We license professional engineers to protect the public. Professional development helps the PE stay current with technology and professional, managerial and ethical standards.
By: Ryan Malone
Published: Saturday, August 17, 2019 2:40 PM CUT
The specific requirements for PE professional development hours and continuing education will vary for each state. The article below provides generic guidance for the Professional Engineer. Give us a call for specific questions related to your state, or reference the guidance on our website licensing page: Licensing Requirements
License professional engineers are required to protect the public. Professional development helps the PE stay current with technology and professional, managerial and ethical standards.
- In most states the PE is required to complete a specified number of hours of professional development (PDH) in each licensure period.
- Licensees must keep records of PDHs and documentation to prove attendance if audited.
- Typically licensees must keep records for three years.
- PDH activity must be reported on the PDH Activity Log when required.
- Most states do not pre-approve PDH courses, however there are some exceptions
- PDH courses should be relevant to the practice of engineering and may include technical, management and ethics topics. A good guideline for choosing acceptable courses is: "Any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee's field of practice."
Typical Qualifying PDHs
- Courses, seminars, instruction, in-house programs, or training with engineering content that relates to the licensee’s field of practice
- Technical or professional society meetings when an engineering topic is presented as a principle part of the program
- Teaching an engineering course for the first time
- Teaching a previously taught course if substantial time was spent in updating material
- Satellite or online video courses where attendance is verified and program material meets requirements
- Computer-based online PDH courses which relate to the improvement of one’s business or profession
- Language courses related to one’s business or profession
- Management or ethics courses related to one’s business or profession
- Correspondence courses on an engineering topic where lessons are prepared and returned for correction and/or grading and where testing at the end of the course is required
Typical Non-Qualifying PDHs
- Employment or job-related functions
- Real estate licensing courses
- Personal, estate, or financial planning
- Self-study
- Personal self-improvement
- Service club meetings or activities
- Equipment demonstrations or trade show displays
- Topics not relevant to engineering profession
- Enrollment without attendance at courses, seminars, etc.
- Repetitive attendance or teaching of the same course
- Attending committee meetings or general business meetings of organizations not directly related to engineering
- Language courses for personal use
PDH Now continues to provide quality Professional Development Hours in a quick, affordable, and easy to use format. Learn more about our PE continuing education courses.