Who Must Comply?

Section 4733.151 of the Ohio Revised Code requires all registered professional engineers and professional surveyors annually complete 15 hours of continuing education to be eligible for renewal of their registration. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours shall be relevant to the practice of engineering or surveying and must include technical, ethical or managerial material.

Annual Requirement

A registrant is exempt from the CPD requirements during the first calendar year of registration. Each registrant thereafter must earn 15 hours of continuing education. Registration expiration is December 31. Continuing education must be earned between the dates of January 1 and December 31.

A person registered as both a professional engineer and professional surveyor shall complete at least five of the fifteen hours in engineering-related coursework or activities and at least five of those fifteen hours in surveying-related coursework or activities.

If the registrant earns more than the required 15 hours in any renewal period, a maximum of 15 of the remaining hours may be carried forward into the following renewal period.

Qualifying Activities

• Successful completion or auditing of college credit courses relevant to the practice of engineering or surveying.
• Successful completion of continuing education courses offered by a professional or trade organization, university or college, or offered in-house by a corporation relevant to the practice of engineering or surveying.
• Completing or attending a seminar, conference, convention or workshop, relevant to the practice of engineering or surveying.
• Successful completion of online courses relevant to the practice of engineering or surveying.
• Successful completion of structured engineering or surveying related LEED coursework, with credit granted for verified class attendance on an hour-for-hour basis, provided the coursework meets the requirements of Ohio law.
• Authoring published papers, articles or books (to be used only once and only in the year that it was published).
• Teaching or instructing relevant courses, seminars or workshops for the first time only.
• For full time faculty teaching at a college or university a total of 15 hours may be claimed one-time only for teaching an engineering or surveying course in an ABET accredited curriculum.
• Being an officer or active committee member of an engineering or surveying society.
• Attending satellite downlink video courses where attendance is verified and program material meets requirements.
• Completing advanced computer software instructional courses that relate to the improvement of one’s profession or business (does not include web design).
• Technical articles found in publications, trade journals, or trade magazines requiring successful completion of a test — the Board will allow a maximum of 3.0 hours per year.
• Patents granted in the United States. (to be used only once and only in the year that it was awarded).
• Financial Management courses.

Nonqualifying Activities

Unacceptable CPD hours for registered professional engineers and registered professional surveyors include:

• Elementary and entry-level training normally expected to have been completed by registered engineers and registered surveyors prior to registration.
• Regular full-time employment.
• Computer courses in Excel, Microsoft Word or web design
• Real estate courses, financial planning, foreign language courses, attending trade show displays.
• Self directed study.
• Topics not relevant to the engineering or surveying profession.
• Personal self-improvement.
• Attending general committee or business meetings as required by your employment.
• A patent or a published book, article, or paper prior to the applicable reporting period.
• Speed Reading courses.
• Live web seminars — the Board will not allow credit for live web seminars unless the provider is able to verify and confirm attendance and participation.
• State-specific courses that are specific to, and based on, another state’s laws, rules, policies and practices.
• The Board does not give credit for examinations.

CPD Conversion Hours

• 1 university or college semester hour = 45 CPD hours
• 1 university or college quarter hour = 30 CPD hours
• 1 continuing education unit (CEU) = 10 CPD hours
• 1 published paper, article or book (only in the year published) = 10 CPD hours
• 1 patent awarded (ONLY U.S. patents in the year awarded) = 10 CPD hours
• 1 year of service as an officer or active committee member of a professional or technical society or association = 2 CPD hours
• 1 year of participation on the Ohio professional surveyor exam workshop committee or member of the Board’s expert panel = 2 CPD hours
• 1 hour of attendance at a conference, seminar or workshop = 1 CPD hour
• 1 contact hour of teaching a class for the first time (NOT full time faculty) = 1 CPD hour

Recordkeeping

The registrant shall be responsible for maintaining records to support his or her own professional development hours. Records required include, but are not limited to:

• A log showing the type of activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructors or speaker’s name and hours earned.
• Documents supporting evidence of attendance: completion certificates, attendance log or other documents supporting evidence of completion.

Records must be maintained for a period of three years. Such documentation shall be made available to the Board for random audit and/or verification purposes. Documentation must support the professional development hours claimed.

Reinstatement

A registrant may reinstate an inactive status by obtaining all delinquent CPD hours and by meeting the requirements set forth in Ohio Administrative Code section 4733-25-01.

Exemptions

An exemption from the CPD requirement may be granted if a registrant is on active duty in the U.S. military. A request must be made in writing to the Board including official documentation of military active duty.

In limited cases, the Board may grant an exemption from the CPD requirement because of a medical condition and/or reason. You must contact the Board for a Medical Waiver Request form; it is not online. The form must then be completed and a written letter of explanation must be submitted to the Board for approval.

Noncompliance

In accordance with Ohio Revised Code section 4733.151 completion of the required continuing professional development hours is a condition of licensure renewal. No registrant will be renewed until the requirement is satisfied. If, after renewal, it is found that the registrant did not comply with these requirements, disciplinary proceedings will be initiated.

Registrants found to have provided false information or documentation to the Board will be referred to the Attorney General’s office.

Updates

If updates to the policy are implemented, information will be found on this page.

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