Section outline

  • Delaware Professional Engineer Renewal

    Delaware PE Continuing Education Requirements

    Delaware professional engineers generally complete 24 professional development hours during each biennial renewal period, including a defined ethics range and limits on business or project-management credit.

    Authority: Delaware Association of Professional Engineers  |  Reviewed: August 3, 2026

    Quick answer for Delaware PEs

    Complete 24 PDH per biennium: 2–6 ethics PDH, no more than 9 business or project-management PDH, and the remaining hours in the licensee's technical area of practice. Carryover is not permitted.

    24 PDH Required per biennium
    2–6 PDH Professional engineering ethics
    9 PDH max Business or project management
    3 years Minimum record retention

    Core Requirement

    Delaware requires a balanced PDH portfolio

    Requirement Delaware PE rule
    Total education 24 PDH during each biennial renewal period, equivalent to 12 PDH per year but earnable at any time within the period.
    Professional ethics At least 2 and no more than 6 of the 24 PDH must relate to professional engineering ethics.
    Business or project management No more than 9 PDH may be claimed. Business hours are optional, not mandatory.
    Technical practice The remaining hours must relate to the licensee's area of technical engineering practice.
    Carryover Not allowed. Excess PDH from one biennium cannot satisfy a later renewal period.
    Course approval DAPE does not preapprove courses or providers and has final authority over acceptance and assigned PDH value.

    Qualifying Education

    Activities need a clear professional purpose

    A qualifying course, seminar, or activity must have a clear objective and maintain, improve, or expand skills and knowledge relevant to professional engineering practice. Regular job duties do not qualify.

    Common qualifying activities

    • College and continuing-education courses
    • Short courses, tutorials, and distance education
    • Seminars, workshops, and technical presentations
    • Teaching or presenting qualifying material
    • Published work and peer review
    • Society participation, patents, and educational outreach within applicable limits

    Category planning example

    • 2 PDH professional engineering ethics
    • Optional business or project-management hours, up to 9
    • All remaining hours in technical engineering practice
    • No more than 6 ethics hours count toward the 24
    • No excess hours move into the next biennium
    One PDH: Delaware treats a professional development hour as a nominal contact hour of instruction or presentation. One CEU converts to 10 PDH.

    Distance Education

    Internet courses can qualify

    Delaware expressly recognizes qualifying short courses, tutorials, and distance-education courses offered through correspondence, television, recorded media, or the Internet. The guidelines do not establish a general numerical cap on online PDH.

    The course must still fit the ethics, business, or technical category claimed and must generate documentation sufficient to prove participation or completion.

    Exemptions and Nonresident Licenses

    First-renewal treatment depends on how licensure was obtained

    New license by examination

    A new licensee obtaining Delaware licensure by examination is exempt for the first renewal period.

    New license by comity

    A new comity licensee is responsible for one PDH for each month that has elapsed since the Delaware license was issued.

    Military or hardship

    Qualifying temporary active duty exceeding 120 consecutive days can create an exemption. Disability, illness, or another extenuating circumstance may support a Council-approved exemption or extension with documentation.

    Inactive or retired status

    Inactive and retired licensees are exempt while in that status. An inactive licensee must satisfy applicable PDH before returning to active engineering practice.

    Nonresident option: A Delaware licensee who resides in and is licensed by another jurisdiction may meet that resident jurisdiction's CPC requirement. If that jurisdiction has no CPC requirement, or the licensee is exempt there, the licensee must meet Delaware's requirements or the NCEES CPC Standard.

    Documentation and Audit

    Keep the log and supporting proof for three years

    Licensees must maintain a categorized activity log and documentation proving attendance or participation. A log by itself is insufficient. Conference programs and receipts alone are also insufficient proof of attendance.

    DAPE accepts a log and supporting documentation through the NCEES CPC Tracking Tool. Records must remain in the licensee's possession in electronic or paper form and be available to DAPE upon request.

    Official Sources

    Confirm the current Delaware guideline

    Informational notice: This summary addresses Delaware continuing professional competency for Professional Engineers. It is not legal advice or a guarantee of course acceptance. DAPE has final authority, and requirements may change after the review date.