CPA Certificate Renewal: Your Professional Responsibility

Last updated January 4, 2010 

December 31, 2009 was the deadline to renew your CPA certificate with the Minnesota Board of Accountancy. View details below on the 2010 renewal year as well as changes coming to the BOA's overall renewal cycle process.

2009: Deadline Dec. 31, 2009 to renew

All CPAs in Minnesota had a deadline of December 31, 2009 to renew their CPA certificates for renewal year 2010. If you missed this deadline, you are currently out of compliance with the BOA. Don't delay in renewing your certificate!

There are two ways to renew your certificate - online or via paper copy. Online renewals are typically processed in just over a week. You can also download from the BOA's website the renewal form and mail it in.

Individual BOA certificate renewal links
» Online form
» Printable form (PDF)
» Find your certificate (license) number in the BOA database

Note that if your renewal reached the BOA on Dec. 31 but the BOA didn't process it until after Dec. 31, you will still be considered out of compliance. If the form is incomplete, you will be uncertified until you return a complete form and it is approved. This gap in certification is a potential liability risk. Additionally, firm permits cannot be issued until all individual certificates are renewed.

You will be charged a late fee of $50 if you send your renewal after Dec. 31.

2010 and going forward: Three-year certificate renewal cycle

In 2010, the Minnesota Board of Accountancy will shift to a three-year certificate renewal cycle based on last name. This is a change from the BOA's current yearly renewal process that both active and inactive CPAs in Minnesota must follow.

This change will result in both active and inactive CPAs needing to renew their certificates every third year rather than on a yearly basis. Your renewal year will be determined by the first letter of your last name and grouped by A - H, I - P, and Q - Z.

View where you fall in the BOA's updated renewal cycle:
» A - H last names
» I - P last names
» Q - Z last names

The CPE reporting process will also be connected to this renewal cycle change. Active CPAs will continue to report their CPE to the BOA on a yearly basis for the three preceding years. When you report your CPE will depend on where you fall in the BOA's renewal cycle.

• Report your CPE by Dec. 31 if it is a certificate renewal year for you. You report your CPE when you renew your certificate.
• Report your CPE by July 31 if it is NOT a certificate renewal year for you.

When the change takes effect
While this renewal cycle shift begins with the 2010 renewal year, it will take until 2014 for a consistent pattern to form. In the meantime, the MNCPA has created the chart below to outline when you will need to renew your certificate and report your CPE.

Certificate renewal cycle for 2009-2014

Last name begins with A-H

Last name begins with I-P

Last name begins with Q-Z

BOA certificate renewal fees

For the 2010 renewal year, an active CPA certificate will cost $50 and an inactive CPA certificate will cost $15 to renew (includes BOA surcharge). Because CPAs will be renewing their certificates for one, two, or three years based on last name, fees will be prorated accordingly. Those with last names ending in Q-Z can expect to pay for one year's renewal. Last names ending in I-P will pay a fee for two renewal years. And last names ending in A-H will pay for three years.

Have questions?

View a list of frequently asked questions regarding the BOA's certificate renewal cycle.

Firm permit renewal information

December 31, 2009 was also the deadline for firms and sole practitioners to renew their firm permits for 2010. Find additional information regarding firm permit renewal as well as links to the BOA's firm permit online forms.

Contact the Board of Accountancy

The Minnesota BOA is the appropriate agency to contact for regulatory issues. Vicky Oehrlein, the certificate coordinator for the BOA, may be reached at 651-296-7938 or Vicky.Oehrlein@state.mn.us for questions about certificate renewal.

You can also visit the BOA website for complete details on fees, disciplinary issues or rules.

Note: MNCPA membership dues are not part of the CPA certification process.