1. Open the board's current list, not a saved copy
Boards update approvals. Use the live page: Virginia approved ethics courses ↗, Florida board-approved ethics course list ↗, Tennessee ethics requirement ↗.
2. Match the exact identifiers
Virginia: the exact approved course title, provider and format. Florida: the exact course approval ID, including leading zeros. Tennessee: the named sponsor, the named instructor and the permitted delivery method together. A near match, a similar title from the same provider, or a generic NASBA sponsor listing does not settle any of these.
3. Separate the four dates
Board approval period, provider access period, course-completion cutoff and your personal renewal deadline are different dates. A provider offering one-year access does not move a board cutoff, and a board approval window is not your renewal deadline. Write down which date each source actually states.
4. Read the actual offer, not the headline
Confirm the checkout total, whether a member price applies to you, print or book options, refund rules, access period and any completion limit the provider states. The listed course price on a comparison page is a dated snapshot, not your total.
5. Resolve open questions before paying, not after
If any binding is unresolved, such as Tennessee's delivery-method question, ask the provider or the board and keep the answer. After completion, keep the certificate and your own compliance records. The board decides whether a credit counts.