Wisconsin Professional Engineer License Renewal Requirements
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The State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) regulates the practice of engineering and establishes continuing education standards. Wisconsin professional engineers must earn 30 PDH credits during each two year renewal period. Every engineering license must be renewed on July 31st of even years. Registrants are required to complete 2 hours in the area of professional conduct and ethics. Engineers must also earn 13 PDH credits through activities where they can interact with the instructor and other participants. This can be in a seminar, classroom, interactive video conference, or computer conference. Students must be able to ask questions of the instructor and communicate with each other. Live webinars meet this requirement. Engineers are allowed to carry over 15 PDH hours to the next renewal period.
Listed below are the Wisconsin professional engineer (PE) license renewal requirements.
| No of PDH hours required | 30 PDH | |
| Renewal period | Biennially, July 31st of even years. | |
| Provider approval | The Board does not pre-approve course providers | |
| Course content approval | 13 PDH must be gained through live interaction with an instructor. 2 PDH should address Ethics and Professional Conduct. The rest of the PDH hours may be any program with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice. Subject matter which is technical in nature or addresses professional ethics, codes or other similar topics which facilitate the licensee’s professional development as a professional engineer and serves to safeguard life, health and property and promote the public welfare. | |
| Maximum PDH hours to carry over | 15 PDH | |
| Online courses | The Board limits online courses to 17 hours per renewal period. A minimum of 13 PDH must be gained through live interaction with an instructor. | |
| State Board Website | https://dsps.wi.gov/ |
We prepared a detailed summary and review of the Wisconsin continuing education requirements (read the article).
Engineering Continuing Education Requirements for Wisconsin
Since 2016, professional engineers in Wisconsin have been expected to complete continuing education courses. Thus, you may be wondering: what are the continuing education requirements?
To ensure that professional engineers in Wisconsin are maintaining or improving their competency and ethical conduct, they are expected to fulfill specific continuing education requirements for Wisconsin engineers.
The program that was adopted brings the state into compliance with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) model program guidelines. There are currently 42 states that require professional engineers to obtain continuing education credits.
The continuing education requirements for Wisconsin engineers are very specific. You must earn a total of 30 personal development hours (PDH) during each 2-year renewal cycle (§ A-E 13.03(1)(a)), which occurs on July 31st of even-numbered years.
Two of these hours need to be related to professional conduct and ethics. At least 13 PDH credits have to be earned by attending live classes, including webinars, where you have the opportunity to interact with the instructor.
Wisconsin Continuing Education Requirements
As a professional engineer in Wisconsin, you are expected to meet the following continuing education requirements:
- Earn 30 PDH credits every 2 years
- At least 2 PDH credits have to be earned in ethics and professional conduct (13.03 (1)(b))
- At least 13 PDH credits have to be earned from courses where you can interact in real-time with the other participants and the instructor; this includes video conferences where everyone is logged in at the same time and can communicate with one another and ask the instructor questions (A-E 13.03(1)(c))
Professional Conduct and Ethics for Wisconsin Engineers
You are required to earn 2 PDH credits in the area of ethics and professional conduct, but it’s up to you to determine exactly what those courses should entail. This might include attending seminars that focus on professional conduct and ethics. Some of the courses that the Board indicates can be used to fulfill this continuing education requirement for Wisconsin engineers include:
- Courses with topics that pertain to Wisconsin state laws and rules
- Stamping and sealing requirements
- Disciplinary investigations
- Engineering accidents or disasters that fall within the definition of professional conduct and ethics
Ethics Courses Accepted by Wisconsin
There are courses that have been developed to meet the Board’s requirements for ethics PDH credits, and these include the following:
ET-88-WI Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct for Wisconsin Engineers – 2 PDH
This course focuses on the Wisconsin Chapter A-E 8: Ethics Professional Conduct and Wisconsin Chapter A-E 13 Continuing Education for Professional Engineers.
ET-02-800 Workplace Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct for Wisconsin Engineers – 2 PDH
If you take this course, you will be presented with some of the ethical responsibilities that you may encounter on a day-to-day basis. These might include recognizing the repercussions of your decisions and how important it is to fulfill the public’s expectations of ethical performance in your work.
ET-02-204 Wisconsin Ethics and Professional Conduct: A Summary of Disciplinary Decisions – 3 PDH
This course is based on a review of seven disciplinary decisions that were made by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and offers a rationale and basis for the professional conduct and ethics that you as a professional engineer should incorporate.
ET-88-WIW Live Webinar: Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct for Wisconsin Engineers – 2 PDH
This course is based on ET-88-WI and is also a live webinar, so it will count towards your 13 PDH credits for live instruction required by the Board.
Live Webinar Courses for Wisconsin Engineers
When it comes to webinars, these are a low-cost, efficient option that helps you obtain the necessary requirements to renew your engineering license. You are required to earn at least 13 PDH credits every 2 years from courses that allow you to interact with the instructor in real-time. This means that the webinar you take must use an interactive video where the participants and the instructor are logged in at the same time and have the ability to communicate with one another and ask questions (A-E 13.03(1)(c)).
The most important aspect of this continuing education requirement is that you must be able to interact with the other participants and the instructor. The webinar must also cover topics that satisfy the requirements determined by the Board.
To quickly and easily find webinars that will fulfill the continuing education requirements for Wisconsin engineers, PDH-Pro has a variety of options to choose from. They have an interactive component so that you can participate with the instructor and the other participants.
Continuing Education Courses Allowed by the Wisconsin Board
The Board has come up with some criteria that the continuing education courses and programs you take for license renewal must meet. The courses must provide the following:
- An organized learning method that contributes to your professional competency and is in a subject that relates to the engineering profession
- Be prepared and/or delivered by instructors who are professionals and have specialized training, education or experience that allows them to be considered subject matter experts
- Have clearly established goals and objectives
- Provide a certificate of completion that shows you attended or mastered the subject
Ways in which you can achieve these criteria for continuing education courses include:
Online Courses
You are allowed to take online courses to fulfill the continuing education requirements for Wisconsin engineers. You are limited to 17 PDH of online courses each renewal period.
Live Webinars
You are encouraged to participate in training that is offered by subject matter experts. The Board believes that you will learn more by having discussions with instructors and other participants. Again, you are required to earn at least 13 PDH credits through live webinars.
Continuing Education Courses That Meet Wisconsin’s Requirements
When it comes to courses that have been developed specifically for Wisconsin engineers, PDH-Pro offers a wide range of online classes and webinars to help you obtain the continuing education credits needed to renew your license.
Pre-Approved Course Providers
The Board does not pre-approve and does not require continuing education providers or courses to be pre-approved. You are responsible for determining if the course you take will fulfill the continuing education requirements for Wisconsin engineers. Before signing up for a course, it’s recommended that you ensure the course has clearly stated learning objectives, was prepared by a subject matter expert, and was prepared in a way that ensures learning the material will be easy and effective.
