Recognized engineering organizations
- National Society of Professional Engineers
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- Other recognized national or state PE societies
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
District of Columbia Professional Engineer Renewal
Washington, D.C. PE Continuing Education Requirements
District of Columbia Professional Engineers must complete at least 20 hours of acceptable continuing professional education during each license term, including at least 1 hour of professional ethics.
Use an offering approved under 17 DCMR §1527
D.C. places responsibility on the licensee to ensure that each course or activity is acceptable. An offering is deemed approved when it is approved, provided, or sponsored by one of the organizations identified in §1527.2, including another jurisdiction's engineering licensing board.
20 hoursPer license term
1 hourProfessional ethics
4 yearsRecord retention
August 31Even-year expiration
Core Requirements
Complete the total and ethics components before renewal
| Requirement | District rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | Complete at least 20 hours of acceptable continuing professional education during the term of the license. |
| Professional ethics | At least 1 of the 20 hours must address professional ethics. |
| Attestation | At renewal, the licensee attests to completion and reports the sponsor, program title and subject, dates, and hours claimed. |
| Course relevance | The program or activity must contribute to growth in professional competence in professional engineering. |
| Provider or offering approval | Credit is valid only when the program is approved under §1527. The licensee bears responsibility for confirming the approval basis. |
| Carryover | The current rule does not establish a general carryover allowance. Plan to earn all required hours during the applicable license term. |
Approval Pathways
Confirm who approved, provided, or sponsored the offering
Recognized public and educational bodies
- An engineering or surveying licensing board in another jurisdiction
- Federal or state agencies providing engineering training
- Accredited colleges and universities providing engineering training
- The D.C. Board, exercising its discretionary approval authority
Online-PDH's D.C. approval pathway
Online-PDH offers engineering continuing-education courses under approvals issued by engineering licensing authorities in other jurisdictions. Section 1527.2(d) deems an offering approved when it is approved, provided, or sponsored by another jurisdiction's engineering licensing board. Online-PDH retains the applicable approval documentation and supplies course-completion records; the licensee should select a course within the scope of that approval and relevant to professional engineering practice.
Course Formats and Other Credit
The approval basis matters more than a particular delivery method
| Activity | D.C. treatment |
|---|---|
| Courses and programs | May qualify when they contribute to professional competence and are approved, provided, or sponsored through a §1527.2 pathway. |
| Online or self-paced education | Sections 1526–1528 do not state a universal classroom-only or live-attendance requirement. A distance course still needs an acceptable approval basis and satisfactory proof of completion. |
| College coursework | The Board may grant up to 6 hours for completion of an undergraduate or graduate course at an accredited college or university. |
| Teaching or course development | Up to 6 hours may be granted for initial development, substantial updating, or initial teaching of a conference program or academic course. |
| Technical publications | Up to 6 hours may be granted for authoring or editing eligible professional publications. |
| Committee service | Up to 6 hours may be granted for qualifying service addressing technical or regulatory issues in engineering or surveying practice. |
Do not rely on format alone: A course is not automatically acceptable merely because it awards PDH or includes an assessment. Retain evidence connecting the offering to one of the organizations listed in §1527.2.
Records and Audit
Keep the complete course file for four years
The licensee bears the burden of proving both completion and program approval. Retain documentation for four years after completing each claimed activity. The Board may audit active licensees, and an individual selected for audit must provide proof within 30 days after receiving notice.
If the Board finds a deficiency, it may permit additional time to cure it or impose discipline. A licensee who fails to prove compliance may also be audited during the following licensure term.
Certificate details are mandatory evidence: The rule identifies the sponsor, program name and subject description, attendance dates, and hours earned as information that should appear on the completion certificate.
Special Circumstances
First renewal, late renewal, and reinstatement have separate rules
First renewal by examination
The continuing-education rule exempts an applicant seeking the first renewal of a license granted by examination. The text does not extend this exemption to every first renewal regardless of how the license was issued.
Sixty-day late-renewal period
A licensee who missed hours by expiration may complete the deficiency and renew within 60 days while paying the late fee. Hours used to cure that late renewal cannot be reused for the next term.
Reinstatement or inactive license
A PE generally needs 10 approved hours for each year expired or inactive, up to 40 hours, including at least 1 ethics hour. Credited courses must have been completed within the two years preceding application.
Good-cause extension
The Board may extend the 60-day period for documented serious illness, qualifying family illness or death, or active military service. An extension does not reduce the following term's requirement.
Official Sources
Verify current D.C. instructions before renewal
Informational notice: This summary is not legal advice or a guarantee of course acceptance. The D.C. Board has final authority over program approval, credit, audits, extensions, and renewal compliance.
Last modified: Wednesday, 22 July 2026, 2:52 PM