061-5 Wyo. Code R. §§ 5-3 - General Requirements

(a) A Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program qualifies as acceptable continuing education if it is a formal program of learning that contributes directly to the professional competence of a certificate holder in the practice of accounting as a CPA regardless of whether the holder practices in a public firm, in industry, in government, or in academia and verification of attendance or completion can be provided by a third party. Selection of the appropriate courses will be at the discretion of the certificate holder and may be selected from any of the Fields of Study issued by NASBA's Registry of CPE Sponsors. Holders may not report credits earned through completion of multiple identical courses completed within the same calendar year, whether the courses are offered by the same vendor or a closely related vendor. Holders shall be required to provide evidence that courses are different if the Board requires it.

(i) At least sixty-six (66%) (80 of the 120 credit requirement or 40 of the 60 credit requirement found in subsection (c) of this section) of the credits shall be earned in fields of study that directly relate to a holder's field of business as a CPA in the technical learning categories found in the Fields of Study That Qualify For Continuing Professional Education document incorporated by reference:

(A) Accounting;

(B) Accounting (Governmental);

(C) Auditing;

(D) Auditing (Governmental);

(E) Business Law;

(F) Economics;

(G) Finance;

(H) Information Technology;

(I) Management Services;

(J) Regulatory Ethics;

(K) Specialized Knowledge;

(L) Statistics; or

(M) Taxes.

(ii) The balance of credits may be earned in non-technical learning activities that contribute to the professional competence of a CPA in fields of study that indirectly relate to the CPA's field of business in categories found in the Fields of Study That Qualify For Continuing Professional Education document incorporated by reference:

(A) Behavioral Ethics;

(B) Business Management & Organization;

(C) Communications and Marketing;

(D) Computer Software & Applications;

(E) Personal Development;

(F) Personnel/Human Resources; or

(G) Production.

(b) Programs must be developed and conducted in compliance with the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs incorporated by reference. If called upon to do so by the Board, certificate holders must be prepared to demonstrate that providers/sponsors have complied with the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs.

(c) Certificate holders are required to comply with the CPE requirements in the three (3) full calendar years immediately preceding the renewal year as set forth below:

Rolling CPE Reporting Requirements

Renewal Year	First Calendar Year	Second Calendar Year	Third Calendar Year
First Renewal Reporting Requirement	0 credits to be reported for this first certificate year
Second Renewal Reporting Requirement	60 credits completed during this two calendar year period
Thereafter	120 credits in this rolling three year period

(i) With the exception of the requirement stipulated in subsection (iv) below, certificate holders renewing an active certificate for the first time are excepted from the continuing professional education reporting requirements;

(ii) To renew an active certificate for the second time, a holder shall complete 60 credits in the two calendar years immediately preceding the renewal year as reported and evidenced by the holder using the Board's online CPE reporting tool;

(iii) To renew an active certificate thereafter, a holder shall complete 120 credits in the three calendar years immediately preceding the renewal year as reported and evidenced by the holder using the Board's online CPE reporting tool.

(iv) All certificate holders who maintain their principal place of business in Wyoming are required to complete, as scheduled by the Board, and at least once every three-year continuing education period, four credits of continuing education in regulatory/professional ethics as approved by the Board. Credits may be earned at separate courses but all four credits must be completed in the same calendar year. To qualify for credit, the course must include a Wyoming statutes and rules element and other topics such as ethical reasoning or standards of professional conduct including those of other applicable regulatory bodies with a passing score of 80% unless satisfaction of the requirement is through participation in a group program. Holders who obtain initial certificates shall complete an approved regulatory/professional ethics course as set forth in section 3(c)(iv) of this chapter within six (6) months (month-end of date of initial certificate) of obtaining the initial certificate and every three year renewal period thereafter.

(v) If a reported/planned course as of the date of processing an online certificate renewal application is not completed by December 31st, an amended program attendance record must be submitted in the Board's online licensing renewal/CPE reporting system reflecting the change. If reported/planned courses are not completed by December 31^st and are required to meet minimum CPE requirements, holders may request an extension of the CPE deadline in accordance with section 8 of this chapter and shall pay required fees at the time of the request.

(d) The continuing professional education requirement of a non-resident certificate holder not using practice privileges is met if the individual meets the continuing education requirement for renewal of a certificate, permit, or license in the state in which the individual's principal office is located. These individuals must, during the applicable renewal period imposed by the state where the principal office is located, complete four credits of continuing education in regulatory/professional ethics covering state specific statutes and rules and such topics as ethical reasoning or standards of professional conduct including those of other applicable regulatory bodies. The non-resident must certify that the continuing professional education requirement has been met in another state. If there is no continuing education requirement in the non-resident's principal place of business or the individual is not licensed in his principal place of business, the individual must comply with the requirements as though he was a resident of Wyoming. Non-resident certificate holders are subject to the audit provisions of this chapter to verify the continuing professional education status of a non-resident.

(e) Courses offered by a single course sponsor or multiple course sponsors repeated during a renewal year are ineligible to be counted towards meeting minimum requirements. Holders are responsible for providing evidence that courses are different if the Board requires it.

(f) Inactive and Retired certificate holders are excepted from the continuing education requirements until such a time as they enter or re-enter practice under the provisions of the Act and the rules.

(g) The Board may suspend, relax, or grant exceptions to the continuing education requirements for instances of individual hardship or other good cause shown.

Notes

061-5 Wyo. Code R. §§ 5-3

Amended, Eff. 10/28/2019. Amended, Eff. 7/15/2020.