CPE FAQs

You are required to earn 20 CPE credits during each compliance year. At least 10 credits must be fraud-related and 2 must relate directly to ethics. 

Your CPE compliance must be certified by the end of your anniversary month, which is typically the month your ACFE membership is renewed each year. 

To certify your annual CPE compliance: 

• Visit ACFE.com/MyCPE to certify your CPE compliance online. 
• Call (800) 245-3321 or +1 (512) 478-9000 to certify your compliance by phone. 
• Contact us via secure chat.

While it is not necessary for CFEs to send CPE records to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) unless specifically requested, as a CFE, you will be required to retain proof of CPE earned, such as CPE certificates, for 3 years in case you are randomly selected for a CPE Compliance Audit. If selected for an audit, you will have 60 days to provide the ACFE with CPE documentation for the requested compliance year. 

CPE documentation must include: 

• Name of attendee 
• Course description 
• Name of sponsoring organization 
• Number of CPE credits earned 
• Date of course

• Registration forms 
• Paid invoices 
• Course syllabi 
• PowerPoint presentation slides 
• Excel lists

All active CFEs must meet the annual CPE requirements to maintain their credential. However, if your employment status has changed and you no longer use the CFE credential professionally, you may consider changing to an alternative membership status.

Yes, you can request to change your CPE anniversary month. Because your membership and CPE compliance anniversary months are typically aligned, this process involves paying prorated dues and earning additional CPE credits for the current membership/compliance year. The prorated terms vary depending on how much you want to adjust your anniversary month. If you are part of a Corporate Alliance Program, the prorated terms might differ.

If you would like to make this change or have additional questions, please contact CPE@ACFE.com.

Yes. The ACFE accepts CPE credits from other organizations and institutions as long as they fall into one of the accepted types of CPE as determined by the ACFE Board of Regents. 

Yes. All CPE credit earned through the ACFE is considered fraud-related and counts toward annual CPE requirements. For a list of previous courses purchased through the ACFE, contact a Member Services Representative. 

To be considered fraud-related, CPE credit must relate to the fraud examination body of knowledge found in the Fraud Examiners Manual. All CPE credit earned through the ACFE is considered fraud-related.  
 
Visit the Acceptable Fields of Study for CPE webpage for a detailed list of qualifying fraud-related topics.

Yes. CPE credits may overlap if a course meets both the fraud and ethics requirements. For instance, a CPE course that offers 10 credits in both fraud-and ethics-related fields of study would allow a CFE to fulfill the 10 required fraud credits and the 2 required ethics credits. The CFE would need 10 additional credits (which could fall into any of the approved categories) to complete their annual CPE compliance.

No. The ACFE does not accept activities that fall within normal job duties for CPE credit, unless those activities are training- or education-related. A full list of CPE credit categories accepted by the ACFE can be found on the Accepted Types of CPE webpage.

Yes. Up to 10 credits may be carried over into the following year’s compliance period if an excess of 20 credits is earned during a 12-month period, provided that both the fraud and ethics requirements have been met. 

If circumstances arise that prevent you from meeting your CPE compliance deadline, you may submit a request for a 30-day extension by contacting a Member Services Representative. If you have already received a 30-day extension, additional time may be considered on a case-by-case basis.  

If you do not certify your CPE compliance by your deadline and are not approved for an extension, your CFE credential will be suspended.

Suspended status prohibits you from representing yourself as a CFE to the general public and using the CFE credential in any form.

Examples include, but are not limited to, business cards, business or personal correspondence, résumés, certificates of membership and/or websites. Suspended status also prevents you from voting in ACFE elections, and you will no longer be listed in the “Find a CFE” directory on ACFE.com. Unauthorized use of the CFE credential by a member in suspended status or untruthful representations about CFE status may result in additional disciplinary action. 

CFEs with 5 or more years of CPE suspensions will be converted to Associate member status. Should these individuals want to reinstate the CFE credential, they will be required to retake the CFE Exam and satisfy all of the educational, experience and testing requirements necessary for certification.

To resolve a CPE suspension, you must earn the required 20 CPE credits, including 10 fraud-related credits and 2 ethics-related credits, for each suspension year. To reverse a suspension: 

• Visit ACFE.com/MyCPE to resolve a suspension online. 
• Call (800) 245-3321 or +1 (512) 478-9000 to resolve a suspension by phone. 
• Complete the CFE Suspension Reactivation Application and email it to CPE@ACFE.com.