To become a NASBA-approved CPE sponsor, you apply to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors and show that your programs meet the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education Programs, the rulebook that NASBA and the AICPA publish jointly. Approval means preparing a specific set of documents (policies, sample certificate, instructor credentials, course materials), submitting them through NASBA’s online portal with a non-refundable fee, and passing a review by a NASBA analyst. As of late 2025, initial reviews for most delivery methods were completing in under 20 days.1NASBA Registry. Application Review Times Improve Significantly Self-study programs go through a longer two-phase design review.
What Registry Approval Actually Gets You
The National Registry is a centralized list of providers judged to meet the Standards, maintained by NASBA and used by state boards as a quality signal.2NASBA. The Registry’s Role in CPE Acceptance by Boards All U.S. jurisdictions accept Registry-sponsor courses to some degree.3NASBA Registry. Jurisdictions That Accept Registry Sponsors
What Registry approval does not do is settle every question of acceptance. State Boards of Accountancy have the final say on whether an individual course counts, and around 17 jurisdictions require a separate provider approval specifically for ethics content.4NASBA Registry. CPE Requirements If ethics courses are part of your plan, check each target state before you promote to CPAs there.
Choose Your Delivery Methods First
The delivery method you plan to offer shapes your application, your fees, and the assessment rules you have to build into every course. NASBA recognizes Group Live, Group Internet Based, QAS Self-Study, Blended Learning, and Nano-Learning.
Credit measurement is consistent across most formats: one CPE credit equals one 50-minute instructional period, with partial credits allowed in one-fifth or one-half increments after the first full credit, always rounded down.5NASBA Registry. Group Live: Measurement Group Internet Based programs add a live engagement requirement, usually satisfied with periodic polling or attention checks so a participant who stops responding doesn’t get credit for the missed time.
QAS Self-Study is the most tightly regulated format because no instructor is watching. Every self-study course must include a final exam with a passing score of 70% and a minimum of five questions per CPE credit awarded.6NASBA Registry. QAS Self Study Nano-Learning is the shortest format, capped at 0.2 CPE credits per module and limited to a single field of study.
Every course also has to be classified under one of NASBA’s technical or non-technical fields of study.7NASBA. Fields of Study That Qualify for CPE Classification isn’t cosmetic. Many state boards require CPAs to earn a minimum number of technical credits per cycle, and a course mislabeled as non-technical can leave a licensee short at renewal.
Documentation You Need Before You Apply
Incomplete submissions are the main reason applications drag. Gather everything before you open the portal. NASBA’s preparing-to-apply guidance lists the items reviewers will look at:8National Registry of CPE Sponsors. Preparing to Apply
- Written administrative policies covering tuition refunds, course cancellations, and complaint handling, accessible to prospective participants.
- A program list showing each course you plan to offer, classified by field of study and delivery method.
- Sample promotional materials showing how you’ll present courses to CPAs.
- The participant evaluation form you’ll use to measure course and instructor effectiveness.
- A sample certificate of completion containing every required element.
- Biographies documenting the credentials of authors, instructors, and the technical reviewer.
- Finalized program materials for the courses on your list.
You’ll also need the legal entity name as registered with your Secretary of State and contact information for a primary program administrator.
Submitting the Application and the Review
Applications go through NASBA’s online portal. You upload your policies, course materials, instructor biographies, and sample certificate, and pay the application fee, which is non-refundable whether or not you’re approved.
For Group Live, Group Internet Based, Blended Learning, and Nano-Learning applicants, a NASBA analyst reviews the materials against the Standards. Expect back-and-forth if policies need adjustment or something needs clarification; that exchange is normal. Recent NASBA reporting puts initial reviews at under 20 days.1NASBA Registry. Application Review Times Improve Significantly
QAS Self-Study applicants go through two review phases. The preliminary instructional design review checks for learning objectives, complete materials, appropriate review questions with feedback, a qualifying final assessment, and correct credit measurement. Courses that fail this stage have to be corrected and resubmitted with a new application and fee. Courses that pass move to a full instructional design review examining content accuracy and overall compliance.6NASBA Registry. QAS Self Study
Approved applicants receive a unique sponsor identification number that must appear on every certificate of completion and on marketing materials going forward.
