1. Submit the Interest Form
Any individual, company or organization that wants to offer continuing professional education (CPE) credits for U.S. licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) should apply to join the Registry. You must have previous experience in developing, presenting, measuring and reporting some type of educational or training program. The program does not need to be offered for the CPA profession or awarded for CPE credit. After the complete interest form is submitted, a link to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors application will be sent to the main contact.
2. Familiarize Yourself with the Standards and Best Practices
Before proceeding with the online initial application, you must read, in its entirety, the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs (revised January 2024). These are the Standards by which your application will be measured for compliance.
The Best Practices site has been developed to assist in the development, presentation, measurement, and reporting of CPE programs. Please visit the Best Practices site here.
3. Complete Initial Application
The Registry application is a detailed process, and potential sponsors should take the necessary steps in providing a complete application. The online application is an intuitive and interactive interface by which you can upload all materials that are relevant for the delivery method you are seeking for approval. The application contains help text to assist in completion of required elements. Examples may be found in the sample template section. The application and review fees can also be paid through this secure system. The online application form will allow you to save and return to complete it at a later date. You will be prompted to supply a login and password to access the incomplete form.
You may apply for multiple instructional delivery methods (group live; group internet based; QAS self study; nano learning; and blended learning) with one application. You will be requested to submit certain documentation and program materials for one program of each instructional delivery method for which you are applying. All of the requested documentation for the application should relate to the submitted program. For example, if the submitted course is titled, “Accounting ABCs,” then all submitted materials—program materials, promotional materials, certificate of completion, evaluation form, etc.—should be for the “Accounting ABCs” program.
4. Main Contact Notified of Status
Once you have submitted your initial application, you will receive a confirmation email.
5. Application Review Process Begins
The application will be considered complete once all documentation and fees are submitted. The National Registry team reviews your application to determine if the policies, procedures, and courses are compliant with the Standards. The initial application process consists of a hands-on evaluation by the National Registry of CPE Sponsors administrative review team. Your application will be assigned to a National Registry Account Manager. Your assigned Account Manager will evaluate the administrative materials to measure against the applicable Standards. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received.
Application Review Process
The required documents for the application include:
If all program offerings have not yet been determined, submit the known course offerings and remit fees based on that program offering level. If, during the year, your organization will exceed the number of program offerings included in the initial application, please contact your National Registry Account Manager and request an upgrade to your program level.
Group Live Program Additional Materials:
- A written statement on attendance monitoring of participants.
- Evidence of element of engagement with outline or agenda.
Administrative Documents
6. Content Review
One program for each instructional delivery method for which you are applying is reviewed for content and technical accuracy.
The classroom or conference instructor/presenter is a vital part of the content delivery; thus the extent of content review for Group Live is limited. The course agenda, slides, and instructor notes (as available) will be reviewed for content appropriate for CPE credit, as well as the element of engagement as stated in the Standards. You are required to provide biographies of the instructor/developer and reviewer. Qualifications listed in these biographies must show evidence of expertise in the subject matter.
7. Request for Modifications
If there are areas of non-compliance, your National Registry Account Manager will send you an email requesting modifications. Each element included on the modification report must be addressed. If you have any questions, please contact your Account Manager. You will have two weeks from the date of the email to submit the modified documentation and materials. You have two opportunities to make required modifications. After two opportunities to make modifications, if ANY non-compliance remains, the application will be closed.
8. Application Approved
Once your initial application is approved, you will be provided with a National Registry of CPE Sponsors ID number and approval letter.
While the review focuses on the one fully developed program submitted with the application, approval is not granted on a course-by-course basis. Approval is granted for the respective delivery method for the number of programs (or credits) to be offered in the instructional delivery method for the upcoming year, which is indicated on the application. Approval is granted for one year and must be renewed annually at the sponsor level.
Upon approval, the expectation is that the same requirements demonstrated during the application review process will be implemented to all other programs that are developed and offered to CPAs for CPE credit under your Registry membership. Therefore, if you were required to make modifications to documentation or the CPE program during the application process, those same modifications should be considered and implemented to all other programs offered under your Registry membership.
