CEU Requirements for New York Professional Engineers

Are you are a New York PE looking to renew your license. If so, you may be asking – What are the continuing education requirement for New York professional engineers?

New York requires professional engineers to earn 36 professional development hours every three years. The state board does not allow you to carry any hours over from the previous renewal cycle. PDH credits can come from a variety of courses and educational activities, but one hour must come from an ethics course. In New York you must renew the registration of your license with the New York State Education Department triennially.

Professional engineers in New York need to stay informed about the board’s requirements for continuing education. Knowing when to renew, how to renew, and which educational activities are accepted is essential for professional engineers to ensure they meet the licensing requirements and deadlines.

We prepared a summary of the New York license renewal requirements (check out our New York PE renewal page). PDH-Pro is approved by the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology as a provider of continuing education for professional engineers (#274).

We offer continuing education courses for New York professional engineers. A popular option is to take one of our complete packages for New York Engineers.

New York PDH Credits

New York professional engineer are registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Engineering licenses in New York State are renewed every three years (triennially). This registration period is based on your birth month, and an online option is available for registration renewal. As a professional engineer you are required to earn 36 professional development hours (PDH) during this three-year cycle.

The state education department pre-approves sponsors who provide continuing education courses and activities. The courses themselves do not receive pre-approval, and it is up to you to discern which courses are relevant and appropriate. The only required credit is one hour of ethics, which can be earned through a self-paced online course provided by the state. You are required to obtain and keep certificates of completion for all PDH claimed.

New York License Renewal Dates

The registration renewal date is different for every professional engineer. It is based on your birth month, which means your first renewal period may be less than three years long. If this occurs, you must calculate the appropriate amount of PDH required for your registration period. The PDH required is equal to the number of months in your first renewal cycle.

All professional engineers must maintain records for six years, or two renewal cycles. Records that are accepted as proof of PDH are certificates of completion. These records do not need to be submitted with each renewal, but they are necessary to have on hand for any possible audits by the state.

Engineering Ethics and Professional Conduct

The New York State Education Department requires that all professional engineers take an ethics course for one PDH each registration cycle. There is a self-paced course available on the state education department’s website. It includes state expectations for the professional conduct and ethics of professional engineers.

You may also obtain credit from external sources, including foundational ethics courses. Ethics PDH can also be earned within a separate continuing education course, permitting that the course adheres to the guidelines of the state. These guidelines include:

• 60 minutes of ethics content duration
• Indication of an ethics component in course title and certificate of completion
• Indication of an ethics component in course syllabus

Records Keeping Requirements for Engineers

Professional engineers are required to maintain records of PDH earned for a minimum of six years. Certificates of completion are accepted as proof of PDH. You do not have to submit your certificates for registration renewal, but you are required to keep them as evidence in the instance of an audit. For a record to be recognized as a certificate of completion it must include:

• The course title, subject area, and course number if applicable
• The number of hours completed
• The sponsor’s name and identification number
• Verification from the sponsor of attendance
• The date and locations

If you taught or presented a course, a signed letter from the sponsor of your course is required. This letter must include all the same information as a certificate of completion. The state of New York does not accept self-reporting as proof of completion for any professional engineers.

Continuing Education Activities Accepted by the Board

New York professional engineers can obtain credits from approved educational activities. All courses must be relevant to engineering and cannot include topics such as marketing, real estate, or personal financial planning.

Continuing education credits earned through educational activities do not have to be in a live setting. All online classes and webinars must have a testing instrument at the end of the session to determine adequate completion. Qualifying educational activities include:

• Preparing and teaching an approved course
• Authoring an article in an approved subject area
• Presenting a technical presentation in an approved subject area sponsored by an approved provider
• Receiving a patent, which counts as 9 PDH
• Participating in approved online classes and webinars that are not live

The NYSED allows professional engineers to choose if their ethics credit will contribute to their course or educational activity hours. Both types of PDH must come from state approved sponsors, subject areas, and formats. A comprehensive list of approved sponsors is available on the state education department website.

Pre-Approval of Continuing Education Activities

Certain sponsors are pre-approved by the state and have Continuing Education Provider numbers to identify them by. Not all courses or activities provided by approved sponsors qualify as PDH, so professional engineers must use their discretion when choosing continuing education opportunities. PDH-Pro is an approved provider in New York state.

Sources of Free Continuing Education Courses

The New York State Education Department provides a free, self-paced ethics course to meet the mandatory one-hour requirement. This course is available on the NYSED website. Other free continuing education courses can be identified through the list of approved sponsors also located on the NYSED website.

We prepared a detailed review of free engineering continuing education courses (article).

New York Engineering Licensing

To obtain a professional engineering license in New York, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least four years of field experience. Twelve total years of credit, including education, are required to complete the necessary examinations. The amount of practical work experience you need for licensure is determined by your highest level of relevant education. This can be calculated on the NYSED website.

All professional engineers must pass both the Principles and Practice Examination (PE) and Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exams offered through the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). The PE can be taken online or with paper and pencil, while the FE is only available online.

Upon passing both examinations, applicants must fill out and submit their application forms. These forms are available on the state department website. Each initial application has a fee of $377. All applications can be completed online at the NYSED website or sent to the addresses indicated on the forms. License applicants will wait up to 12 weeks to hear from the state education department upon submitting their application forms.

Engineering Discipline Restrictions

The New York State Education Department does not require professional engineers to take specific courses based on their engineering discipline. The only requirement is that continuing education courses must be relevant to engineering and approved by the state education department. A comprehensive list of acceptable course topics is available on the NYSED website.

If you are a licensed professional engineer in New York and your license has become inactive, be sure to check the specific requirements for registration renewal on the NYSED website. Only professional engineers in their first renewal cycle are not required to earn 36 PDH. All professional engineers must ensure that they are able to renew their registration with the state in order to remain active and successful in their industry.