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PDH Academy courses help engineers in most states meet their continuing education requirements.
PDH Academy courses are widely accepted, fulfilling the engineering continuing education requirements in almost every state.* But even with the similarities in course requirements, states have their own guidelines for the number of credits required and the schedule for when they’re due.
Every state licensing board is its own entity. And while you might maintain licensure in only one state, many engineers are licensed in two or more. Here is an idea of how they’re all similar, and also how they’re not.
Some States Have a Yearly Requirement
If you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, or Texas, you’ll need to report Professional Development Hours (PDH) every year to meet your state’s requirements. If you’re in Texas, your credits are reportable when you complete your renewal form. But for Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi, credits are due by December 31.
Some states, such as Alabama, also allow you to carry some of your PDH over into the next renewal period. Alabama requires 15 PDH each year. But if you earn 30, 15 of those can carry over to cover the next year’s renewal. States that allow you to carry credits over make life a little easier on engineers. If you’re motivated, you can earn enough hours one year to cover two.
A small time commitment keeps you up to date.
Most States Require Continuing Education Every Other Year
The remainder of states that PDH Academy serves have an “every two years” policy on PDH. The requirements are generally higher, but it all evens out in the end. For example, Georgia requires 30 PDH to be reported by December 31 of even numbered years.
Many, but not all, of these states also allow carry-over PDH. In Maine, for example, you’ll need 30 PDH, but you can also carry 15 over into the next year. In Kansas, 30 PDH are required, plus 30 can carry over into the next period.
Before your next renewal deadline arrives, you can get ahead of the game with PDH Academy.
Each State Licensing Board is Unique
Regardless of whether your state falls into the category that requires PDH yearly or if it follows the every-other-year pattern, each state has its own regulations for engineers. State licensing boards examine what’s important for their state, and then set forth regulations.
The required courses are broadly the same for every state, so it really boils down to logistics. Louisiana, which happens to be the second oldest licensing board of its kind, sets due dates of March 31 or September 30. And in Kentucky, the renewal period ends on June 30. Because state licensing is independent, guidelines follow what works best in each state.
When you’ve been in the engineering field for a while, you’ll be well-familiar with your licensing board. But new engineers are licensed all the time, and the learning curve can be a bit steep. If you’re just beginning, you can reference your licensing board here and find a link to their website.
And when you’re ready to meet your next professional development hours requirement, check out our courses and see how convenient it is to get started.
*Exceptions include Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.
