Continuing Professional Education

An unlimited amount of participant CPE credits may be claimed each year. Participant credit is defined as instruction in a formal, in-person class or online setting (e.g., virtual seminar or webinar).

To qualify for CPE credit, the instruction must meet the following requirements:

• The instruction is delivered by one or more subject-matter experts.
• The presentation was created by or for the instructor specifically for educational purposes. (For example, the showing of a commercial film or television program would not qualify for CPE.)
• Attendance at the event is recorded.
• You received a certificate of completion that includes the number of CPE hours earned.

Courses taken at an accredited college or university may be claimed and computed at the rate of 15 CPE credits for each semester hour completed.

You must receive transcripts stating the course name and the number of credit hours earned to claim College or University Course CPE credit.

In-house training is acceptable for CPE credit if it is offered in a formal setting and meets the criteria for participant credit. Informal, on-the-job training may not be claimed.  

You must receive a certificate of completion that includes the number of CPE hours attained to claim In-House Training CPE credit.

Self-study courses (including online and printed/workbook courses) are accepted for CPE credit, provided they meet the following criteria:

• The individual must pass a final examination to receive CPE credit.
• The course content must have been created specifically for educational purposes. (For example, the watching of a commercial film or television program or the reading of a book would not qualify for CPE.)
• You must receive a certificate of completion that includes the number of CPE hours attained to claim Self-Study CPE credit. 

View self-study courses offered by the ACFE. 

Instructors may claim CPE credit for the number of hours spent presenting a topic that would qualify for CPE credit under these rules, subject to the following:

• The instructor may claim credit for the time spent presenting the class, regardless of how many times the class is taught.
• An instructor may claim up to 2 hours of preparation time for each hour of the presentation (i.e., up to 2 times the number of CPE that participants earn). The instructor may claim preparation credit the first time the presentation is given but may not claim preparation credit for any subsequent classes.
• A maximum of 10 CPE credits per compliance period of Instructor credit is accepted, including initial preparation time and presentation time.
• The instructor must have a written confirmation from the organization hosting the course that states the name and time frame of the class taught. For higher education classes, the instructor must keep a detailed class agenda or course brochure to claim Instructor CPE credit.

Time spent preparing articles and books related to approved fields of study will be accepted for a maximum of 10 CPE credits per year.

You must keep a detailed description of the article or book to claim Author CPE credit. 

Members of the ACFE Editorial Advisory Committee may claim 0.5 CPE credits for every Fraud Magazine submission reviewed, with a maximum allowable credit of 5 CPE credits per year. This credit only applies to the review of Fraud Magazine manuscripts and is only available to duly appointed members of the Editorial Advisory Committee.

You must submit a completed manuscript evaluation form to the Fraud Magazine editor-in-chief prior to the publication of each respective submission to claim Editorial Advisory CPE credit.

Credit may be claimed for participation in working groups established by the Board
of Regents to review proposed changes to the ACFE’s rules of conduct, including the
ACFE Bylaws, the ACFE Code of Professional Ethics, the CFE Code of Professional
Standards, and the Disciplinary Procedures. The number of CPE hours will be
calculated based on your actual participation during working group meetings and in
preparation of such meeting, with up to three hours per meeting (up to two hours for
attending the meeting and up to one hour in preparation of the meeting).

Up to 10 CPE credits per compliance period may be claimed under the ACFE
Working Group Credit. You should keep track of how many hours you spent toward
the above activities. Claims should be submitted to the ACFE Legal Department at
Legal@ACFE.com, which will review claims and issue CPE certificates as appropriate.

Credit may be claimed for participation in activities directly related to the development and continuous improvement of the CFE Exam. Accepted categories include:

• ACFE-led item writing and review workshops
• Item authoring (1 hour of CPE per approved item)
• Participation in a job analysis task force, standard-setting study, or related activities (e.g., meetings and surveys)

Up to 10 hours may be claimed in each category during the compliance period for which it is being claimed, with a maximum of 20 total hours allowed per compliance period. You must receive a certificate of completion that includes the number of CPE hours attained to claim CFE Exam Development credit.  

Complete five Fraud Magazine quizzes within a single year's online quiz set (published within the past two years) and score a 70% or higher. If you pass all five quizzes, you will receive 10 credits toward your CPE requirements.

You must receive a certificate of completion that includes the number of CPE hours attained to claim Fraud Magazine CPE credit. 

Credit may be claimed for the successful completion of an ACFE-approved certification program. The certification or designation must be earned during the compliance period for which it is being claimed and will only be recognized during the year of initial completion. Credit may only be claimed for one certification program during each compliance period.

You must keep transcripts, certificates, or other documentation stating the name of the credential and the original issue date.