Louisiana Professional Engineer Renewal
Louisiana professional engineers earn 15 professional development hours in engineering-related acceptable activities every calendar year, including at least one PDH in professional ethics.
Complete 15 engineering-related PDH every calendar year, including at least 1 PDH in professional ethics. Building and building-system designers have an additional subject requirement within that total. Up to 7 excess PDH may carry into the next calendar year.
Core Requirement
| Requirement | Louisiana PE rule |
|---|---|
| Total education | 15 engineering-related acceptable PDH during each calendar year, January 1 through December 31. |
| Professional ethics | At least 1 PDH every calendar year must address the standards of professional conduct and responsibility required of a professional engineer. |
| Building-design content | A PE who designs buildings or building systems—or reviews or approves their plans—in Louisiana must earn at least 4 PDH each applicable calendar year in the Life Safety Code, building codes, and/or ADA Accessibility Guidelines. |
| Daily maximum | No more than 8 PDH may be earned in a single calendar day. |
| Carryover | Up to 7 excess PDH may be carried forward into the immediately following calendar year. |
| Renewal certification | Compliance with the annual requirements is verified at the end of the biennial license-renewal period. |
Course Eligibility
The Board has final authority over an activity’s acceptability and PDH value. Course selection remains the licensee’s responsibility, so each activity should maintain, improve, or expand engineering knowledge and competence.
Online and Correspondence Education
Louisiana recognizes correspondence courses, continuing-education courses, tutorials, and short courses. The rules do not state a separate numerical cap for properly documented online or correspondence education.
Informal, nonstructured study does not qualify. A distance course should have defined educational content, a completion process, a provider-issued record, and enough documentation to demonstrate the date, subject, participant, and PDH earned.
Exemptions and License Status
A new licensee is exempt during the calendar year in which Louisiana licensure is issued.
A licensee serving on active duty in the United States military for more than 180 consecutive days in a calendar year is exempt for that calendar year.
A serious documented condition that prevents compliance may support a one-calendar-year exemption. The Board requires appropriate supporting documentation.
Work for more than 180 days in a location where compliance is impractical may support a documented exemption. Licensees who certify inactive or retired status at renewal are exempt while in that status.
Recordkeeping and Audit
Every licensee must maintain the Board-approved professional-development activity log for each calendar year, together with certificates, transcripts, or other proof supporting the claimed PDH. Records must be preserved for at least six consecutive calendar years.
The Board may request proof at any time and conducts random audits twice each year involving up to 30% of licensees renewing in that calendar year. A renewal may be withheld and the license deemed expired until compliance is established.
Official Sources