CPA Licensing Renewal Process

Renewal applications are issued in late October and are due back by Dec. 31 (expiration date).

Even-numbered licenses must be renewed on or before Dec. 31 of each even numbered year.
Odd-numbered licenses must be renewed on or before Dec. 31 of each odd numbered year.
The renewal fee of $120 must be submitted with the renewal application form. All Active, Inactive and Retired certificate holders must renew and pay the renewal fee biennially.
Licensees who have not submitted the renewal form and fee by Dec. 31 will be assessed a late penalty of $120
Any licensee who has not renewed by March 31 will be required to pay an additional late fee of $120.
Licensees who have not renewed by Dec. 31 of the year following the renewal due date will be lapsed and administratively closed by the Board per law and rules and the licensee will no longer be licensed as a CPA in Tennessee. In order to reinstate a lapsed/administratively closed license, the former licensee must reapply to sit for the CPA examination, pay all back fees and penalties and obtain eighty (80) hours of technical CPE. Reinstatement applications will be mailed out by request.
Licensees who do not wish to pay a licensing fee or renew must notify the Board, file an affidavit to surrender the certificate with the Board.

Please keep your address current with the Board office. Renewals are mailed to the address on record in October of every year. The Board office will accept address changes from licensees by fax, letters, e-mail, etc., as long as the change is in writing. A fine of $25 will be charged to anyone who does not notify the Board of an address change within 30 days of the change. Failure to receive a renewal notice is not a valid reason for failing to renew on time! It is each individual licensee's responsibility to keep address information current and to know when the license expires. The Board considers failure to renew your certificate on time to be a serious matter. If your certificate is not renewed by Dec. 31 and you continue to practice, you are subject to disciplinary action and additional fines for this violation.

Licensing FAQs

Q: If I teach a course, how many CPE credits do I get?

If you teach a course which contributes directly to the professional competency of a CPA, you can obtain three CPE hours for each hour of class time that you teach. Teaching courses for credit is only allowable the first time the course is taught. Subsequent teaching for the same course work yields no CPE credit. The additional two hours of CPE is considered prep time. Remember, CPE earned through teaching is limited to no more than 50 percent of your total CPE requirements. Also, the sponsor must be registered with NASBA or be exempt from registration.

Q: How do I determine which CPE sponsors are approved in Tennessee?

All sponsors must be registered with NASBA or they must be exempt from registering. Any sponsors registered with NASBA either on the CPE Registry or on the Tennessee Roster are automatically approved for credit by the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy. Another area of sponsorship is comprised of sponsors such as colleges, universities, governmental entities, accounting associations or employer in-firm courses. These categories have automatic approval as exempt sponsors for Continuing Professional Education. The exempt sponsor is responsible for furnishing the person taking the course with a certificate of completion stating the date, course title, credits earned (hours) and the technical category (accounting, auditing, tax or MAS).

Q: I am from a foriegn country, what requirements must I meet to sit for the CPA exam and receive a certificate in Tennessee?

You may get an application to sit for the CPA exam in Tennessee by downloading an application from CPA Examination Services web site. Your education will have to be evaluated by a Foreign Credentials Evaluation Service. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to sit for the exam in Tennessee but you do have to be either living in Tennessee or working full time in Tennessee at the time you file an application to sit for the exam here.

Q: Who do I contact about the $400 professional privilege tax assessed on my CPA license?

The Tennessee Department of Revenue assesses the professional privilege tax. Any questions you have regarding this tax should be directed to the Department of Revenue, Tax Payer Services at 615/253-0600 or 1-800/342-1003.

Q: How do I change my CPA license status from Active to Inactive?

There are two ways to change your license status from Active to Inactive.

You can change your status when you renew your CPA license by checking the appropriate box on the renewal form that says ?change my status?
You can change your status by completing an Inactive affidavit available from our Web site at www.state.tn.us/commerce/
boards/tnsba/formsandapps.html and submitting the original affidavit (NOT a copy) to the board. The affidavit must be notarized. Please note: you are advised to notify the Department of Revenue if you change your CPA license status from Active to Inactive status.

Q: Who qualifies for an Inactive CPA license status?

Anyone not practicing public accounting qualifies to hold an Inactive CPA license. If you work in industry and do not perform accounting services for the public this license status releases you from the CPE reporting requirement. However, the license is still valid and you are still required to renew the license prior to its expiration date. Although prohibited from performing public accounting services, you may use your CPA designation on letterhead, business cards, resumes, etc., as long as it is accompanied by the word ?Inactive.?

Q: How do I return my CPA license to Active status?

To return your CPA license status to Active, send in a letter of request accompanied by copies of certificates of completion for 80 hours of technical CPE obtained over the past 24 month period. This information will be reviewed and approved by the board. Technical CPE subjects come from the fields of accounting, auditing, accounting ethics, taxation and managerial advisory services.

Q: How do I change my name on my CPA license if I get married or divorced?

MARRIED: If you get married and wish to change your name you must submit a letter of request stating exactly how you want your name to appear on your CPA license. The letter of request must be accompanied by the original marriage certificate or a certified copy from the clerk's office; this document will be returned to you. DIVORCED: If you get divorced and wish to change your name you must submit a letter of request stating exactly how you want your name to appear on your CPA license. The letter of request must be accompanied by the original divorce decree or a certified copy from the clerk's office. The divorce decree must note the name change. To get a new wall certificate with your corrected name, you must return the old wall certificate and include $25 for a new certificate.

Q: How do I change my address on my CPA license file?

To update your address on your CPA license complete the address change form available on our Web site at www.state.tn.us/commerce/
boards/tnsba/formsandapps.html and send it to the board within 30 days of the change. Address change forms sent in less than 30 days from the actual change can be faxed to the board at 615/532-8800. Address change forms sent in more than 30 days from the actual change must be mailed in with the $25 late fee.

Q: If I am licensed and residing in another state what do I do with my Tennessee CPA license?

Before you make a decision about what to do with your Tennessee CPA license, contact the State Board of Accountancy in your state of residence to find out requirements they may have. If your state of residence requires you to maintain your Tennessee license you will need to continue to renew your CPA license, pay the biennial renewal fee, submit CPE to the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy and pay the annual Professional Privilege Tax to the Tennessee Department of Revenue. If your state of residence does not require you to maintain your Tennessee license and you do not practice accounting in Tennessee or for Tennessee clients, then you may change your CPA status using one of the affidavits available on our Web site at www.state.tn.us/commerce/boards/tnsba/formsandapps.html.

Q: A license search on the Web site shows my CPA license status as "Admin. Closed,? what does that mean?

Admin. Closed status means that your license has lapsed and has been closed by the board. This happens one year after the expiration date if the renewal process has not been completed. Contact the board at 615/741-2550 or 1-888/453-6150 to find out how to reinstate an ?Admin. Closed? CPA license.