PDH renewal requirements by state: comparison table
When your civil engineering staff hold licenses in several states, PDH tracking can quickly become complicated. Each board sets its own renewal cycle and continuing education rules. A course that counts in one state may not meet another state’s requirements. Missing a renewal deadline or a required topic can affect an employee’s ability to practice and your firm’s project staffing.
Use the table to compare the renewal cycle and PDH details listed for each state. Where a cell says “Check with your board,” confirm that detail directly with the board before relying on it. Requirements can change, and individual license circumstances may affect what applies.
Build an internal PDH tracker
- Record each engineer’s license states, license numbers, renewal dates, and reporting periods.
- Log each course, its completion date, hours, subject, and supporting certificate or record.
- Track state-specific topics and other requirements separately for each license.
- Set reminders ahead of renewal deadlines and review records with each engineer regularly.
- Verify unclear requirements and any rule changes with the relevant board.
| State | Renewal cycle | PDH hours | Ethics hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Biennial; renews December 31 of odd-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Alaska | Biennial; renews December 31 of odd-numbered years | 24 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Arizona | Every three years, on the original licensure date | No continuing education requirement for PEs | No separate requirement |
| Arkansas | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| California | Biennial, on the licensee's assigned renewal date | No PDH requirement for PE renewal | Not applicable |
| Colorado | Biennial; renews October 31 of odd-numbered years | No PDH requirement for PE renewal | Not applicable |
| Connecticut | Annual; renews January 31 | No PDH requirement for PE renewal | Not applicable |
| Delaware | Biennial; payable by June 30 on even-numbered years | 24 PDH per biennium | At least 3 PDH in professional ethics, and no more than 6 |
| District of Columbia | Biennial; expires August 31 in even-numbered renewal years. | 20 professional development hours per renewal, including one ethics course | One course in Ethics |
| Florida | biennial | 18 CE hours every two years | 1 hour of professional ethics |
| Georgia | Annual; renews December 31 | 15 PDH per year | Check with your board |
| Hawaii | Biennial; renew by April 30 of every even-numbered year | No continuing education requirement for PEs | Not applicable |
| Idaho | Biennial; expires on the licensee’s birthday, with the transition phased by birth year. | Check with your board | Check with your board |
| Illinois | Biennial; PE licenses renew November 30 of odd-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | 1 PDH |
| Indiana | Biennial; renews July 31 of even-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | 1 PDH |
| Iowa | Biennial; renews December 31 | 30 PDH per biennium | 2 PDH |
| Kansas | Biennial; renews April 30 | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Kentucky | Every two years; renewal is due June 30. Last names A-K renew in odd years, L-Z in even years. | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Louisiana | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium (15 per calendar year) | 2 PDH per biennium (1 per year) |
| Maine | 2-year licensure period | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Maryland | Two-year license; biennial renewal. | 16 PDH per 2-year term | Minimum 1 PDH per 2-year term covering ethics, conduct, standards of practice or care, or Maryland engineering laws and regulations. |
| Massachusetts | Biennial; renews June 30 of even-numbered years | No continuing education requirement for PEs | Not applicable |
| Michigan | Biennial; renews October 31 | 30 PDH per biennium | 2 PDH |
| Minnesota | Biennial; renews June 30 of even-numbered years | 24 PDH per biennium | 2 PDH |
| Mississippi | Biennial; licenses expire December 31 of the biennial renewal year | Check with your board | Check with your board |
| Missouri | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Montana | Biennial; renews June 30 of even-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Nebraska | biennial (two years) | 30 actual hours (30 PDH) per biennium | 1 hour per biennium |
| Nevada | Biennially (every two years) | 30 PDH per biennium | 2 PDH per biennium in professional ethics |
| New Hampshire | Biennial; renews at the end of the licensee's birth month | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| New Jersey | Biennial; renews April 30 of even-numbered years | 24 PDH per biennium | At least 2 PDH in professional practice ethics, and no more than 8 |
| New Mexico | Biennial; odd-numbered licenses renew in odd-numbered years and even-numbered licenses in even-numbered years, by December 31. | 30 PDH per two-year reporting period | At least 2 PDH in ethics or business-related topics per two-year reporting period |
| New York | Triennial; renews at the end of the licensee's birth month | 36 PDH per three-year registration period | 1 PDH |
| North Carolina | Annual; renews December 31 | 15 PDH per renewal period | At least 1 PDH in ethics or rules of professional conduct |
| North Dakota | Biennial; renews December 31 of even-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | 1 PDH |
| Ohio | Biennial; individual P.E. licenses expire December 31 of odd-numbered years | 30 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) per biennium | At least 2 hours of ethics per biennium |
| Oklahoma | Biennial; renews at the end of the licensee's birth month | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Oregon | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Pennsylvania | Biennial; renews September 30 of odd-numbered years | 24 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Rhode Island | Biennial; renews June 30 of odd-numbered years | No PDH requirement for PE renewal | Not applicable |
| South Carolina | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| South Dakota | Biennial | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Tennessee | Biennial; renews at the end of the licensee's birth month | 24 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Texas | Historically one year; transitioning to a two-year cycle. September 2026 PE renewals cover 16 months, expiring January 2028. | 15 PDH per renewal cycle; 30 PDH for a renewal cycle of two years or more | At least 1 ethics hour for a 15-PDH cycle; 2 ethics hours for a two-year cycle |
| Utah | Every two years; license expires March 31 of odd-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Vermont | Biennial; expires July 31 of even-numbered years | 30 hours of continuing education credit per renewal | Check with your board |
| Virginia | Biennial; renews at the end of the month the license was first issued | 16 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Washington | Every 2 years, on the licensee’s birthday | No PDH requirement for PE renewal | Not applicable |
| West Virginia | Biennial; active PE licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years. | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
| Wisconsin | Biennial; renews July 31 of even-numbered years | 30 PDH per biennium | 2 PDH |
| Wyoming | Biennial; renews December 31 | 30 PDH per biennium | Check with your board |