What It Costs
QAS Self-Study initial application fees scale with the total CPE credits in your catalog, starting at $1,716 for up to 4.0 credits and running to $5,195 for catalogs over 200 credits.6NASBA Registry. QAS Self Study
Annual renewal fees for Group Live, Group Internet Based, QAS Self-Study, and Blended Learning sponsors are set by the number of different programs offered:9NASBA Registry. Annual Renewal
- 1–15 programs: $910
- 16–25 programs: $1,128
- 26–50 programs: $1,820
- 51–100 programs: $2,907
- 101–250 programs: $3,588
- 251–500 programs: $4,342
- 501–1,000 programs: $4,940
- 1,001+ programs: $5,980
Sponsors whose only approved delivery method is Nano-Learning pay a flat $910 renewal. If you offer Nano-Learning alongside another format, add $572 to your program-count-based fee.9NASBA Registry. Annual Renewal
What You Have to Do Once You’re Approved
Certificates of Completion
Every participant who completes a course must receive a certificate containing a defined set of elements: sponsor name and address, participant name, program title, field of study, date offered or completed, program location, instructional delivery method, CPE credit earned, the signature of the CEO or person responsible for CE administration, your Registry sponsor identification number, and the Registry time statement.10NASBA Registry. What Elements Are Required to Be Included on the Certificate of Completion A certificate missing any one of these can cause the CPA problems when they submit it to their state board.
Recordkeeping
Documentation of the professional credentials of authors, developers, instructors, and reviewers has to be retained for at least five years. For CPAs and tax attorneys instructing on accounting, auditing, or tax programs, keep their state of licensure, license number, and license status on file. Enrolled agents on tax programs require their EA number and status on record.11NASBA Registry. Requirements for Maintaining Documentation Related to Professional Credentials Participation records and program materials follow the same five-year rule.
Content Reviews and Updates
Courses in fast-changing areas such as tax law and auditing standards must be reviewed by a subject matter expert at least annually. All other courses need a review at least every two years. When the underlying law, ruling, or professional standard changes, the course has to be updated as soon as feasible, and every course must display its most recent publication, revision, or review date.
The Registry Statement on Marketing
Approved sponsors must include NASBA’s official Registry Statement on all promotional materials. The current wording is: “[Organization’s name] is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual course for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.”12NASBA Registry. Does Your Course Promotional or Marketing Materials Reflect the Most Current National Registry Statement, as Required The complaint-submission sentence is a required part of the statement.
Staying on the Registry: Audits and Complaints
NASBA describes its audit approach as corrective rather than punitive, but the deadlines are firm.13NASBA Registry. Compliance Audit Once you receive an audit notice, you have one week to return the acknowledgement form and program list, then two weeks to upload supporting documentation for the selected programs. Missing these can lead to removal from the Registry.
An audit that finds only minor deficiencies closes with a report of findings and expected corrective actions; you don’t have to submit additional documentation. An audit that fails, meaning findings serious enough to affect a CPA’s ability to report credits for licensure, requires a written corrective action plan within 30 days and triggers a follow-up audit the next year. Failing that follow-up results in immediate removal from the Registry.
Anyone can file a complaint against a sponsor through NASBA’s complaint form, and all complaints are investigated.14NASBA Registry. The Complaint Process The sponsor is sent a copy of the allegation and asked for a written response. Investigations may include reviewing participation records, examining promotional materials, or an anonymous review of one of your programs. NASBA aims to close complaints within three months, and the sponsor agreement allows NASBA to require reimbursement for expenses it incurs during the investigation, including reviewer registration and travel.
When You Also Need State Board Approval
Registry approval is a strong baseline, not a universal one. Some jurisdictions accept Registry approval on its own. Others accept Registry approval or separate state board approval. A larger group requires Registry approval, state board approval, or approval under a special category, and roughly 17 jurisdictions require their own provider approval for ethics content specifically.4NASBA Registry. CPE Requirements Before you market to CPAs in a given state, confirm what that state’s board requires on top of the Registry. NASBA’s jurisdiction requirements page lets you filter by state.