Rhode Island CPA CE Courses (2026)
To renew your CPA license in Rhode Island you need to satisfy the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (within the Department of Business Regulation)'s continuing education (CE) requirement — about 120 hours per 3-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 Rhode Island requires for CPA renewal
| CE hours required | 120 hours per cycle |
|---|---|
| Renewal cycle | 36 months |
| CE tracking system | Self-reported; licensee uploads the Board's CPE Reporting Form (or equivalent spreadsheet) with the online renewal. No CE Broker. |
| Governing body | Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (within the Department of Business Regulation) |
120 hours of formal CPE over the 3-year cycle. At least 6 of those hours must be in ethics (regulatory and/or behavioral ethics, e.g., AICPA Code of Professional Conduct); there is no separate state-specific ethics exam. No fixed annual minimum is specified (hours are measured across the full triennium). A reduced first-cycle requirement of 80 hours (including 4 ethics hours) applies to newly licensed CPAs, since CPE is not required in the year the certificate is first issued. Not more than 24 hours may be in Personal Development/Marketing subjects.
Full CPA renewal guide for Rhode Island (deadlines, fees & CE) →
Rhode Island 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.
Rhode Island CPA CE courses: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do I need to renew my CPA license in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island requires about 120 continuing-education hours per renewal cycle. 120 hours of formal CPE over the 3-year cycle. At least 6 of those hours must be in ethics (regulatory and/or behavioral ethics, e.g., AICPA Code of Professional Conduct); there is no separate state-specific ethics exam. No fixed annual minimum is specified (hours are measured across the full triennium). A reduced first-cycle requirement of 80 hours (including 4 ethics hours) applies to newly licensed CPAs, since CPE is not required in the year the certificate is first issued. Not more than 24 hours may be in Personal Development/Marketing subjects.
Do online CPA CE courses count in Rhode Island?
Online courses generally count when the provider is approved by or recognized by the Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (within the Department of Business Regulation) and the completion is reported through Self-reported; licensee uploads the Board's CPE Reporting Form (or equivalent spreadsheet) with the online renewal. No CE Broker.. Always confirm a course is accepted before you buy it.
Where do I report my Rhode Island CPA CE?
Rhode Island uses Self-reported; licensee uploads the Board's CPE Reporting Form (or equivalent spreadsheet) with the online renewal. 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 Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (within the Department of Business Regulation). Always confirm current rules with the board before relying on this.
Official Rhode Island Board of Accountancy (within the Department of Business Regulation) site →