Free IRS webinars are live online sessions the agency runs throughout the year on federal tax topics, open to anyone at no cost, with continuing education credit available to tax professionals who attend live and meet the participation rules. Recorded versions are posted afterward for on-demand viewing, but only the live sessions count toward CE.
What the Webinars Cover
Content is split by audience. Sessions for tax practitioners regularly address practice standards under Circular 230, due diligence obligations, and tax code updates, with recent 2026 offerings covering business tax provisions under new legislation and reporting requirements for Americans abroad.1Internal Revenue Service. Webinars for Tax Practitioners
A separate track for small business owners and self-employed people covers business structures, employer identification numbers, employment taxes, and cost recovery rules.2Internal Revenue Service. Webinars for Small Businesses The IRS also runs specialized programs for tax-exempt organizations and government entities focused on compliance and maintaining exempt status.3Internal Revenue Service. IRS-Sponsored Continuing Education Programs General taxpayer sessions tend to focus on new tax law changes, common filing errors, and spotting fraudulent schemes.
Registering for a Live Session
The practitioner page and the small business page each list upcoming sessions with the date, time, description, and learning objectives.1Internal Revenue Service. Webinars for Tax Practitioners Start times are typically Eastern.
Registration is required in advance. The link on each listing opens an external form for your name and email. If you want CE credit, register using the exact first name, last name, and PTIN that appear on your IRS PTIN account. A mismatch in any of those fields can prevent the credit from posting correctly.4Internal Revenue Service. New Features for Tax Pros – YouTube Video Text Script A confirmation email with your unique access link follows.
Watching Recorded Webinars
If you miss a live session, the IRS posts recordings to its video portal and YouTube channel, and no registration is needed.5Internal Revenue Service. Videos One important limit: watching a recording does not earn CE credit. Credit depends on real-time polling questions that only run during the live broadcast. Recordings are fine for learning; for credit, attend live.
How CE Credit Is Earned
The IRS is an approved CE provider, and most live practitioner webinars offer CE at no charge. Recent sessions have run 120 minutes and awarded up to two CE credits each.1Internal Revenue Service. Webinars for Tax Practitioners Credit is measured in 50-minute contact hours, so one CE credit requires 50 minutes of actual instruction, not counting breaks or introductions.6Internal Revenue Service. CE FAQs: Continuing Education Providers
Credit isn’t automatic. You have to stay logged in for the required viewing time and respond correctly to polling questions that appear at irregular intervals. The IRS standard for online group programs requires a minimum of three polling questions per CE credit hour.6Internal Revenue Service. CE FAQs: Continuing Education Providers For a typical two-credit session, that means staying connected at least 100 minutes after the official start and answering at least four polling questions.4Internal Revenue Service. New Features for Tax Pros – YouTube Video Text Script Log off early or skip the polls and you won’t qualify.
Certificates and PTIN Posting
Participants who meet the attendance and polling requirements receive a Certificate of Completion as a PDF sent to the email used during registration.4Internal Revenue Service. New Features for Tax Pros – YouTube Video Text Script Add the sender to your contacts so it doesn’t land in spam.
For tax professionals who registered with a valid PTIN, CE credit is reported directly to the IRS and posted to the PTIN account after a validation process, so it won’t show up instantly. If your credit doesn’t appear within a reasonable timeframe, the IRS webinar team can be reached at cl.sl.web.conference.team@irs.gov.4Internal Revenue Service. New Features for Tax Pros – YouTube Video Text Script
How the Credits Fit Your CE Requirements
Enrolled Agents
Enrolled agents must complete 72 hours of CE every three-year enrollment cycle, including six hours of ethics or professional conduct. Each individual year requires at least 16 hours, with at least two on ethics.7Internal Revenue Service. Maintain Your Enrolled Agent Status All CE must come from IRS-approved providers, cover federal taxation or related matters, and be consistent with the tax code and effective tax administration.8eCFR. 31 CFR 10.6 – Term and Renewal of Status as an Enrolled Agent, Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent, or Registered Tax Return Preparer At two credits per session, IRS webinars can count toward both federal tax law and ethics categories depending on the topic, with no published cap on how many you can take.
Annual Filing Season Program Participants
AFSP preparers need 18 hours annually: a six-hour Annual Federal Tax Refresher course with a knowledge test, 10 hours of other federal tax law topics, and two hours of ethics.9Internal Revenue Service. General Requirements for the Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion IRS webinars can satisfy much of the 10-hour federal tax law piece. The AFTR course itself has to come from a provider offering that specific program.
CPAs and Attorneys
CPAs and attorneys answer to their state licensing boards, and those boards set their own CPE rules. IRS webinars may or may not count toward state CPE hours. Check with your board before relying on them. The certificate of completion is issued either way, so you’ll have documentation if your board accepts it.