1. (a) Each Architect shall complete a minimum of eight (8) continuing education program hours (CEPH) for each annual registration period. One CEPH equals a minimum of fifty (50) minutes of actual course time. No credit shall be awarded for introductory remarks, meals, breaks, or business/administration matters related to courses of study.

   1. (1) Architects shall complete a minimum of five (5) CEPH in structured course study. Structured course study shall consist of participation in educational activities presented by individuals or groups qualified by professional, practical, or academic experience to conduct courses of study, including monographs offered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. No credit shall be awarded for the same structured course for which the Architect has claimed credit during the preceding three (3) years except for the Texas Accessibility Academy or another similar course offered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
   2. (2) Architects may complete a maximum of three (3) CEPH in self-directed study. One (1) CEPH equals one (1) hour of self-directed study. Self-directed study must utilize articles, monographs, or other study materials that the Architect has not previously utilized for self-directed study.
2. (b) Topics for the eight (8) CEPH shall satisfy the following requirements: All CEPH shall include the study of relevant technical and professional architectural subjects pertinent to the health, safety and welfare of the public. The study of topics related to barrier-free design must be used to satisfy the requirements for at least one (1) of the eight (8) CEPH. The study of topics related to Sustainable or Energy-Efficient design must be used to satisfy the requirements for at least one (1) of the eight (8) CEPH.

3. (c) The Board has final authority to determine whether to award or deny credit claimed by an Architect for continuing education activities. The following types of activities may qualify to fulfill continuing education program requirements:

   1. (1) Attendance at courses or seminars dealing with technical architectural subjects sponsored by colleges or universities;
   2. (2) Attendance at technical presentations or workshops on architectural subjects which are held in conjunction with conventions or seminars and are related to materials use and function;
   3. (3) Attendance at courses or seminars related to ethical business practices or new technology and offered by colleges, universities, professional organizations, or system suppliers;

   4. (4) Teaching architectural courses or seminars and time spent in preparation for such teaching:

      1. (A) a maximum of three (3) CEPH may be claimed per class hour spent teaching architectural courses or seminars;
      2. (B) an Architect may not claim credit for teaching the same course or seminar more than once; and
      3. (C) College or university faculty may not claim credit for teaching.
   5. (5) Hours spent in professional service to the general public which draws upon the Architect's professional expertise, such as serving on planning commissions, building code advisory boards, urban renewal boards, or code study committees;
   6. (6) Hours spent in architectural research which is published or formally presented to the profession or public during the annual registration period;
   7. (7) Hours spent in architectural self-directed study programs such as those organized, sponsored, or approved by the American Institute of Architects, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, or similar organizations acceptable to the Board.
   8. (8) College or university credit courses dealing with architectural subjects or ethical business practices; each semester credit hour shall equal one (1) CEPH; each quarter credit hour shall equal one (1) CEPH;
   9. (9) One (1) CEPH may be claimed for attendance at one (1) full-day session of a meeting of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners; an Architect must attend the entire full-day session in order to receive credit.

4. (d) An Architect may be exempt from the continuing education requirements described in this subchapter for any of the following reasons:

   1. (1) An Architect shall be exempt for his/her initial registration period, which shall not exceed one year;
   2. (2) An inactive registrant shall be exempt for any registration period during which the registrant's registration is in inactive status, but all continuing education credits for each period of inactive registration shall be completed before the inactive registrant's registration may be returned to active status unless, in lieu of completing the outstanding continuing education requirements, the inactive registrant successfully completes all sections of the current registration examination during the five (5) years immediately preceding the return to active status;
   3. (3) An Architect who is not a full-time member of the Armed Forces shall be exempt for any registration period during which the Architect serves on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding ninety (90) consecutive days;
   4. (4) An Architect who has an active registration in another jurisdiction that has registration requirements which are substantially equivalent to Texas registration requirements and that has a mandatory continuing education program shall be exempt for any registration period during which the Architect satisfies such other jurisdiction's continuing education program requirements; or
   5. (5) An Architect who is, as of September 1, 1999, a full-time faculty member or other permanent employee of an institution of higher education, as defined in Section 61.003, Education Code, and who in such position is engaged in teaching architecture.

5. (e) When renewing his/her annual registration, each Architect shall sign the statement on the renewal form attesting to the Architect's fulfillment of the mandatory continuing education program requirements during the preceding registration period.

   1. (1) A detailed record of the Architect's continuing education activities shall be recorded annually. Each Architect shall retain proof of fulfillment of the mandatory continuing education program requirements and shall retain the annual record of continuing education activities required by this subsection for a period of five (5) years after the end of the registration period for which credit is claimed.
   2. (2) Upon written request, the Board may require an Architect to produce documentation to prove that the Architect has complied with the mandatory continuing education program requirements. The Architect shall be required to produce the documentation in the manner prescribed in the Board's written request. If acceptable documentation is not provided within thirty (30) days of request, claimed credit may be disallowed. The Architect shall have one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days after notification of disallowance of credit to substantiate the original claim or earn other CEPH credit to fulfill the minimum requirements. Such credit shall not be counted again for another registration period.
   3. (3) If an Architect is registered to practice more than one (1) of the professions regulated by the Board and the Architect completes a continuing education activity that is directly related to more than one (1) of the professions regulated by the Board, the Architect may submit that activity for credit for all of the professions to which it directly relates. The Architect must maintain a separate detailed record of continuing education activities for each profession.
   4. (4) An Architect may receive credit for up to sixteen (16) CEPH earned during any single registration period. Any CEPH that is not used to satisfy the continuing education requirements for the current registration period may be carried forward to satisfy the continuing education requirements for the next registration period. CEPH may not be carried forward beyond the registration period immediately following the registration period during which the CEPH was earned.
6. (f) Failure to fulfill the annual continuing education program requirements may result in disciplinary action by the Board.
7. (g) Any Architect who is found to have reported false information regarding the Architect's continuing education activities may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board.

Source Note:The provisions of this §1.69 adopted to be effective October 10, 2001, 26 TexReg 7840; amended to be effective April 3, 2008, 33 TexReg 2690.