CEU Requirements for Missouri Professional Engineers
This article addresses the important question – What are the continuing education requirement for Missouri professional engineers?
Professional Engineers in the State of Missouri are required to take 30 Professional Development Hours (PDH) every 24 months. This means a total of 30 hours every two years where a maximum of 15 PDH can be carried forward to the next renewal period. The current license period expires on Dec 31, 2020, and the new educational period commences on the same date.
Missouri PEs can earn CEU credits in a variety of ways, including online courses, technical conferences, seminars, college courses, and live webinars.
In Missouri, each engineer is responsible for evaluating the content of training courses and determining if they are suitable for license renewal. The board also requires the licensee to maintain their training records in the event they are selected for an audit. Engineers who are disabled or a deployed military service member may be exempt from the continuing education requirement.
For a complete list of all license renewal requirements check out our Missouri Continuing Education page.
Missouri PDH Requirements
The Board For Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Professional Landscape Architects (APEPLSPLA) manages engineering registration in the State of Missouri.
The board does not pre-approve courses or activities. Each engineer is expected to acquire courses that are relevant to his/her field. Likewise, the board does not mandate any course(s) for engineers. The licensee allows for flexibility in selecting among a broad range of subjects that are can strengthen or maintain competency in technical, administrative (business), or ethical fields.
The board does not provide for electronic renewal but allows renewal of certificate for continuing education unit (CEU) acquired from other states provided that the contents meet the requirement of Missouri.
Missouri Engineering License Renewal Dates
Renewal of license in the State of Missouri is biennial and comes up every Dec 31st. Thus, all engineers are required to renew their license every even year. However, engineers that are licensed in an odd year are required to renew their license every odd year. To qualify for license renewal, the engineer must have completed 30 PDH in the preceding 24 months. In case you couldn’t meet up with this requirement, you can choose to place your license under an inactive status. During this phase, you cannot practice but you still retain the status of a professional engineer.
Engineering Ethics and Professional Conduct
The state board does not require courses in engineering ethics or professional conduct as part of the continuing education requirements. However, the board does accept courses in these topics as credit towards the 30 CEU total.
As a professional Engineer in the State of Missouri, you are expected to:
- Perform engineering works only when you are certified and licensed by an accredited educational and licensing body
- Comply with the state’s rules and regulations guiding your profession
- Recognize that your primary duty is to protect the safety, health, property, and welfare of the public
- Truthfully and accurately represent yourself in terms of educational qualification, experience, and area of specialization
- Make truthful disclosure to your client or customer on the issues that could influence or affect your practice.
More so, as part of the professional conduct, you are not allowed to;
- Assist non-licensed fellow or participate in unlawful practices
- Assist another fellow known to be unqualified in the application of licenses
- Accept commissions or payments from more than one person on the same project unless both parties are aware
- Give, accept, solicit or offer any commission, gift or contribution to secure employment, gain or any other advantage
- Reveal confidential, proprietary or privileged data or information
Records Keeping Requirements for Engineers
It is the responsibility of a licensed professional engineer to keep records that must be maintained for a minimum period of 4 years for auditing purposes. Examples of records you should keep include the summary log of your PDH and attendance verification records.
Continuing Education Activities Accepted by the MO Board
Continuing Education is a universal and uniform unit of measuring continuing education and training. Normally, 1 CEU credit is allotted to 10 hours of study. Thus, the State of Missouri allots 10 PDH to 1 CEU credit since 10 PDH represents 10 hours of study.
- Online course: The board allows for a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) acquired from other states provided that the contents meet the requirement of Missouri. More so, the board approves attending satellite downlink video courses where attendance is verified and material meets requirements.
- Live Webinars: The board also approves attending technical or professional society meetings when a topic related to the licensee’s professional practice is presented as a principal part of the program of which live webinars may include.
- Self-Study Courses: Unfortunately, self-study does not count towards CEU credits as it cannot be measured nor quantified. However, this can help you improve your Engineering practices.
- Other activities: Other recognized activities by the board include relevant computer software courses, related professional service to the public, active participation and successful completion of seminars, webinars, workshops, video courses, and so on. Activities like regular employment, real estate licensing courses, non-technical computer software courses, service club meetings, enrollment without attendance, etc, do not count.
Approval of Continuing Education Activities
The Missouri board does not pre-approve any continuing education provider or course. The board maintains flexibility of choice but upholds that the courses must be relevant to the engineer’s field and board’s requirements.
Sources of Free Continuing Education Courses
There are many CEU online courses out there but most are paid. Some engineering societies and organizations offer free continuing education as a member benefit. It will be very hard to get a free course with the required quality and standard. Meanwhile, paid courses are available from numerous course providers, including PDH-Pro.
APEPLSPLA offers a free 2-hour course that covers ethics and the Missouri board rules. Simply review the state laws (Chapter 327, RSMo) and complete the online exam.
Engineering Licensing Requirements
Engineers must have completed at least 30 PDH over the preceding 24 months (2 years) to qualify for the license. While there is a range of opportunities to qualify for the license, the board still reserves the right to determine whether the activities qualify you for a license or not. For instance, any actively participating member of a technical or professional society may earn a maximum of two (2) PDHs annually per organization for that activity. This is why it is important to participate in activities and courses that are relevant to your field.
All-In-One Engineering Packages for Missouri
PDH-Pro has a dedicated group of experts who keep track of the constantly evolving continuing education requirements for Missouri. We took the results of this ongoing research and our understanding of the board rules to develop 7 continuing education packages. Our Missouri Engineering Packages include all of the required PDH credits and they are guaranteed to satisfy the Missouri engineering board requirements. Pick a package that matches your engineering discipline and you’re all set to renew your license. We offer packages for chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, geotechnical, mechanical, and structural engineers.
Engineering Discipline Restrictions for Continuing Education Courses
The Missouri board allows engineers to complete technical courses in engineering disciplines outside their degree and engineering license. The prevailing wisdom is that engineers should be knowledgeable in all engineering disciplines and sciences and not just their specific focus.
The board provides exceptions for those who are serving in the US armed force. These set of people may be considered even without completing the required PDH. Meanwhile too, no activity less than half an hour will be accepted for credits.
Bottom line
To become a licensed engineer in the State of Missouri, you have to complete 30 Professional Development Hours (PDH) in relevant courses and activities. Activities that count toward credits include participation in professional and technical societies, attending relevant seminars, webinars, and workshops, running computer software programs and courses related to your field, and so on. Issuance of licenses takes place every Dec 31st while renewal of licenses takes place the same date but every two years.