A Beginner's Guide - PDH License Renewal Requirements for Professional

A Beginner's Guide - PDH License Renewal Requirements for Professional Engineers PEs

Summary of Continuing Education - State by State

Continuing Professional Competency (CPC)

(including US Territories and the District of Columbia)

Most state licensing boards require licensed engineers and surveyors to meet a continuing professional competency (CPC) requirement to renew their license. Each state is different and it’s important that you use a professional education provider like E1 Education that meets the requirements of your state to avoid any conflicts if you are audited. This is the most up to date (last updated - October 7, 2020) list of states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia that is available. Many other lists are outdated by as many as 5 years or more. Some states are offering special rule changes due to COVID-19 such as Nebraska and Wisconsin. Please check with your board on a regular basis to follow the latest news via the links below.

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Standard for PEs

Note that several state licensing boards now require a licensee to either meet the requirements of their jurisdiction or the NCEES CPC Standard for renewal purposes. The NCEES CPC Standard requires licensees to acquire 15 PDHs in each calendar year, of which at least one must be earned in an area that focuses on professional engineering or surveying ethics or improving a licensee’s methods of business practice or operations. Carryover PDH hours are not allowed. The NCEES offers a service to track your hours and report your CPC requirements for free through your MyNCEES account.

Alabama PEs

Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Alaska PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 12 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. The number of PDH hours carried forward must be indicated on your renewal form. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. Self study is not accepted.

Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects , Engineers , and Land Surveyors

Arizona PEs

Arizona does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Arizona State Board of Technical Registration

Arkansas PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period to meet the Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) requirement. 30 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors

California PEs

California does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

California Board for Professional Engineers , Land Surveyors , and Geologists

Colorado PEs

Colorado does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects , Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors

Connecticut PEs

Connecticut does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Delaware PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period to meet the Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) requirement. Between 3 and 6 PDH hours must be related to professional ethics. No more than 9 PDH hours may be related to business or project management. The balance shall be related to the licensee’s area of practice. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. PDH hours may not be carried forward.

Delaware Association of Professional Engineers

District of Columbia Professional Engineers

20 PDH hours are required per biennial period. No PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 1 PDH hour must be in professional ethics.

District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineering

Florida PEs

18 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 1 PDH hour must relate to ethics and 1 PDH hour must relate to Florida Laws and Rules of Professional Engineers. 4 PDH hours must relate to the area of practice. Continuing education providers must be board approved. E1 Education is awaiting course approvals at this time.

Florida Board of Professional Engineers

Georgia PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. Registrants are encouraged to select meaningful Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) activities which will be of benefit in the pursuit of their chosen fields. These activities should advance the professional or technical competence of the licensee.

Georgia Board of Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors

Guam PEs

Guam does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Guam Board of Registration for Professional Engineers , Architects and Land Surveyors

Hawaii PEs

Hawaii does not have continuing education requirements for renewal, except for architects. Architects are required to complete 16 PDH hours of CE courses in public protection subjects during the biennium.

Hawaii Board of Professional Engineers , Architects , Surveyors & Landscape Architects

Idaho PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 30 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. There are 11 acceptable activities listed by the board including taking online courses. However, the board specifically states that PDH activity must come from two or more activities. Membership in a professional organization and self study are examples of two other acceptable activities. Combining one of these two and the online training offered here would meet the requirements.

Idaho Board of Licensure of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors

Illinois PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. Pre-approval of courses or providers is not required. Ethics training is accepted, but a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. PDH records must be maintained for 6 years.

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

Indiana PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 1 PDH hour must be in engineering ethics and 1 PDH hour must be in Indiana statutes and rules applicable to the practice of professional engineering. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Continuing education providers must be board approved. E1 Education is awaiting approval at this time.

Indiana State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers

Iowa PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 2 PDH hours must be in professional ethics. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required.

Iowa Engineering & Land Surveying Examining Board

Kansas PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. The Board does not pre-approve courses or activities for continuing education. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Kansas Board of Technical Professions

Kentucky PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Kentucky Board of Engineers & Land Surveyors

Louisiana PEs

15 PDH hours are required per annual period for renewals after January 1, 2017. 7 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is no longer required. The listed “approved” companies on their website are going to be phased out. 1 PDH hour in ethics is required and 4 PDH hours must be earned in Life Safety Code, building codes and/or Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) by every professional engineer who designs buildings and/or building systems in Louisiana.

Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board

Maine PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. PDH courses should be relevant to the practice of engineering and may include technical, management and ethics topics. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Maine State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers

Maryland PEs

16 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 8 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 1 PDH hour must relate to ethics, code of conduct or laws and regulations. Continuing education providers must be board approved. E1 Education is awaiting board approval at this time.

Maryland Department of Labor

Massachusetts PEs

Massachusetts does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Massachusetts Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Michigan PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. PDH hours may not be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. PDH courses should be relevant to occupation. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Minnesota PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 12 PDH hours (except ethics hours) may be carried into the next renewal period. 2 PDH hours in ethics is required each renewal period. The Board recommends education providers state the following: "The Minnesota Board does not pre-approve courses and activities, however to the best of our knowledge this course/activity meets the continuing education requirements outlined in MN Statute 326.107.”

Minnesota Board of Architecture , Engineering , Land Surveying , Landscape Architecture , Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID )

Mississippi PEs

15 PDH hours are required per annual period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval of courses or providers is not required. 1 PDH hour in ethics is required every two years.

Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors

Missouri PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. If a professional engineer claims carry over PDHs from the prior reporting period, the Summary Log of Professional Development Hours form and all Attendance Verification Records for that prior period must also be submitted. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Missouri Board For Architects , Professional Engineers , Professional Land Surveyors and Professional Landscape Architects (APEPLSPLA )

Montana PEs

Montana Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors

Nebraska PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 7.5 PDH hours is allowed by online courses. 1 PDH hour in professional ethics is required. Pre-approval for continuing education providers not required.

NOTICE: Effective April 17 2020, the Board reduced the CE requirements to 20 PDH hours. Allowable online course hours is increased to 10 PDH hours. For architects, 8 of the hours must address the safeguarding of life, health, and property. This change is temporary through the December 31, 2021 renewal period.

State of Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects

Nevada PEs

The Nevada Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors

New Hampshire PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required. Continuing education activities may include technical, ethical, or managerial content. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required.

New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification

New Jersey PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 12 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. At least 2 PDH hours and no more than 8 PDH hours in ethics hours is required. Continuing education providers must be board approved. E1 Education is awaiting course approvals at this time.

New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

New Mexico PEs

New Mexico Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors

New York PEs

36 PDH hours are required per triennial period. No PDH hours may be carried over into the next renewal period.1 PDH hour must relate to ethics. Continuing education providers must be board approved. E1 Education is awaiting approval at this time.

New York Professional Engineering & Land Surveying

North Carolina PEs

15 PDH hours are required per annual period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required. The Board does approve continuing education providers as sponsors, but not individual courses. However, “licensees can attend courses/activities offered by non-sponsors as long programs contain a purpose and objective, and result in the maintenance, improvement, or expansion of skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice. Selection of courses and activities which meet the requirements of Rule .1702 Item (4) of this Section is the responsibility of the licensee.” An attendee sponsor evaluation form must be filled out by each student. E1 Education is awaiting approval as a sponsor at this time.

North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors

North Dakota PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. At least 20 PDH hours must be in technical subjects that directly safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare, including technical professional management subjects such as total quality process or technical engineering or land surveying software training. A maximum of ten professional development hours may be in nontechnical professional management subjects such as ethics-oriented or administration-oriented computer classes.

North Dakota State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (NDPELS )

Northern Mariana PEs

Northern Mariana does not have continuing education requirements for renewal. However, the CNMI Board is working on amending the rules and regulations to include Continuing Education credits for Engineers.

Northern Mariana CNMI Islands Board of Professional Licensing

Ohio PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 2 PDH hours must be in professional ethics or rules relevant to the practice of engineering. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. A maximum of 3 PDH hours per year or 6 PDH hours per biennial period may come from correspondence or online courses if the course is self paced and not monitored by the provider.

Ohio State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors

Oklahoma PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. All PDH's earned must be relevant to the practice of engineering and/or land surveying as applicable and may include technical, ethical or business content. A minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (OKPELS )

Oregon PEs

Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering & Land Surveying (OSBEELS )

Pennsylvania PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 12 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers , Land Surveyors and Geologists (PALS )

Puerto Rico PEs

Puerto Rico does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Puerto Rico Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors

Rhode Island PEs

Rhode Island does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Rhode Island State Board of Registration for Professional Land Surveyors

South Carolina PEs

South Carolina State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors

South Dakota PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. A maximum of 10 PDH can be earned in professional management subjects or ethics, with the balance being earned in technical subjects relating to their engineering practice.

South Dakota Board of Technical Professions (SDBTP )

Tennessee PEs

24 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 12 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 13 hours must address health, safety and welfare issues and technical competency. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners

Texas PEs

15 PDH hours are required per annual period. 14 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required. 1 PDH hour in ethics is required and no ethics carryover hours is allowed.

Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS )

Utah PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required. Unlimited PDH hours for continuing education is allowed via Internet study courses if participation is verified through testing which demonstrates that the participant has learned the material.

Utah Professional Engineering / Professional Land Surveying

Vermont PEs

Vermont does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Vermont Secretary of State ’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR )

Virginia PEs

16 PDH hours are required per biennial period. No PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. A licensee applying for renewal shall not receive credit for completing a continuing education (CE) activity with the same content more than once during the two years prior to license expiration. Pre-approval for continuing education providers and a minimum number of ethics hours is not required.

Virginia Board for Architects , Professional Engineers , Land Surveyors , Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects

U.S. Virgin Islands PEs

US Virgin Islands do not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

U .S . Virgin Islands Board of Architects , Engineers and Land Surveyors

Washington PEs

Washington does not have continuing education requirements for renewal.

Washington Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BORPELS )

West Virginia PEs

West Virginia State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers

Wisconsin PEs

30 PDH hours are required per biennial period. 15 PDH hours may be carried into the next renewal period. 2 PDH hours must be in professional conduct and ethics. 13 PDHs shall be obtained via courses where the registrant interacts and communicates in real time with the instructor and other participants. 17 PDH hours in self guided online training is allowed. Pre-approval for continuing education providers is not required.

Wisconsin Examining Board of Architects , Landscape Architects , Professional Engineers , Designers and Professional Land Surveyors

Wyoming PEs

Wyoming Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors