US Virgin Islands CPA CPE Requirements 2026: 120 Hours

CPAs licensed in the US Virgin Islands must complete at least 120 hours of continuing professional education in the three years before renewal, including at least four hours in ethics, according to the Board of Public Accountancy's rules and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs. The two sources disagree on the annual minimum: the rules say 20 hours a year, and the department's website says 40 hours each calendar year from 1 January 2022. This guide sets out both, explains which to plan around and lists what we could not confirm. See also our CPA CPE requirements guide and our what boards ask for in a CPE audit guide.

At a glance

The 120-hour rule

Rule 3.4(A) of the Board's rules requires no fewer than 120 hours of continuing professional education in the three-year period before renewal, and the department's CPA requirements page gives the same total. Four of the 120 hours must be in ethics, and both sources say so.

The annual minimum: 20 or 40 hours

Rule 3.4(A) says a minimum of 20 hours must be completed each year. The department's page says a minimum of 40 hours must be completed each calendar year, effective 1 January 2022. We found no amended rule text that supports 40 hours. The sensible approach is to plan around the higher figure while you wait for the Board to confirm, because 40 hours a year also satisfies the 120-hour total and the 20-hour floor.

Permit dates and renewal

Individual permits are issued annually from 1 July to 30 June. The renewal window opens on 1 May, and individual applicants have until 31 August to renew before they are treated as delinquent. After that, a late fee of $25 a month applies to individuals, up to a maximum of $600. These dates come from the department's page only, because the rules require filing 60 days before expiry but set no calendar date.

Records and verification

Rule 3.7(A) says to keep documentation for five years after completing each learning activity. A Board application form from 2022 appears to give a shorter period of three years, so the sources conflict; keep records for five years to be safe. The Board verifies reports on a test basis, and fraudulent reporting is grounds for discipline. Our what boards ask for in a CPE audit guide explains the evidence boards usually ask for.

If you fall short

Rule 3.7(B) lets the Board allow extra time to correct a deficiency, up to one year or until the next renewal period. Failing to meet the requirement is a basis for discipline, so ask the Board early rather than waiting until the renewal window closes.

Inactive status and returning to practice

The Board may grant an exception to permit holders who do not offer public accounting or auditing services. They must show the word inactive next to the CPA title. To return to active status, Rule 3.4(C) requires 120 hours in the prior three years, with at least 20 hours in each year.

Reinstatement

The department's page sets a separate rule for reinstating a lapsed permit: 120 hours in total, including 30 in accounting and auditing and 8 in ethics. This is stricter than the ordinary renewal rule, so do not let a permit lapse.

Practising across jurisdictions

If you also hold a licence in a state, check that jurisdiction's rules separately. Our CPA mobility and CPE guide explains how mobility works for CPE, and our CPA CPE requirements guide compares the states.

What we could not confirm

We found no rule on carry-forward of surplus hours. We could not find an amendment that moved the annual minimum to 40 hours, and the rules we read date from 2015. The renewal calendar rests on a single web page. Ask the Board of Public Accountancy to confirm the annual minimum and the record period before you plan your cycle.

Planning your cycle

Treat 40 hours a year as the working target and book the four ethics hours early. If the Board confirms 20 hours a year, you will have a comfortable margin; if it confirms 40, you will already be compliant.

Frequently asked questions

How many CPE hours does a Virgin Islands CPA need?

At least 120 hours in the three years before renewal, including at least four in ethics.

Is the annual minimum 20 or 40 hours?

The Board's rules say 20; the department's website says 40 from 1 January 2022. Plan for 40 until the Board confirms.

When do Virgin Islands CPA permits expire?

Individual permits run from 1 July to 30 June, according to the department's page.

How long must I keep CPE records?

The rules say five years; one Board form appears to say three. Keep them for five.

What if I am short on hours?

The Board may allow up to one year, or until the next renewal period, to fix a shortfall.

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 current rules with the Board of Public Accountancy before you plan your cycle.

Source: US Virgin Islands Board of Public Accountancy Rules and Regulations (Rules 3.4, 3.7, 3.8) and Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs CPA requirements page (dlca.vi.gov), rules dated 2015, checked October 2026.