Iowa CPA CE Courses (2026)
To renew your CPA license in Iowa you need to satisfy the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)'s continuing education (CE) requirement — about 120 hours per 1-year cycle. Below is what the board requires and a comparison of course providers that offer qualifying CE. This is an unofficial guide — confirm any course is board-approved before you buy.
What Iowa requires for CPA renewal
| CE hours required | 120 hours per cycle |
|---|---|
| Renewal cycle | 12 months |
| CE tracking system | CPE self-reported on renewal (audit-based); records retained for board audit. No CE Broker. |
| Governing body | Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) |
Although renewal is annual, CPE is reported on a rolling three-year period: at least 120 hours total, including at least 4 hours in ethics and rules of professional conduct (per 193A Iowa Admin. Code ch. 10). Licensees may elect either a December 31 or June 30 three-year reporting-period end date. An additional 8 hours of financial-statement-presentation (accounting/auditing) CPE is required for those who supervise or sign compilation reports. Phased-in rules apply to newly licensed CPAs: no CPE for the first renewal, 40 hours by the second renewal, 80 hours by the third renewal. No state-specific ethics exam noted.
Full CPA renewal guide for Iowa (deadlines, fees & CE) →
Iowa CPA CE course providers
- Becker CPE
Large CPE catalog with state-specific ethics courses and subscription access.
- Surgent CPE
Unlimited-CPE packages and adaptive courses accepted across most state boards.
- Gleim CPE
Individual courses and subscriptions, including state ethics requirements.
- Western CPE
Self-study, webcasts, and live conferences across technical and ethics topics.
- AICPA
Professional CPE from the national accounting body, including ethics and specialized tracks.
Iowa CPA CE courses: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do I need to renew my CPA license in Iowa?
Iowa requires about 120 continuing-education hours per renewal cycle. Although renewal is annual, CPE is reported on a rolling three-year period: at least 120 hours total, including at least 4 hours in ethics and rules of professional conduct (per 193A Iowa Admin. Code ch. 10). Licensees may elect either a December 31 or June 30 three-year reporting-period end date. An additional 8 hours of financial-statement-presentation (accounting/auditing) CPE is required for those who supervise or sign compilation reports. Phased-in rules apply to newly licensed CPAs: no CPE for the first renewal, 40 hours by the second renewal, 80 hours by the third renewal. No state-specific ethics exam noted.
Do online CPA CE courses count in Iowa?
Online courses generally count when the provider is approved by or recognized by the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) and the completion is reported through CPE self-reported on renewal (audit-based); records retained for board audit. No CE Broker.. Always confirm a course is accepted before you buy it.
Where do I report my Iowa CPA CE?
Iowa uses CPE self-reported on renewal (audit-based); records retained for board audit. No CE Broker. to track CPA continuing education. Make sure your completions post there before you renew.
Requirement last verified 2026-06-01 from the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing). Always confirm current rules with the board before relying on this.
Official Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) site →