. 25, 1985; eff. Oct. 10, 1985. Amended: F. July 15, 1987; eff. August 4, 1987. Amended: F. Dec. 11, 1989; eff. Dec. 31, 1989. Amended: F. Oct. 31, 1991; eff. Nov. 20, 1991. Amended: F. Sept. 11, 1996; eff. Oct. 1, 1996. Amended: F. Aug. 1, 2003; eff. Aug. 21, 2003. Amended: F. July 19, 2004; eff. August 8, 2004. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Oct. 5, 2005; eff. Oct. 25, 2005. Amended: F. Feb. 4, 2015; eff. Feb. 24, 2015. Amended: F. Mar. 24, 2016; eff. Apr. 13, 2016.