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South Carolina CPA Ethics CPE Requirement

2 hours of ethics CPE, annually, for CPAs licensed in South Carolina.

SC General NASBA ethics accepted QAS Self-Study

Requirement summary

Ethics hours required2
Reporting cycleAnnually
State-specific content Not required
Self-study acceptedYes — NASBA QAS Self-Study
Our sponsor statusNASBA Registry #111907

Two hours of ethics CPE each year, within the 40-hour annual requirement. IMPORTANT CHANGE: in June 2022 the South Carolina Board of Accountancy voted to NO LONGER require the SC-specific Rules and Regulations ethics course. Licensees may now meet the annual requirement with any behavioural or regulatory ethics course satisfying Regulation 1-08. Carried-over hours cannot be used for the ethics requirement, and the rule also applies to CPA-Retired licensees and to non-CPA firm owners. Self-study requires a NASBA QAS sponsor.

South Carolina CPA ethics CPE questions

How many hours of ethics CPE do South Carolina CPAs need?

Two hours in each annual reporting period, within the 40-hour annual total.

Do I still need the South Carolina-specific ethics course?

No, not since 2022. In June 2022 the Board voted to stop requiring the SC-specific ethics course. You may now meet the annual two-hour requirement with any behavioural or regulatory ethics course satisfying S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 1-08. Several vendor sites still describe the old six-hour rule with a two-hour SC course — that is out of date.

Are there restrictions on self-study in South Carolina?

Yes. The Board only accepts self-study programmes from sponsors approved under NASBA's Quality Assurance Service programme.

When is my South Carolina CPE due?

CPE must be completed by 31 December each year and the licence renewed by 31 January. A licence not renewed by 11:59pm on 31 January is treated as lapsed.

Can I carry hours forward in South Carolina?

Yes, up to 20 hours each year. Licensees in Retired status may carry over only 10.

I hold a South Carolina licence but my principal place of business is elsewhere — what applies?

You may use that state's ethics course to fulfil the South Carolina requirement, provided that state requires one. If you do not hold an active licence in the state that is your principal place of business, you must comply with South Carolina's ethics requirement.

Board of Accountancy

South Carolina Board of Accountancy

Visit the Board website ↗

NASBA Registry requirement summary ↗

State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Requirements change; confirm current rules with your Board before completing coursework.