New Jersey Professional Engineer Renewal
New Jersey professional engineers complete 24 continuing professional competency credits during each biennial renewal period, including at least 2 credits in professional-practice ethics.
Complete 24 CPC credits every two years, including at least 2—but no more than 8—credits in professional-practice ethics. Up to 12 excess credits may carry into the next biennium. Distance-learning courses require a final examination, and qualifying programs generally must be offered by a Board-approved or expressly exempt provider.
Core Requirement
| Requirement | New Jersey PE rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | Complete 24 continuing professional competency credits during the preceding biennial renewal period. |
| Professional ethics | At least 2 CPC credits must be in professional-practice ethics. No more than 8 ethics credits may be applied toward the 24-credit requirement. |
| New Jersey law | The PE rules do not establish a separate New Jersey law-and-rules course requirement. A course must qualify under the applicable engineering or ethics standards. |
| Course relevance | Programs must directly and materially relate to professional engineering and clearly maintain, improve, or expand relevant professional skills and knowledge. |
| Carryover | Up to 12 excess CPC credits may carry into the immediately following biennial renewal period. |
| Excluded subjects | Courses required for initial licensure and courses primarily involving practice building, practice management, or practice marketing are not approved. Regular employment duties do not qualify. |
| Renewal certification | The licensee certifies completion of the required credits on the biennial renewal application and remains subject to audit. |
Acceptable Activities and Providers
A professional engineer may earn credit through educational programs or equivalent educational programs sponsored by an eligible provider. Providers generally must obtain Board approval unless they fall within an express exemption.
Other providers must obtain a New Jersey approved-provider number, or the licensee may seek Board approval for a particular program.
Online and Distance Learning
New Jersey awards 1 CPC credit for each hour of instruction in a correspondence or distance-learning course on an engineering topic when the course requires a final examination. The rules do not state a separate numerical cap on qualifying distance-learning credits.
The course must also directly and materially relate to professional engineering and be offered through a Board-approved provider or one of the provider categories expressly exempt from applying for Board approval.
An online course’s participation tracking, final examination, completion certificate, learning objectives, and course materials can help establish compliance, but those features do not replace New Jersey’s provider-eligibility requirement.
Online-PDH appears on the New Jersey Board’s continuing-education provider list under provider number 24GP00024800. Licensees should still select courses relevant to professional engineering, complete the required final examination, and retain the resulting course records.
Exemptions and Special Situations
A licensee is not required to obtain CPC credits during the biennial renewal period in which the initial license was obtained.
At the first biennial renewal, a new licensee by comity is responsible for 1 CPC credit for each full calendar month since the New Jersey license was issued.
A licensee serving more than 120 consecutive days of active duty in the United States Armed Forces during a calendar year has the CPC requirement waived for that year.
The Board may waive all or part of the requirement for illness, disability, retirement, military service, or other good cause. A written request generally must be submitted at least 90 days before the next biennial renewal period begins.
Documentation and Audit
Every licensee is subject to Board audit and must maintain records supporting claimed CPC credits for five years after completing each course or equivalent educational program.
The record should include a detailed activity log, completion or attendance verification, and program documentation such as course descriptions, printed materials, and notes. New Jersey-approved providers must issue verification identifying the course, date, location, attendee and license number, credits awarded, and an authorized provider representative.
Official Sources