What are CPE Credits and Why Do CPAs Need Them?
If you’re looking for free CPA CPE, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down the best places to earn legitimate CPE credits at no cost, including free courses on Wisdify and other trusted providers.
CPE (Continuing Professional Education) is required to maintain your CPA license—and while it can feel like a checkbox, it’s also one of the easiest ways to build real, career-useful skills (tax, audit, analytics, Excel/Power BI, industry knowledge, and more) without going back to school.
Below, I’ll also cover common questions CPAs have about CPE requirements, delivery formats, and how to track your credits.
Table of Contents
- What Are CPE Credits?
- How CPE Credits Work
- Best Free CPE Courses
- Free CPE Webinar Providers
- How to Track Your CPE
- A Word of Caution
- Free CPE FAQs
Think Differently About CPE
The best way to approach CPE is to treat it like a career advantage, not just a compliance task. Free options can be great for filling gaps, and paid options are often worth it when you want a focused skill boost (or when your employer reimburses you).
At Wisdify, many members get their subscription reimbursed through their firm. If you want to ask your manager, we put together sample reimbursement request text here.
How Do CPE Credits Work?
Per the NASBA standards, CPE is required for CPAs to maintain professional competence and provide quality services.
Most states require an average of 40 CPE hours per year, typically measured over a multi-year reporting period. Exact rules vary by state—see NASBA’s state-by-state requirements.
CPE also comes in different delivery formats (e.g., Group Live, Group Internet-Based, Self-Study, Independent Study). Your state may limit how many hours count in certain formats—so always confirm your local rules.
Best Free CPE Courses
Let's get into it!
Wisdify Free CPA CPE
Wisdify Free CPA CPE (5 CPE per Month)
Wisdify offers a free plan that lets you earn up to 5 CPE credits per month from a growing library of popular courses.
Access 20+ Free CPE Courses (and growing) with the Wisdify Free CPE plan.
Popular free courses right now: Tax Audit Management, Audit Administration Mastery, Intro to Healthcare Accounting & Finance, Corporate Budgeting Bootcamp, and Dashboards & Power BI.
Tax Audit Management
5.0 CPE
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This practical course demystifies the tax audit process and equips you with the tools to prepare for, respond to, and successfully resolve audits Tax Audit Management. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the full audit lifecycle—from initial selection and information document requests (IDRs) through fieldwork, findings, appeals, and post-audit remediation.
The course covers IRS, state, sales and use, and payroll tax audits, along with common triggers, documentation best practices, and strategies to reduce audit risk. Through real-world examples and case studies, you’ll learn how to strengthen internal controls, manage audit communications, and ensure compliance moving forward
Audit Administration Mastery
5.0 CPE
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This practical course teaches you how to manage audits professionally—from planning and scope discussions to delivering findings and handling client communication Audit Administration. You’ll learn how to administer audit engagements efficiently, keep projects on schedule, and communicate expectations clearly with clients and stakeholders.
The course covers audit planning, documentation, managing scope changes, presenting audit results, and handling difficult conversations with confidence. Whether you’re an audit senior, manager, or engagement leader, this course provides a structured framework to run smoother audits and elevate the client experience.
Intro to Healthcare Accounting & Finance
1.0 CPE
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Get a solid foundation in the financial and accounting principles that are unique to the healthcare industry. This introductory course explains how healthcare organizations generate and manage revenue, the structure of their financial operations, and the regulatory and accounting challenges they face. You’ll explore key concepts like revenue cycles, pricing models (including fee-for-service and value-based care), cost management, and the differences between for-profit and nonprofit entities. It’s a great starting point for CPAs, financial analysts, and managers who want to confidently contribute to financial decision-making in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings.
Corporate Budgeting Bootcamp
4.5 CPE
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This hands-on course walks you through how to design and execute a complete Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Budgeting Bootcamp from start to finish. You’ll learn how to build a structured budgeting process that connects sales forecasts, production planning, cost of goods sold, inventory, and operating expenses into a fully integrated financial model.
Beyond the numbers, the course covers how to set targets, manage timelines, coordinate cross-functional teams, and prepare a polished presentation for leadership or the board. If you’re involved in budgeting, FP&A, or operational finance, this course gives you the practical framework to run a more strategic, organized, and effective annual planning process.
Dashboards & Power BI
6.0 CPE
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Learn how to turn raw data into powerful, executive-ready dashboards using Excel and Power BI Dashboards + Power BI. In this hands-on course, you’ll analyze a full sales dataset, build dynamic KPI dashboards in Excel, and then take the same data into Power BI to unlock deeper insights.
You’ll learn the key principles of effective dashboards—focusing on the right metrics, making reports visual and intuitive, and building models that are dynamic and easy to update. Along the way, you’ll create KPI cards, interactive charts, budget vs. actual comparisons, category analysis, and even advanced visuals like speedometer charts.
Earmark CPE Podcasts
Earmark CPE provides a means to earn CPE while listening to podcasts. Their CPE credits are offered free to those who sign up for their mobile app.
Their free membership allows you one free credit of CPE per week, with a paid membership allowing unlimited access.
I think this is an awesome new way to engage accountants, learn, and earn CPE credits!
How to Choose the Best Free CPE
- Confirm your state rules: delivery format limits and required fields of study.
- Prioritize usefulness: pick courses that help in your current role (or the role you want next).
- Balance formats: mix self-study and webinars so you don’t get stuck with one format limitation.
- Track as you go: don’t wait until renewal season to reconcile certificates.
Other Great Free CPE Credits
CPAAcademy.org free cpe
In addition to the above, CPAAcademy.org provides both free CPE as well as paid CPE. These credits cover a bevy of topics including Blockchain & Cryptocurrency. Many live webinars are available on their website, with a focus on tax practitioners. The annual Golden Gate University tax update is hosted for free around February of each year.
Deloitte Dbriefs (Free CPE Webcasts)
Deloitte Dbriefs offers frequent webcasts that can qualify for CPE. Topics often focus on timely changes in accounting, tax, audit, regulatory issues, and business trends.
QuickBooks Free CPE Credits
For those working with small-to-mid-size clients, QuickBooks offers free pieces of training on their software. Their website even allows you to sign up for the QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor training and exam which can potentially earn you CPE depending on the courses completed.
CFI Free CPE
Lastly, the Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) offers some of its CPE credit courses for free. They cover a variety of topics, particularly as it pertains to finance and analytics. They also offer informational web pages that quickly outline basic accounting concepts for those seeking a convenient non-CPE source.
AICPA Free Online CPE Courses
AICPA offers a number of free CPE webinars, live CPE webinars, and other free courses where you can earn cpe credits for free. If you are a member of AICPA there are 30 free cpa credits included with your membership.
Three Free CPE Courses at CPE Think
CPE think has a large library of CPE Courses, many of them are paid, but at the time of this writing they are offering three free courses in both text and video. This is a great way to get some self study cpe credits.
Live CPE Webinars from PWC
PWC cranks out live free CPE Webinars which (some have replays that still allow you to earn CPE credits). The good thing about these free webinars is that they often keep you up to date with some of the newest news and information in the accounting world.
State Accounting Associations
Most States have a state-wide association of accountants that offers both paid and free CPE credit options. Many of these are linked through the 'major' players that offer CPEs like Becker, but they also will frequently have free online CPE courses, free CPE webinars, and even self study CPE options. It's definitely worth connecting with your state accounting association to figure out their continuing professional education options.
How to Track your Free CPA CPE Credits (and all your CPEs)
You have to track your CPE courses. We at Wisdify have a free CPE credit tracker you can use! It is a simple spreadsheet and does the job!
A Word of Caution for Free CPE Courses
I've seen accountants work so hard to find free CPE courses that they end up just sitting in front of super boring live webinars while they work. Occasionally, they click the pop-up box to confirm they are in, in fact, still alive.
I think we all have been guilty of this at times. Honestly, it can feel like a chore to get all your CPE courses complete every year, especially for those who have been a CPA for a number of years.
For accountants early in their career. ESPECIALLY for accountants at accounting firms or companies that pay for your CPE hours... Use your CPE courses to sharpen your skill set and make you a better accountant, a better communicator, a better business person, and a better leader. It will open up more doors in your career!
Free CPE Summary
CPE credits aren’t just a requirement for licensure, they’re essential to maintaining one’s working professional knowledge. There are many free as well as paid CPE opportunities available online. These come in a variety of formats and their convenience makes finding time for learning easier than ever before.
Take advantage of our 14 Day Free Trial to earn CPEs.
Free CPE Ultimate guide of FAQs
How many CPEs do you need per year?
Generally you need an average of 40 CPEs per year, with exact requirements varying by state.
Can I do all my CPEs for free?
Due to the breadth of content required for maintaining one’s CPA license, it is difficult to have credits satisfied solely from free sources. Often, firms value the credential to the extent that there is a willingness on their part to pay for it.
Does the formatting or field of study matter?
Some states set requirements for maximum and minimum hours by delivery method as well as by field of study. Please check your state’s requirements.
CPE fields of study ... is there a list available?
NASBA has a web page available that has a link to its list of fields, which consists of 20 subject matter areas.
What are some paid CPE credit opportunities Wisdify offers?
Wisdify currently has paid course offerings in Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint and Power BI, along with SQL, Python for Accounting and Finance, analytics and financial modeling.
How do I track my CPE?
Many state CPA societies offer their own tracker as a part of their membership benefits. There are other trackers available online, or individuals can leverage their formatting and maintain them on their own computer or repository.
How can I check just which organizations are NASBA-approved CPE providers?
NASBA has a list of their approved CPE providers on their website.
CPE clarifications
Question: I see “CE” and other things labeled CPE from different educational firms on the internet; can I use this to count towards my CPE credit requirement?
Answer: Ensure that the provider is NASBA-approved or otherwise an approved provider of CPE credits specifically for maintaining the CPA license in your state.
Does a Master's Degree count as CPE credit?
Depending on the subject matter covered as well as your state, yes. Confirm with your state the type of content that counts for CPE, as well as how many CPE credits a college course counts for. For example, Illinois offers 15 CPE credits for each college course credit completed for a total of 45 CPE credits per 3-credit college course.
Other CPE FAQs
Question: Do the non-credit professional certificates and other such options offered by colleges count as CPE?
Answer: These offerings are different than for-college-credit courses and as such merit their own considerations from a CPE perspective. Check your state’s rules on non-credit college offerings.
Question: I just got my license and the renewal period in my state is coming up in less than a year; does this mean I still have to have all of my 40-or-so-per-year CPE completed by then?
Answer: Some states, such as Illinois, excuse CPAs from the CPE requirement for the renewal period in which they earned their license. Please check with your state to confirm any exceptions to or prorations of the total credit requirements.
Question: Can earning another professional certification such as the CFE count as CPE credits toward the CPA requirement?
Answer: Potentially. If the format of the training is acceptable and the credential is offered by a NASBA-approved (or otherwise approved by your state) provider, the hours spent working through the exam prep might count. Please check with the provider if their exam prep counts as CPE and for how many credits.
Question: Do I need CPE credits if I’m not a CPA yet?
Answer: While you do not need CPE credits if you have not yet earned the credential, many offerings that count for CPE are either paid for by firms or are highly encouraged to attend for technical expertise.