Nebraska CPA CPE Requirements (2026): 80 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
Nebraska requires 80 hours of CPE per two-year renewal period with a strict reporting timeline: hours must be earned by December 31 and reported by January 31. At least 4 hours must be in ethics, which can include general ethics, independence training, Circular 230 courses, or state-specific mandatory content. The AICPA Professional Ethics Exam used for initial certification cannot be reused.
Self-study hours are capped at 40 per renewal period, meaning at least half your CPE must come from group or interactive formats. Personal development (non-technical) courses are limited to 16 hours. College courses are capped at 40 hours per renewal, with semester hours converting at 15 CPE hours each. Instruction, firm meetings, published articles, and VITA volunteering each have their own specific caps.
Permits issued after July 1 of the year prior to expiration require only 40 hours for that renewal. Inactive and Inactive-Retired registrants skip CPE entirely. The Board may also waive compliance for illness or extenuating circumstances. Documentation must be kept for six years.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | 4 | Every renewal | 4 hours of ethics in each renewal period. Types include general/professional ethics, Independence training, Circular 230 courses, state-specific mandatory courses. May meet requirement through multiple courses. AICPA Professional Ethics Exam for certificate issuance cannot be reused. |
Renewal Pathways
Exemptions
- Inactive Status — Inactive Registrants are not required to report CPE.Cannot practice on inactive status
- Inactive-Retired Status — Inactive-Retired Registrants are not required to report CPE.Cannot practice on inactive-retired status
- Waiver — The Board may waive compliance for justifiable reasons such as illness or extenuating circumstances beyond the permit holder's control.Must be approved by the Board under Rule Chapter 8.009.04
How You Can Complete Your CE
Nebraska CPE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Nebraska that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Carry-over — No carry-over provision is documented. The 80 hours must be completed within the two calendar years prior to renewal. CPE hours used for extension requests cannot be utilized in the subsequent period. Hours used for reinstatement may not be used to renew the permit.
- CPE must be earned by December 31 and reported by January 31.
- Self-study capped at 40 hours per renewal period (50% of requirement).
- Personal development (non-technical) CPE limited to 16 hours per two-year period (optional, not obligatory).
- Board strongly recommends (not requires) 40% of hours in A&A for those engaged in audits/reviews/compilations.
- College courses: max 40 hours per renewal period. Semester hour = 15 CPE hours; quarter hour = 8 hours.
- Instruction/presentation: max 40 hours per renewal period (1 hr presenting + up to 2 hrs preparation per hour).
- Firm meetings/technical committees: max 16 hours per renewal period.
- Published articles/books: max 16 hours per renewal period.
- IRS VITA volunteer: max 8 hours (4 basic + 2 per specialty).
- Nano learning reported in 50-minute increments from same sponsor.
- CPE documentation must be retained for 6 years.
- Reinstatement: 120 hours including 4 hours ethics in current/prior 3 calendar years.
- AICPA Professional Ethics Exam for certificate issuance cannot be reused for permit renewal.
- 1 CPE hour = 50 minutes; half-hour increments after first hour.
- Travel time and advance reading/homework not eligible for credit.
- Legal reference: NAC Title 288, Chapter 8.
Provider Requirements
The Board recognizes NASBA-approved sponsors and courses adhering to QAS standards. Courses not pre-approved by the NASBA CPE Registry must gain Board approval before they can be considered valid. Use the Program Qualification Form for pre-approval of non-approved courses.
Tips for Nebraska CPAs
- Self-study is hard-capped at 40 hours — plan at least 40 hours from group programs, webinars, or live courses each cycle.
- Nebraska's 6-year documentation retention requirement is longer than most states. Set up a system to archive certificates.
- If your permit was issued after July 1 of the year before expiration, you only need 40 hours for your first renewal.
- Non-NASBA courses need pre-approval via the Board's Program Qualification Form. Submit this before taking the course, not after.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy's official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Mar 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.