CPA License Renewal in Montana (2026)

CPA license renewal in Montana is handled by the Montana Board of Public Accountants, which requires Certified Public Accountant (CPA)s to renew every 12 months. Below are the renewal deadline rule, continuing-education (CE) hours, fees, and a direct link to the official renewal page — last verified 2026-06-01. This is an unofficial guide; always confirm the details with the board before you file.

Montana CPA renewal at a glance

Renewal cycle	12 months
Deadline rule	All individual licensees (regardless of status) must renew annually by December 31. Renewal is required online through the state Professional Licensing portal (ebiz.mt.gov/POL).
CE hours required	120 hours
Renewal fee	$125.00
Online renewal	Yes
CE tracking system	CPE self-reported / subject to Board audit (rolling 3-year period)
Governing body	Montana Board of Public Accountants

Go to the official Montana Board of Public Accountants renewal page →

Last verified 2026-06-01 from the Montana Board of Public Accountants. automated research workflow (official montana Board of Accountancy), confidence high.

Continuing-education requirements for CPAs in Montana

The basic CPE requirement is 120 hours of acceptable CPE, including a minimum of 2 hours of ethics, measured over any rolling three-year period (not tied to the one-year renewal cycle). Per state guidance, at least 60 of the 120 hours must be in technical subject areas. No state-specific ethics exam is required by the Board for active license renewal.

Need approved hours? Compare Montana CPA CE courses (some links are affiliate links).

How to renew your CPA license in Montana

Confirm your renewal deadline and current status on the Montana Board of Public Accountants portal.
Complete the required 120 CE hours and confirm they appear in CPE self-reported / subject to Board audit (rolling 3-year period).
Submit the renewal application and pay the current fee online.
Keep proof of CE and your renewal confirmation for your records.

Good to know: Important structural caveat: the LICENSE renewal cycle is annual (every Dec 31), but the CPE requirement is measured over a ROLLING THREE-YEAR period (120 hrs incl. 2 hrs ethics), so the per-cycle hours figure (120) corresponds to the 3-year CPE window, not the 1-year renewal. Active individual renewal fee is $125; inactive is $75 and retired is $25. Late fee is a 100% surcharge added to the renewal fee (so $125 late fee on the active $125 fee, totaling $250). Active individual renewal fee was verified on the official license-information page; homepage/FAQ confirmed annual Dec 31 deadline and online renewal. The 60-hour technical-subject minimum comes from state guidance summaries rather than the exact page text fetched, so treat that sub-detail with slightly lower certainty.

CPA license renewal in Montana: frequently asked questions

How often do I renew my CPA license in Montana?

Montana CPA licenses renew every 12 months. All individual licensees (regardless of status) must renew annually by December 31. Renewal is required online through the state Professional Licensing portal (ebiz.mt.gov/POL).

How many CE hours are required to renew an CPA license in Montana?

Approximately 120 continuing-education hours per cycle. The basic CPE requirement is 120 hours of acceptable CPE, including a minimum of 2 hours of ethics, measured over any rolling three-year period (not tied to the one-year renewal cycle). Per state guidance, at least 60 of the 120 hours must be in technical subject areas. No state-specific ethics exam is required by the Board for active license renewal. Confirm the current requirement with the Montana Board of Public Accountants.

Can I renew my Montana CPA license online?

Yes — Montana offers online renewal through the Montana Board of Public Accountants. Use the official link on this page.

What happens if I let my Montana CPA license expire?

Practicing on an expired license is generally prohibited and can carry penalties. A late fee of about $125 may apply. Contact the Montana Board of Public Accountants promptly if your license has lapsed.

Renew the same license in another state

All states: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) renewal