New York

Professional Development Hours (PDH) Requirements
Continuing education for licensed Professional Engineers in New York

Note: Online-PDH is NOT presently approved by the New York State Board as a provider of continuing education for professional engineers!!!

We have not presently applied for CPC board approval status in the state of NY due to:

  • The higher-than-average annual cost of maintaining CPC approval status with the state of NY
  • The requirement of “live courses” for 18 PDH per renewal period (which we do not presently offer)

New York Board of Professional Engineering and Land Surveying.


 New York - Continuing Educational Requirements:
Hours Required: 36 PDH every 3 years
  • A minimum of 18 PDH of live, interactive “courses” is required
  • The balance of hours can be earned from self-study “educational activities”
Renewal Dates: Based on the licensee’s date of birth
Board Approved Courses or Providers? New York pre-approves providers/sponsors of continuing education courses and educational activities, but not specific courses or activities. A course or educational activity must be presented by a board-approved provider/sponsor in order for the activity to be accepted.
Approved Subject Matter: Not all courses and educational activities offered by an approved sponsor are acceptable for continuing education credit in New York State. Courses and educational activities must contribute to the professional practice of professional engineering. The subject matter of the course or educational activity must be related to professional practice and contribute to the development or maintenance of professional knowledge.

Acceptable subjects may include: aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, architectural engineering, bioengineering, ceramic engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, construction engineering, control systems engineering, electrical/computer engineering, environmental engineering, fire protection engineering, geological engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, materials/metallurgical engineering, mining/mineral engineering, naval architecture/marine engineering, nuclear/radiological engineering, ocean engineering, petroleum engineering, structural engineering, systems engineering, architecture, land surveying; or other matters of law and/or ethics which contribute to the professional practice in engineering and the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public; and other topics which contribute to the professional practice of engineering.

Non-acceptable subjects: subject areas that are not related to professional practice and the development or maintenance of professional knowledge, such as project management related to improving/maximizing profitability and professional fees; marketing and public relations; expanding a design professional’s business; laws related to arbitration, mediation, liens and limiting the design professional’s liability (unless they are related to safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of the public); real estate licensing; basic Auto CAD; personal, estate or financial planning; zoning as it relates to increasing a developer or engineer/land surveyor’s profitability; design build and/or alternative delivery methods (unless it includes information on the laws related to design build and its limitations in New York State).

Effective August 1, 2011, the Board requires one PDH in professional ethics in each renewal cycle. This credit can be earned using either an online course (“educational activity”) or a live webinar (“course”).
Are Online Courses Allowed? Online courses, telecourses, and other distance learning tools are specifically listed as approved activities. The category of the training is dependent on whether the activity incorporates instructor-led training:
An “Educational Activity” is a self-study activity that doesn’t require immediate interaction with the instructor.

Up to 18 PDH of the 36 PDH may be earned through “Educational Activities.”

 A “Course” is an activity that allows immediate interaction between the student and the instructor.

At least 18 PDH of the 36 PDH must be earned through “Courses.”
PDH Carryover: Zero (0) hours can be carried forward into the next renewal period.
Other Specific Requirements:
  1. An educational activity must have a testing instrument, which is completed by the licensee and returned to the sponsor for scoring. A passing grade is required before a sponsor may award continuing education credit.
  2. Recordkeeping for Audit Purposes: PDH completion records must be maintained for a minimum of 6 years for audit purposes. (See our Audit-Assist Guarantee!)

Last updated: April, 2016

Last modified: Thursday, 25 March 2021, 4:46 AM