Idaho Professional Engineer Renewal
Idaho professional engineers complete 24 professional development hours during each biennial renewal cycle. Education may address technical skills, ethics, or business topics relevant to engineering practice.
Complete 24 PDH during each two-year renewal cycle, equivalent to 12 hours annually. Up to 30 excess hours may be carried into the next renewal cycle. Idaho does not prescribe a separate minimum ethics-hour total.
Core Requirement
| Requirement | Idaho PE rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | 24 PDH during each biennial renewal cycle. The Board’s policy also expresses this as 12 hours annually. |
| Qualifying subjects | Meaningful education may address technical skills and knowledge, ethics, or business-related topics relevant to the licensee’s field and methods of practice. |
| Ethics | Ethics is an expressly qualifying subject, but Idaho does not allocate a mandatory minimum number of PE hours specifically to ethics. |
| Carryover | Up to 30 excess continuing-education hours may be carried into the next renewal cycle. |
| Renewal schedule | Licenses renew biennially and expire on the licensee’s birthday. |
| Course criteria | The Board states that courses meeting Section 3 of the NCEES Continuing Professional Competency Guidelines are acceptable. |
Qualifying Education
Idaho encourages activities that are educational, technically accurate, relevant to engineering practice, designed or delivered by qualified subject-matter experts, and supported by learning objectives and an assessment or other meaningful learner engagement.
Distance Education
Idaho expressly recognizes remote and hybrid presentations, asynchronous online courses delivered through a learning management system, blended courses, tutorials, webinars, and correspondence programs. The policy does not establish a general cap on PDH earned through qualifying distance education.
An online activity must be educational, relevant to engineering or surveying, and fit a qualifying subject area. The licensee must obtain a certificate, transcript, or acceptable attendance record.
Exemptions and License Status
A newly licensed engineer is exempt during the initial license period before the first renewal because that period is not a full two-year cycle.
Upon the required notice, a qualifying licensee called to active military duty is not required to complete CE, file a renewal application, or pay the renewal fee during the protected period described by Idaho law.
The Board may waive, extend, or modify CE requirements for good cause. The licensee must submit a written request with appropriate supporting documentation for Board consideration.
A lapsed licensee must provide proof of continuing education before reinstatement. Retired status is available only from an active license; reinstatement may require demonstrating current CPD compliance.
Documentation and Audit
Licensees normally attest to compliance rather than submitting all records with renewal. They must retain qualifying documentation for at least four years, covering the current licensing period and the immediately preceding renewal period.
A self-prepared activity log is useful for organization but is not accepted as proof of attendance. Keep the certificate, transcript, sign-in sheet, publication, service-verification letter, or other evidence required for the specific activity.
Official Sources