Wisconsin Professional Engineer Renewal
Wisconsin Professional Engineers must complete 30 professional development hours during each biennial registration period, including two PDH in professional conduct and ethics.
Authority: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and Professional Engineer Section | Reviewed: August 3, 2026
At least 13 of the required 30 PDH must be obtained through courses in which participants and the instructor are present or logged in at the same time and can communicate directly. Self-paced online courses do not satisfy this 13-hour real-time requirement.
Core Requirements
| Requirement | Wisconsin rule |
|---|---|
| Total hours | Complete at least 30 approved PDH or equivalent continuing education units during each biennial registration period. |
| Qualifying content | Continuing education must be pertinent to the practice of professional engineering and contribute to the registrant’s professional competency. |
| Ethics requirement | At least two PDH must address professional conduct and ethics during each biennium. |
| Real-time education | At least 13 PDH must involve real-time interaction in a traditional classroom, computer conference, or interactive video conference where participants can communicate directly with the instructor. |
| Carryover | Up to 15 excess PDH may be carried into the next biennium. Carryover hours cannot satisfy the new biennium’s two-hour ethics or 13-hour real-time requirements. |
| Renewal date | Professional Engineer credentials expire on July 31 of each even-numbered year unless renewed as required. |
| Course preapproval | Courses, providers, and activities do not require advance approval. The registrant must determine whether an activity satisfies the applicable requirements. |
Course Standards
Activities and Credit
| Activity | Wisconsin credit rule |
|---|---|
| Courses and presentations | One qualifying contact hour generally equals one PDH. The activity must meet the applicable program and attendance-verification requirements. |
| Continuing education units | One continuing education unit equals 10 PDH. |
| College coursework | One semester credit hour equals 15 PDH, and one quarter credit hour equals 10 PDH. |
| Teaching | Initial teaching or instruction of a qualifying activity may earn twice the PDH available to participants. Full-time faculty cannot claim regular teaching duties. |
| Publications | A qualifying published paper, article, or book may earn five PDH. A qualifying peer-reviewed publication may earn 10 PDH. |
| Patents | A patent relevant to the registrant’s area of professional practice may earn 10 PDH. |
| Professional societies | Active participation as an officer or committee member may earn up to two PDH per society per year, subject to a maximum of four PDH per biennium. |
A self-paced Online-PDH course that is pertinent to professional engineering practice, provides organized educational content, verifies completion, and issues a detailed certificate may qualify toward Wisconsin’s general PDH requirement. Self-paced courses do not satisfy the separate 13-PDH real-time interaction requirement. Final acceptance remains with the Professional Engineer Section.
Records and Audit
Each registrant must maintain records of continuing education units and PDH earned for at least the three most recent biennial registration periods. Records should be maintained using a form approved by the Professional Engineer Section.
Registrants are generally not required to submit every completion certificate with routine renewal. The Department or Professional Engineer Section may request records and supporting documentation to verify compliance.
Special Circumstances
A new registrant is not required to satisfy the continuing education requirement between initial Wisconsin registration and the first renewal of that registration.
An applicant by reciprocity generally must document 30 qualifying PDH completed during the two years preceding the application. A recent first-time licensee may qualify for the applicable exemption.
A registrant who cannot satisfy the requirements because of prolonged illness, disability, or another qualifying hardship may request a waiver from the Professional Engineer Section.
A registrant renewing after expiration may be required to document qualifying continuing education for the period specified by the applicable renewal and reinstatement requirements.
Official Sources