Most US states use a biennial cycle — your CPA license expires every two years on a date tied to your birth month, license number, or original issue date. A handful of states (Illinois, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania) run on a three-year cycle.
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| Most common cycle | Biennial (every 2 years) — used in California, Texas, Florida, Virginia, and most other states |
| Triennial states | Illinois, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania — every 3 years |
| Annual states | A small number of states use annual renewal (verify with your board) |
| How the date is set | Birth month (CA), license number even/odd (NY portion), last name letter (NY 3-yr), or initial issue date |
| License vs CPE deadline | Often different dates — track both |
| Firm permit cycle | Separate from individual license — often a different date |
Below is a representative sample of state renewal patterns. State boards do change rules — always confirm against your board's current renewal page before assuming the cycle has not shifted.
| California | Biennial — expires last day of birth month, year based on year first licensed |
| Texas | Biennial — based on date of original licensure |
| Florida | Biennial — December 31 of odd years (with CPE reporting July 1 of preceding odd year through June 30 of renewal year) |
| Virginia | Annual or biennial depending on license type — check VBOA |
| Illinois | Triennial — September 30 every 3 years |
| New York | Triennial — every 3 years on a schedule tied to last name initial |
| Michigan | Triennial — July 31 every 3 years |
| Pennsylvania | Biennial — December 31 of odd-numbered years |
| Ohio | Triennial — December 31, with CPE reporting cycle aligned |
| Washington | Triennial — based on license issue date |
Most missed CPA renewals are not caused by laziness. They are caused by the cycle length. A two-year deadline sits outside the part of your brain that tracks recurring items. Mortgage payments, quarterly estimates, and birthdays repeat often enough to stay top of mind. A renewal that fires once every 24 months does not.
Three-year cycles are worse. By the time the deadline returns, you may have changed firms, changed addresses, dropped the email address you used to register on the state portal, and lost the only physical reminder the board sent. The portal still knows. You may not.
That is why setting a reminder against the actual expiration date — once, with 90/60/30/7-day follow-ups — closes the gap better than relying on memory or a postcard from the board. Set yours from the main CPA renewal page.
If you do not know your renewal date offhand, you have three good options:
Most states print the expiration date directly on the certificate. If you've moved and the certificate is in a box, skip ahead.
Every state board has a free public license verification page. Search "[your state] CPA license verification" and enter your name or license number.
Your state board's licensee portal shows your expiration date on the home page after login. Save the password while you're there.
Most US states use a biennial cycle — every two years. Several states (Illinois, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania) use a triennial three-year cycle. A few states use annual renewal. The renewal date is usually tied to your birth month, license number, or the original issue date, not a fixed calendar year.
A CPA license stays in active status until its expiration date — which depends on your state's cycle. Two years is most common; three years is the cycle in IL, NY, MI, and PA. The license itself does not expire forever — it stays renewable as long as you keep up with CPE and pay the renewal fee.
CPA licensure is regulated state by state, not federally. Each state board of accountancy sets its own renewal cycle, fees, and CPE rules. The AICPA and NASBA publish guidelines, but states are not bound by them. That is also why the CPE rules and ethics requirements differ across state lines.
It depends on the state. California uses your birth month — the license expires on the last day of your birth month. Some states base it on your license number (even-numbered licenses renew in even years, odd in odd). New York runs on a 3-year cycle tied to your last name. Always check your state board's license lookup to confirm your specific date.
Often, but not always. In many states the CPE reporting period is a fixed two-year calendar window separate from your individual license expiration date. Plan for both deadlines, not just one. See our guide on CPE requirements for the full breakdown.
Firms and individual CPAs are licensed separately. A CPA firm permit and the individual CPA licenses inside it are renewed on different cycles in most states. If you own or co-own a firm, you have at least two renewal dates — your individual license and the firm permit.
Free email reminder, set 90 days before your CPA license expires. Follow-ups until you've filed the renewal — no portal password required.
Set My CPA Renewal ReminderLast modified: