What do the terms "PDH" and
"CEU" mean?
A professional development hour
(PDH) is a (nominal) hour of instruction or presentation. A continuing education
unit (CEU) is the unit normally used for continuing education courses. For approved
continuing ed courses, one CEU equals 10 hours of class. It also equals 10 PDH
units.
Do all states require continuing
education for PEs?
No. Currently, about two dozen
US states and territories require some form of continuing education for professional
engineers and surveyors.
How do I find out if my state
has a continuing education requirement?
Check with your State Boards
When do I have to complete
my continuing education requirements by?
Typically, the requirement must
be met at the time you renew your PE license. For some states, this is every year;
for others, every two years. Check with your State Boards
What is a typical continuing
education requirement for a PE?
Many states follow the NCEES Continuing Professional
Competency Guidelines, which specify 15 PDH units per year if license renewal
is annual, or 30 PDH units if renewal in biennial. But not all states follow these
guidelines, so be sure to check with your own State Boards
What kind of courses qualify
for PDH units?
College and recognized "continuing
education" courses virtually always qualify. Correspondence, televised, videotaped,
or web-delivered courses may qualify. Attending (or presenting) professional seminars
or workshops, or making presentations at professional or technical conferences
may also qualify. Your State Boards should be able to advise you exactly
what does and does not qualify in your state.
Do I need to have my PDH
units or CEUs approved by my state board in advance?
Some states (notably Florida)
maintain a list of "approved course providers," and any course you take must come
from these sources. Other states do not have such guidelines. Again, check with
your State Boards on this.
Are there other ways of meeting
the PDH requirements besides taking courses?
In most states, yes. Examples
of other ways of earning PDH units are publishing papers, articles, or books;
winning patents; actively participating in professional or technical societies;
and teaching. The NCEES Guidelines explain how these
work. However, you must check with your State Boards to make sure that these are in fact acceptable
alternatives.
Who keeps track of my PDH
units?
This is your responsibility.
Keep records to support all the PDH units you accumulate. Save certificates of
completion and any other proof that you attended each course. Also keep records
verifying any publications, patents, or other PDH-equivalent activities as mentioned
in the preceding question.
What do I do if I am a dual
licensee--a PE and a PLS?
Check with your State Boards In many cases, you will need to show
the same number of PDH units, divided in some way between the two professions.
In other cases, you will need more PDH units. This varies state by state.
Have questions we haven't answered here? Send us email and we'll do our best to help you out!
Continuing Education/Professional Development Requirements for Engineers
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