The 2026 BPPE Compliance Calendar for California Schools
Every BPPE deadline a California private postsecondary school has to hit — the Annual Report, the School Performance Fact Sheet, quarterly STRF filings, approval renewal, and annual fees — in one place. Miss a date and you risk a citation; this calendar keeps every one in view.
Every BPPE deadline at a glance
These are the recurring dates that apply to every BPPE-approved school in California, in calendar order. Dates that fall on a weekend or holiday roll to the next business day.
| Deadline | What’s due | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| January 31 | STRF Assessment Reporting Form for Q4 (October–December) | All approved schools |
| April 30 | STRF Assessment Reporting Form for Q1 (January–March) | All approved schools |
| July 31 | STRF Assessment Reporting Form for Q2 (April–June) | All approved schools |
| August 1 | BPPE Annual Report submission portal opens (for the prior calendar year) | All approved schools |
| October 31 | STRF Assessment Reporting Form for Q3 (July–September) | All approved schools |
| December 1 | BPPE Annual Report due (covers the prior calendar year) | All approved schools |
STRF is $0 — but the filing is not optional. The Student Tuition Recovery Fund assessment rate has been $0.00 per $1,000 of institutional charges since April 1, 2024 (down from $2.50). Even at $0, approved schools must still file the STRF Assessment Reporting Form every quarter, keep the required records for STRF-eligible students, and include the STRF disclosure in the enrollment agreement and catalog. Skipping the quarterly filing can make a school ineligible to renew its approval.
Dates that depend on your school
Two obligations fall on dates unique to your institution rather than a fixed statewide date — mark them on your own calendar from your approval paperwork.
Approval to operate — renew every 5 years
An approval to operate is valid for five years. File a complete renewal application before your approval expires and it stays valid while the Bureau processes it. Let it lapse and you cannot legally enroll students.
Annual institutional fee — on your approval anniversary
Your annual fee is due each year within 30 days of the anniversary of your original approval date. Missing the fee — like missing STRF filings — can make your school ineligible for renewal.
Ongoing obligations without a fixed date
These aren’t calendar dates, but they’re where schools get cited just as often. Keep them current all year, not the week before your Annual Report is due.
- School Performance Fact Sheet (SPFS) — give a current SPFS to every prospective student before enrollment (they sign and date it), and file each program’s SPFS with your Annual Report. See the SPFS completion & placement rate guide.
- Enrollment agreements — every student needs a compliant, signed enrollment agreement with the required STRF and cancellation-and-refund disclosures.
- School catalog — keep it accurate and update it at least annually, and whenever programs, faculty, or policies change.
- Student records — retain student records for the required period (transcripts are kept permanently). Have them organized and retrievable for an inspection at any time.
- Financial statements — file the annual financial statement the Bureau requires for your institution.
For the full picture of what each obligation involves, read the complete guide to BPPE compliance for California schools.
Stop tracking these by hand
Udooku captures your enrollment, completion, placement, and attendance data as it happens — then turns it into your BPPE Annual Report, every program’s SPFS, and each quarter’s STRF report in a click, on the dates above. No spreadsheet scramble, no missed deadline.
Questions, answered
When is the BPPE Annual Report due?
The BPPE Annual Report is due December 1 each year and covers the prior calendar year. The online submission portal opens August 1 — for example, the 2025 report portal opens August 1, 2026 and the report is due December 1, 2026.
When are STRF reports due?
The STRF assessment rate is currently $0.00 per $1,000 of institutional charges (effective April 1, 2024), but schools must still file the STRF Assessment Reporting Form every quarter. Reports are due the last day of the month after each quarter: April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31.
How often do I renew my BPPE approval to operate?
An approval to operate is valid for five years. Submit a complete renewal application before your approval expires and it stays valid while the Bureau processes it. Your annual institutional fee is due each year within 30 days of the anniversary of your original approval date.
What are all the BPPE compliance deadlines?
The recurring statewide dates are the STRF quarterly filings (April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31) and the Annual Report (portal opens August 1, due December 1). Approval renewal (every five years) and the annual institutional fee (within 30 days of your approval anniversary) fall on dates specific to your school. The SPFS must be given to each prospective student before enrollment and filed with the Annual Report.
Track every BPPE deadline in one place
See how Udooku generates your Annual Report, SPFS, and quarterly STRF report from data you already have — live, on your own numbers.
This is general information, not legal advice. Regulations, dates, and figures change — confirm every requirement with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education before you file. Last verified against official BPPE sources in July 2026.