Professional Engineer
No CE hours are required to maintain or renew the Colorado PE license.
Colorado Professional Engineer Renewal
Colorado PE Continuing Education Requirements
Colorado currently does not require Professional Engineers to complete continuing education or professional development hours to maintain or renew a PE license.
Quick answer for Colorado PEs
No PDH or CE hours are currently required for Colorado PE renewal. Licenses expire October 31 in odd-numbered years. Engineers who also hold a Colorado architect or professional land surveyor license must separately follow the continuing-education rules for that profession.
0 PDHRequired for CO PE renewal
BiennialProfessional license cycle
October 31Odd-numbered years
No AuditPE education records not required
Current Requirement
No mandatory continuing education for Professional Engineers
| Item | Current Colorado PE rule |
|---|---|
| Required PDH | The Board expressly states that Professional Engineers are not required to complete CE to maintain or renew a Colorado PE license. |
| Ethics hours | No separate ethics-course minimum applies because Colorado currently has no general PE continuing-education mandate. |
| Course/provider approval | The Board does not approve providers or courses for PE renewal credit because no PE education hours are required. |
| Online-course rules | No PE renewal rules impose testing, timing, monitoring, or live-attendance requirements on voluntary courses. |
| Carryover | No PE carryover provision applies because Colorado imposes no mandatory PE hour total. |
| Education records | No PE-specific CE certificate-retention or audit requirement applies. Voluntary records may still be useful for employers, clients, competence, and other licenses. |
| Renewal cycle | Colorado professional licenses in this Board program expire October 31 of odd-numbered years. |
Important License Distinction
Architect and land-surveyor CE rules are not PE rules
The same Colorado Board regulates architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors, but their education obligations are different. The Board's CE page should be read according to the particular license being renewed.
Architect
Active architects have profession-specific annual HSW continuing-education requirements. Those requirements do not attach to a PE license.
Professional Land Surveyor
Active land surveyors have a separate biennial CE requirement. A dual PE/PLS must satisfy it for the land-surveyor license even though the PE license requires zero hours.
Dual-license holders: Renewing a Colorado PE license does not excuse the education requirement attached to a separately held architect or Professional Land Surveyor license.
Professional Competence
Continuing education can still support competent practice
A zero-hour renewal requirement does not eliminate an engineer's obligation to practice only within areas of competence, remain current with applicable requirements, and safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare.
Useful voluntary subjects
- Colorado engineering laws and Board rules
- Professional ethics and responsible charge
- Current building codes and design standards
- Snow, wind, wildfire, flood, and geologic hazards
- Infrastructure resilience and risk management
- Technical developments within the field of practice
- Failure prevention and lessons learned
- Public health, safety, and welfare
Why retain voluntary records?
- Document maintenance of professional competence
- Meet employer or client qualification expectations
- Support credit in another state when eligible
- Track codes and standards studied
- Maintain an NCEES CPC record when useful
- Prepare for any future rule change
Accurate course description: Online-PDH courses may be taken voluntarily or used for another jurisdiction when eligible, but they should not be described as required for Colorado PE renewal.
Engineers Licensed in Multiple States
Colorado's zero-PDH rule does not follow the engineer elsewhere
A Colorado PE holding licenses in other jurisdictions must independently satisfy each board's required total, mandatory subjects, provider conditions, delivery restrictions, and recordkeeping rules.
A course taken voluntarily may qualify elsewhere, but the receiving board determines acceptance and credit value. Do not assume that Colorado renewal or the absence of a Colorado requirement satisfies another jurisdiction.
License Renewal
Renew the license even though no CE is reported
Common expiration date
Colorado PE licenses expire October 31 in odd-numbered years. The Division generally opens online renewal several weeks before expiration.
Online renewal
Use the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations online service to complete the renewal application, verify current information, and pay the required fee.
Expired license
A license must remain active to practice or offer professional engineering services. If it expires, follow the Division's reinstatement process before resuming licensed practice.
Professional obligations
License renewal does not authorize work beyond the engineer's education, experience, and competence. Continue to follow Colorado's practice act, Board rules, sealing requirements, and standards of conduct.
Official Sources
Confirm Colorado's current rule before renewal
Informational notice: This page reflects the Colorado Board's express statement that PE renewal currently requires no continuing education. It is not legal advice. Requirements may change, so licensees should check the Board's current instructions before renewal.
Last modified: Wednesday, 22 July 2026, 12:46 PM