Continuing Education Requirements for FL PEs

The Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) regulates the practice of engineering and establishes continuing education standards. Florida engineers must earn 18 professional development hour credits every 2 years (biennially). At least 1 PDH must be in the category of ethics and 1 PDH must be the Florida Laws and Rules course. Florida pre-approve course providers and the ethics and Laws and Rules courses. License renewal for all engineers is February 28th of odd numbered years.

Listed below are the Florida professional engineer (PE) license renewal requirements.

We prepared a detailed summary and review of the Florida continuing education requirements (read the article).

Engineering Continuing Education Requirements for Florida

To remain in good standing as a professional engineer in Florida, you will have to earn continuing education credits to renew your license. To fulfill these obligations, you might ask: What are the continuing education requirements?

When it comes to the continuing education requirements for Florida engineers, you must complete 18 professional development hours (PDH) every 2 years. You are not allowed to carry over any credits from one renewal period to the next. You are expected to earn at least one PDH from a course that focuses on Florida professional engineering laws and rules and one PDH in ethics. You are also required to earn four PDH credits from a course that is in your field of engineering.

The rest of your PDH credits can be earned from courses that focus on any topic that is relevant to engineering. All engineering licenses are renewed on February 28 of odd-numbered years.

Florida Engineering PDH Credits

Engineering in Florida is regulated by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE), and they pre-approve the providers that deliver continuing education courses and activities.

You are not expected to submit your certificates of completion when you renew your engineering license, but you must keep those documents on file for at least 4 years. You have the ability to renew your license online at myfloridalicense.com.

As a reminder, the continuing education requirements for Florida engineers are:

• One PDH credit must be earned in ethics
• One PDH credit must be earned in Florida professional engineering rules and laws
• Four PDH credits can be in any topic that is related to your field of engineering

Florida PE License Renewal Dates

All engineering licenses are renewed on February 28th of odd-numbered years. You have to obtain 18 PDH continuing education credits that are offered by pre-approved providers every 2 years. While you are not expected to provide your certificates of completion during the license renewal process, you need to keep these on file for at least 4 years. It’s also a good idea to keep your attendance logs, receipts and any other documentation that proves you earned the continuing educations credits you have claimed. The FBPE will randomly conduct audits, and they will ask for this information.

Florida Engineering Ethics and Professional Conduct

To fulfill your 18 PDH credits, the FBPE requires that you earn one PDH credit in ethics, one PDH credit in Florida rules and laws as they apply to engineering, and four PDH credits in courses that are relevant to your field of engineering. The remaining continuing education requirements for Florida engineers can be earned in any topic that focuses on or is relevant to engineering. If you so choose, you can earn all of your PDH credits from online courses.

Florida Engineer Record Keeping Requirements

You are mandated to keep proof of your PDH credits on file for a minimum of 4 years. Documents that you might need include certificates of completion, attendance logs, receipts and other documents that prove you earned your continuing education credits. If you are audited by the FBPE, you must provide these documents.

Continuing Education Activities Accepted by the FBPE

In order to fulfill your continuing education requirements for Florida engineers, any course or activity you take must be sponsored and/or presented by a pre-approved provider. Some of the ways you can earn your continuing education credits are the following:

• Attend or present at conventions, conferences, workshops that are professional or technical in nature, in-house courses, non-classroom courses, seminars, online courses, live webinars or self-study courses
• Serve as an officer of a technical or professional engineering society that is recognized by the FBPE to earn up to four PDH credits
• Serve as an elected local or state official or as a member of the Florida legislature to earn PDH credits for the engineering rules, laws and ethics in Florida requirements
• Complete courses or activities that have a clear purpose, objective and necessary content to maintain, expand or improve your engineering skills and knowledge
• Complete courses on technical, managerial or ethical content that applies and is relevant to engineering practices

Courses and Activities Not Approved by the FBPE

There is a wide range of courses and activities you can take to fulfill the continuing education requirements for Florida engineers, but some of the courses and activities that are not approved by the FBPE including the following:

• Attending trade shows or equipment demonstrations
• Self-improvement courses that focus on estate, financial or personal planning
• Any course or activity that is beneath your level of skill, knowledge and/or responsibility

Pre-Approval of Continuing Education Activities

The FBPE pre-approves all sponsors and providers of continuing educations courses and activities. To have your credits count toward your license renewal, you can only attend courses or activities offered by one of these pre-approved entities.

Sources of Free Engineering Continuing Education Courses

If you are looking for free continuing education courses to fulfill the continuing education requirements for Florida engineers, you may be able to find these online.

Florida Engineering Licensing

If you want to become a licensed professional engineer in Florida, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age
• Have a U.S. Social Security number
• Earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering or engineering technology from an undergraduate program that has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission/Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET)If you earn your degree from a foreign university or a school that is not accredited by the EAC/ABET, the FBPE will have to review your education to see if it is equivalent to that offered by EAC/ABET-accredited programs.
• Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles & Practice of Engineering (PE) exams administered by the NCEES
• Work under a licensed engineering professional for 48 to 72 months
• Demonstrate a progressive increase in quality and ability to handle more responsibility
• Submit references from three professional engineers
• Apply for an engineering license in the State of Florida

Engineering Discipline Restrictions

The course or activity you take to fulfill your continuing education requirements for Florida engineers must have providers and sponsors that have been pre-approved by the FBPE. It’s your responsibility to ensure that the course or activity is professional or technical in nature and improves or enhances your skills and knowledge in engineering.

Renewing Your Florida Professional Engineering License

The FBPE has created guidelines and a license renewal process that ensures the PDH credits you earn are what you need to renew your engineering license. The hope is that by attending continuing education courses and activities, yo