For CE providers
What goes on a CE certificate, accreditor by accreditor
One page per accreditor or board: the required elements, the exact statement, how credit is counted, the deadlines, the records to keep and who reports to whom. Every fact is read from the accreditor's own document and dated. Last checked 30 October 2026.
New to CE?
Continuing education is how licensed professionals prove they keep learning. Four parties, one certificate.
Accreditor
Sets the rules and approves providers. ANCC, NASBA, ACCME and the state boards on this page.
Provideryou
Runs the course and issues the certificate. A training company, a hospital, an association.
Learner
Completes the course and keeps the certificate to renew a licence.
Board
Renews the licence. May audit the learner and ask to see the certificate.
Every accreditor says what its certificate must show, in its own words. Most ask for the same six things: who taught it, who learned it, what it was, when, how much credit, and the accreditor’s statement. The details differ, and the details are what an audit checks. That is what these pages are for.
4 pages
Nursing
Nursing · United States
ANCC
American Nurses Credentialing Center
6required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- None
Nursing · California
California BRN
California Board of Registered Nursing
10required elements
- Issue
- Within 90 days
- Keep records
- 4 years
- Reporting
- None
Nursing · Florida
Florida boards / CE Broker
Florida Department of Health boards and the CE Broker tracking system
9required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 4 years
- Reporting
- CE Broker, 30 days
Nursing · United Kingdom
NMC
Nursing and Midwifery Council
9required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 3 years
- Reporting
- NMC Online (nurse)
4 pages
Medicine, pharmacy and dentistry
Physicians · United States
ACCME / AMA PRA
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, awarding AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
7required elements
- Issue
- On request
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- PARS
Interprofessional · United States
Joint Accreditation
Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education
7required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- JA-PARS, CPE Monitor
Pharmacy · United States
ACPE
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
12required elements
- Issue
- Within 60 days
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- CPE Monitor
Dentistry · United States and Canada
ADA CERP
American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program
7required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- None
5 pages
Mental health and therapy
Social work · United States
ASWB ACE
Association of Social Work Boards, Approved Continuing Education program
10required elements
- Issue
- Within 30 days
- Keep records
- 7 years
- Reporting
- None
Counseling · United States
NBCC
National Board for Certified Counselors
7required elements
- Issue
- After the program ends
- Keep records
- 5 years
- Reporting
- None
Psychology · United States
APA
American Psychological Association, Office of CE Sponsor Approval
8required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 3 years
- Reporting
- None
Occupational therapy · United States
AOTA
American Occupational Therapy Association Approved Provider Program
11required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 7 years
- Reporting
- None
Physical therapy · United States
PT state boards
Physical therapy continuing competence (state licensing boards)
9required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 5 years (4–7 by state)
- Reporting
- CE Broker (FL, GA), NC Board
6 pages
Finance, law, engineering and management
Accounting · United States
NASBA
NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors
11required elements
- Issue
- Within 60 days
- Keep records
- 5 years
- Reporting
- None
Accounting · United Kingdom
ICAEW
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
6required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 3 years
- Reporting
- Annual declaration
Law · California
State Bar of California
State Bar of California, MCLE and LSMCLE Certification Program
6required elements
- Issue
- On completion, after approval
- Keep records
- 4 years
- Reporting
- Attendance upload, 60 days
Engineering · New York
NYSED PE
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions – continuing education for professional engineers
12required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- None
Architecture · United States
AIA CES
American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Services
9required elements
- Issue
- Within 20 business days of request
- Keep records
- 6 years
- Reporting
- AIA CES transcript
Project management · United States
PMI
Project Management Institute
9required elements
- Issue
- On completion
- Keep records
- 18 months (learner)
- Reporting
- CCRS
Side by side
All 20 accreditors on one table
The unit of credit, how many elements the certificate must show, when it must be issued, how long records are kept, who reports, and whether an electronic certificate is allowed.
| Accreditor | Profession | Unit | Elements | Issue by | Keep records | Reporting | Electronic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANCCUnited States | Nursing | 60-minute contact hour | 6 | On completion | 6 years | None | Not stated |
| California BRNCalifornia | Nursing | 50-minute contact hour | 10 | Within 90 days | 4 years | None | Not stated |
| Florida boards / CE BrokerFlorida | Nursing | 60-minute contact hour | 9 | On completion | 4 years | CE Broker, 30 days | Not stated |
| NMCUnited Kingdom | Nursing | CPD hour (60 minutes) | 9 | On completion | 3 years | NMC Online (nurse) | Yes |
| ACCME / AMA PRAUnited States | Physicians | AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ (60 min) | 7 | On request | 6 years | PARS | Yes |
| Joint AccreditationUnited States | Interprofessional | 60-minute credit hour | 7 | On completion | 6 years | JA-PARS, CPE Monitor | Yes, with rules |
| ACPEUnited States | Pharmacy | 60-minute contact hour (0.1 CEU) | 12 | Within 60 days | 6 years | CPE Monitor | Yes, with rules |
| ADA CERPUnited States and Canada | Dentistry | 60-minute credit, in 0.25 steps | 7 | On completion | 6 years | None | Not stated |
| ASWB ACEUnited States | Social work | 60-minute CE credit | 10 | Within 30 days | 7 years | None | Not stated |
| NBCCUnited States | Counseling | 60-minute NBCC hour (clock hour) | 7 | After the program ends | 5 years | None | Not stated |
| APAUnited States | Psychology | 60-minute CE credit | 8 | On completion | 3 years | None | Not stated |
| AOTAUnited States | Occupational therapy | AOTA CEU (10 contact hours) | 11 | On completion | 7 years | None | Not stated |
| PT state boardsUnited States | Physical therapy | 50-minute contact hour (varies) | 9 | On completion | 5 years (4–7 by state) | CE Broker (FL, GA), NC Board | Not stated |
| NASBAUnited States | Accounting | 50-minute CPE credit | 11 | Within 60 days | 5 years | None | Yes |
| ICAEWUnited Kingdom | Accounting | CPD hour | 6 | On completion | 3 years | Annual declaration | Yes |
| State Bar of CaliforniaCalifornia | Law | 60-minute credit hour, in quarters | 6 | On completion, after approval | 4 years | Attendance upload, 60 days | Yes |
| NYSED PENew York | Engineering | PDH (50–60 minutes) | 12 | On completion | 6 years | None | Not stated |
| AIA CESUnited States | Architecture | Learning Unit (LU), 1 hour | 9 | Within 20 business days of request | 6 years | AIA CES transcript | Yes |
| PMIUnited States | Project management | 60-minute PDU | 9 | On completion | 18 months (learner) | CCRS | Not stated |
| IACETInternational | All professions | IACET CEU (10 contact hours) | 6 | On completion | 7 years | None | Yes |
Each row is a summary. The page for each accreditor has the rule, its citation and the date it was checked.
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