CPA Prince Edward Island CPD Requirements 2026: Hours and Dates
CPA Prince Edward Island members need 20 CPD hours a year and 120 over three years, with 10 and 60 verifiable and 4 ethics hours. Its reporting deadline is unclear across its own pages.
CPA Prince Edward Island requires 20 hours of CPD each year, with 10 independently verifiable, and 120 hours over three years, with 60 verifiable, according to its CPD policy and the Chartered Professional Accountants and Public Accounting Act General Regulations. The policy also asks for 4 verifiable ethics hours in each three-year period. The reporting date is the one point we cannot settle: the policy page says 31 May, during renewal, while another page says 31 December. We set out both and what to do about it below. Compare with our CPA New Brunswick CPD guide and CPA Nova Scotia CPD guide, and see the CPA Canada CPD requirements by province overview for other provinces.
At a glance
| Requirement | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Annual hours | 20 hours a year, with 10 independently verifiable |
| Three-year hours | 120 hours over three years, with 60 verifiable |
| Ethics | 4 verifiable ethics hours per three-year period, according to the policy; the regulation does not mention ethics |
| Reporting date | Conflict: the policy page says 31 May during renewal; the Plan to Remedy page says 31 December |
| Non-compliance | Notice warning of a possible fine or suspension, with a 30-day follow-up |
| Records | Five years from the reporting date |
| Exemptions | Written application to the Registrar, approved annually, temporary status up to five years |
| Late fee | None stated in the sources we read |
The hours rule
The regulation and the policy agree on the main numbers. You need 20 hours a year, of which at least 10 are independently verifiable, and 120 hours over three years, of which at least 60 are verifiable. The policy adds a requirement of 4 verifiable ethics hours per three-year period. The regulation text we read does not mention ethics. It is a consolidation current to 1 April 2015, so we used it only as a reference.
The reporting date conflict
The policy page says members report during renewal, by 31 May. The Plan to Remedy page, which covers members who report a shortfall, says no later than 31 December annually. These may describe different forms, but we could not resolve it. A 2025 member guide is linked from the CPD page, but we could not retrieve it. Until you have checked, treat the earlier date as the one to meet, and ask CPA PEI to confirm.
If you do not comply
A member who has not complied receives a notice that warns of a possible fine and suspension, with a follow-up after 30 days. We did not find a stated fine amount or late fee.
Exemptions
Members apply in writing to the Registrar, and exemptions are approved annually. Temporary status can run for up to five years. The regulation lets the Board pro-rate the requirement for new members. Check with CPA PEI for the eligibility conditions.
Public accounting
Retired members who hold a public accounting licence must meet the CPD requirements of an active member. We found no IES 8 text on the pages we read, so check whether a declaration is required.
How it compares with other provinces
The core numbers are close to identical across the provinces we have covered: 20 hours a year and 120 over three years, with roughly half verifiable and 4 ethics hours. The differences are in the dates and the consequences. CPA Alberta asks you to declare by 1 March, CPA Manitoba by 1 April, CPA Saskatchewan by 30 April and CPA Ontario between 1 April and 1 June, while New Brunswick and Nova Scotia use 31 March and Prince Edward Island's date is unclear. CPA Québec uses a different structure, with 120 hours over three years and at least 25 in any one year. If you hold membership in more than one province, plan around the earliest deadline and keep one record that satisfies the strictest rule. Our CPA Ontario CPD guide, CPA Alberta CPD guide and CPA Québec CPD guide set out the other regimes.
Records and recent changes
Keep records for five years from the reporting date. The 2025-26 annual report states no CPD rule change. Our CPE tracking log template helps with records.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPD hours does a CPA PEI member need?
20 hours a year, with 10 independently verifiable, and 120 over three years, with 60 verifiable.
How many ethics hours are required?
The policy says 4 verifiable ethics hours per three-year period.
When is the CPD report due?
The policy page says 31 May during renewal. Another page says 31 December. Ask CPA PEI to confirm which applies.
How long should I keep records?
Five years from the reporting date.
Can I get an exemption?
Yes, by written application to the Registrar. Exemptions are approved annually and temporary status can run for up to five years.
Finding courses that count
Learnsignal publishes accounting, tax, audit, ethics and finance courses in its CPD and CPE library. Before you pay for any course, check the awarding body's own rules on what it accepts, and keep the certificate and the course details. Confirm the reporting date with CPA PEI before you report.
Source: CPA PEI CPD policy page, Plan to Remedy page and General Regulations (cpapei.ca, princeedwardisland.ca), checked October 2026.
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