North Carolina Professional Engineer Renewal
North Carolina professional engineers complete 15 professional development hours during each annual renewal period, including at least 1 hour in ethics or the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Authority: North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors | Reviewed: August 3, 2026
Complete 15 PDH annually, including 1 ethics or Rules of Professional Conduct hour. Up to 15 excess hours may carry into the following renewal period. The Board no longer approves courses or providers; licensees select qualifying education and remain responsible for demonstrating its relevance during an audit.
Core Requirement
| Requirement | North Carolina PE rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | Complete 15 professional development hours during each annual renewal period. |
| Ethics or conduct | At least 1 PDH must address ethics or the Rules of Professional Conduct. |
| Course relevance | Every activity must have a purpose and objective that maintains, improves, or expands skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice. |
| Carryover | Up to 15 excess PDH may carry into the immediately following annual renewal period. An excess ethics hour may carry when the licensee first exceeds the total 15-hour requirement. |
| Provider approval | The Board no longer approves courses or continuing-education providers. Licensees are not required to use a previously approved sponsor. |
| Course selection | The licensee determines whether an activity meets the CPC rules and must be prepared to substantiate its professional value during an audit. The Board retains final authority. |
| Dual licensees | A person licensed in engineering and land surveying must earn at least one-third of the total requirement in each profession. The remaining third may be in either field. |
Acceptable Activities
North Carolina recognizes formal courses, technical programs, teaching, publications, professional service, patents, examination development, and educational outreach. The activity should improve the engineer’s ability to practice competently and protect public health, safety, and welfare.
Online Courses and Self-Study
Correspondence, internet, televised, videotaped, audiotaped, and other short courses or tutorials may earn credit when an examination is required for completion. Credit is based on 1 PDH for each reasonably estimated hour an average professional needs to complete the course.
The rules do not impose a separate numerical cap on qualifying online courses. A structured online course with relevant engineering content, a required final examination, verified completion, and an appropriate certificate may therefore supply all required hours.
North Carolina distinguishes a structured course from unsupported independent self-study. Reading or studying on one’s own without a qualifying course, examination, and completion evidence is denied credit during an audit.
A live webinar does not require an examination when attendance is properly documented.
Exemptions and Special Situations
A new licensee by examination or comity is exempt from CPC during the first renewal period. Hours voluntarily reported during that exempt period may carry into the following year.
An inactive licensee is exempt but may not offer or practice engineering. Returning to current status generally requires PDH for each inactive year, capped at 30 hours.
A qualifying licensee serving in the Armed Forces may request a waiver for the applicable period under the military tax-extension provisions referenced in Board Rule .1707.
The Board may consider an exemption for physical disability, illness, or another extenuating circumstance when supporting documentation is supplied.
Documentation and Audit
The Board uses random CPC audits to determine compliance. An audit notice generally requests a response within approximately 30 days and asks for the licensee’s CPC log and supporting completion or attendance evidence.
The log must identify the activity type, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor or speaker, and PDH earned. Course descriptions should be specific enough to demonstrate professional relevance, and activities used for the ethics requirement should be clearly identified.
Official Sources