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Tennessee accountancy board adopts rule changes, keeps daily CPE cap at 12 hours
Summary
The Tennessee State Board of Accountancy voted May 5 to adopt a package of rule amendments affecting licensure, renewal, reinstatement and continuing professional education (CPE). The board rejected staff27s suggested 24-hour daily CPE allowance and retained a 12-hour-per-calendar-day cap.
The Tennessee State Board of Accountancy adopted a set of rule amendments May 5 that revise licensure, renewal and continuing professional education procedures for certified public accountants in Tennessee.
Board counsel Lee Lott opened a formal rulemaking hearing that explained the package implements findings from the retrospective review process and provisions of the Less Is More Act (Public Chapter 524 of 2025). Lott read proposed language including a daily limit in board rule 20-5-0.031(f): "no more than 12 credit hours of CPE can be earned in a single calendar day," language that the board ultimately retained.
The board debated alternate figures during the discussion: staff had proposed changing the notice language to 24 hours to reduce administrative friction, while board members suggested 12 or 18 hours as feasible limits. Jen Binkley, the board27s executive director, said staff rarely sees more than 24 hours reported in a single day and that the agency does not currently verify every renewal submission on the front end. "It is rare that we would see someone submit more than 24 hours in a day," Binkley said, adding that compliance questions usually arise during audits or reinstatement reviews.
Members voiced competing concerns: several argued a cap protects the public and preserves the integrity of continuing education, while others warned that a sudden restriction from no limit to a 12-hour limit could create administrative and fairness issues for a small number of licensees.
After discussion, the board first voted 5-4 to keep the published 12-hour figure in the notice. The board then voted to adopt the full rule package as amended. Counsel outlined next steps: adopted rules will be routed to the attorney general and other reviewers and, if approved, will be filed with the secretary of state and generally become effective 90 days after filing.
The adopted amendments also clarify matters including: definitions of "license in good standing," procedures for reinstatement and reinstatement timelines, permissible uses of CPE carry-forward credit, and limits on the number of CPE hours reportable per day. The board also updated formatting, citations, and several administrative procedures.
The board read and adopted required supporting documents, including the Regulatory Flexibility Addendum and the statement on impact to local governments, and closed the rulemaking hearing.
The rule package will now proceed through required administrative reviews before any changes take effect.
