N.J. Admin. Code § 13:29-6.5

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:29-6.5 - Continuing professional education programs and other sources of continuing professional education credit

(a) The following qualify as continuing professional education programs provided they contain the subjects enumerated in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3 and 6.4 and meet the continuing professional education program criteria requirements as set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.6 or 6.6A.

1. Continuing professional education programs of national or state professional organizations: Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit hour for every 50 minutes of in-class participation.

2. Accredited university or college courses in qualifying technical subjects set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3only.

i. Continuing professional education credit shall be granted for university or college courses in accordance with the following:

(1) Applicants shall receive: 15 credits of continuing professional education credit for each semester or trimester credit earned; 10 credits of continuing professional education credit for each credit earned in a quarter; and

(2) Applicants attending noncredit courses shall be granted continuing professional education credit at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of in-class participation.

ii. Continuing professional education shall not be granted for attending college or university courses that were used to satisfy the individual's initial professional licensure requirements or CPA examination preparation/review courses.

3. In-firm educational programs of public accounting firms: Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of in-firm participation.

4. Correspondence programs, other individual study programs, and blended learning programs: Continuing professional education credit shall be granted for correspondence programs, other individual study programs, and blended learning programs offered by sponsors who have been registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). Credit shall be granted in accordance with Standard No. 16 of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/National Association of State Boards of Accountancy's (AICPA/NASBA's) Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs, effective September 1, 2016, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented. The Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs is located on NASBA's National Registry of CPE Sponsors website, http://www.nasbaregistry.org/. Credit for correspondence, other individual study programs, and blended learning programs shall only be given in the renewal period in which the course is completed with a successful final examination.

5. Group Internet-based programs: Continuing professional education credit for group Internet-based programs shall be awarded as follows:

i. Group Internet-based programs must employ learning methodologies that clearly define learning objectives, guide the participant through the learning process, and provide evidence of a participant's satisfactory completion of the program.

ii. Group Internet-based programs must have a live instructor while the program is being presented. Program participants must be able to interact with the live instructor while the course is in progress and have the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers during the presentation.

iii. Once a group Internet-based program is recorded or archived for future presentation, it will continue to be considered a group Internet-based program only where a live subject matter expert facilitates the recorded presentation, and credit is given by the original sponsor of the program. Any future presentations that do not include a live subject matter expert will be considered a correspondence or individual study program which must meet all of the correspondence or individual study program requirements set forth in (a) 4 above.

iv. Credit for a group Internet-based program will be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of the licensee's participation.

6. Nano learning programs: Continuing professional education credit shall be granted for nano learning programs that meet the requirements of Standard No. 10 of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants/National Association of State Boards of Accountancy's (AICPA/NASBA's) Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs, effective August 1, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented. Credit for nano learning programs shall be granted as one-fifth credit (0.2 credit) in accordance with Standard No. 16 of the AICPA/NASBA's Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs, effective August 1, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented. The Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs is located on NASBA's National Registry of CPE Sponsors website, http://www.nasbaregistry.org/.

7. Continuing professional education programs from continuing professional education sponsors approved by the Board in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.6. Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of in-class participation.

(b) In addition to the continuing professional education programs enumerated in (a) above, continuing professional education credit also shall be awarded for the following if they fall within the subjects enumerated in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3 and 6.4 and meet the continuing professional education program criteria as set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.6 or 6.6A.

1. Technical meetings: Licensees who participate in meetings of professional accounting organizations shall be awarded continuing professional education credit for that portion of the meeting that is structured as a continuing professional education program. Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of the licensee's participation.

2. Professional accounting meetings, conferences, seminars: Licensees who participate in meetings of professional accounting organizations shall be awarded continuing professional education credit if the meeting is structured as an approved continuing professional education program. Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of the licensee's participation in the meeting.

3. Firm meetings: Licensees who participate in firm meetings for staff or for management groups of professional accounting organizations shall be awarded continuing professional education credit if the meeting is structured as an approved continuing professional education program. Continuing professional education credit shall be granted at the rate of one credit for every 50 minutes of the licensee's participation in the meeting.

(c) In addition to the continuing professional education programs enumerated in (a) and (b) above, continuing professional education credit also shall be granted for the following if they involve subjects enumerated in N.J.A.C. 13:29-6.3 and 6.4.

1. Service as a lecturer, instructor, discussion leader, or speaker.

i. Continuing professional education credit shall be awarded for service as a lecturer, instructor, discussion leader, or speaker in accordance with the following:

(1) One credit shall be given for each 50-minute period of service provided the discussion is one that meets the continuing professional education subject requirements of NJ.A.C. 13:29-6.3 or 6.4. For the lecturer's, instructor's, discussion leader's, or speaker's preparation time, there shall be awarded two additional credits of continuing professional education for each 50-minute period of instruction. Requests for credit shall be accompanied by an outline of the instruction, discussion, or presentation;

(2) The instructor or discussion leader shall not be given credit for subsequent sessions in the same year involving substantially identical subject matter, except that after one year has elapsed the Board may give one additional credit for each 50-minute period of service as an instructor, lecturer, discussion leader, or speaker for the initial presentation, provided the original material has been updated;

(3) The maximum credit given for service as an instructor, lecturer, discussion leader, or speaker shall not exceed 60 credits for the triennial period;

(4) An instructor or discussion leader who is employed as an instructor or discussion leader on a full-time basis shall not be eligible to obtain continuing professional education credit for such activities.

ii. Continuing professional education credit shall not be awarded for instructing college or university courses that satisfy initial professional licensure requirements or CPA examination preparation/review courses.

2. Publications: Continuing professional education credit for publications shall be awarded in accordance with the following:

i. Credit may be claimed for published articles and books by the authors of those works. These publications must contribute to the professional competence of accountants;

ii. Credit shall be given for each 50-minute period of preparation time on a self-declaration basis, not to exceed 30 credits for the triennial period. A copy of the publication article shall be submitted to the Board with a request for continuing professional education credit;

iii. In exceptional circumstances, a licensee may request additional credit by submitting the article or book to the Board with an explanation of the circumstances that he or she believes justify an award of greater credit. When licensees request more than 30 credits during the triennial period, credits awarded shall be determined by the Board on a case-by-case basis. Factors, such as complexity of subject matter, length of publication, and the amount of preparation time shall be considered;

iv. The maximum credit for publication in exceptional circumstances shall not exceed 60 credits for the triennial period; and

v. Credit shall be given for each 50-minute period of technical review participation, not to exceed 60 credits for the triennial period.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:29-6.5

Amended by 47 N.J.R. 2380(b), effective 9/21/2015

Amended by 51 N.J.R. 1424(a), effective 9/3/2019