Montana Professional Engineer Renewal
Montana professional engineers complete 30 professional development hours during each two-year renewal period ending June 30 of an even-numbered year.
Authority: Montana Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors | Reviewed: August 3, 2026
Complete 30 qualifying PDH per biennium. Up to 15 excess PDH may carry into the following cycle. Montana does not prescribe a PE ethics-hour minimum, accepts qualifying continuing-education and distance-course formats, limits self-study to 10 PDH per cycle, and requires supporting records to be retained for three years.
Core Requirement
| Requirement | Montana PE rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | Every active licensee must obtain 30 professional development hours during the two-year renewal period. |
| Ethics | Montana does not establish a separate mandatory ethics-hour allocation for professional engineers. |
| Carryover | Up to 15 excess PDH may be carried into the subsequent renewal period. |
| Renewal cycle | PE licenses renew biennially by June 30 of even-numbered years. The standard cycle runs from July 1 through June 30 two years later. |
| PDH measurement | One PDH is a nominal contact hour of instruction or presentation. One continuing education unit equals 10 PDH. |
| Self-study limit | Self-study is limited to 10 PDH per renewal cycle. The rule describes self-study as a formatted review of new material, including internet or recorded courses without a final examination. |
| Course approval | The Board retains final authority concerning course approval, credit eligibility, PDH value, and other methods of earning credit. |
Acceptable Activities
A qualifying course or activity must have a clear purpose and objective that maintains, improves, or expands skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice.
Online and Self-Study Education
Montana recognizes successful completion of continuing-education courses, correspondence courses, televised or videotaped courses, short courses, and tutorials. The rule separately identifies internet and recorded courses without a final examination as self-study, which is capped at 10 PDH per renewal period.
A structured online course with defined objectives, documented participation, a final examination, and a completion certificate is better aligned with the rule’s successful-completion course category than unverified self-study. Because the Board has final authority, the licensee should retain the exam and course information needed to demonstrate that distinction.
Exemptions and Special Situations
A new licensee by examination or comity is exempt from accruing PDH for the first 12 months after licensure. After that period, the rule requires 7.5 PDH for each six-month portion before the first renewal.
A licensee serving more than 120 consecutive days of temporary active duty in the United States armed forces during a year is exempt from the PDH required for that year.
Physical disability, illness, or another extenuating circumstance may support a Board-approved exemption. Supporting documentation must be furnished.
A licensee currently on inactive status is exempt from continuing education but may not practice under an inactive license. Reactivation requirements should be confirmed before returning to practice.
Documentation and Audit
Licensees must maintain documentation of completed continuing education and make it available when requested. Records may be kept personally or through the NCEES CPC Registry, PDRES, or another similar repository.
The Department may randomly audit up to 50 percent of renewed licensees. Noncompliance may result in administrative suspension, making complete and organized documentation particularly important.
Official Sources