1. (a) Each license holder shall meet the Continuing Education Program (CEP) requirements for professional development as a condition for license renewal.

2. (b) Terms used in this section are defined as follows:

   1. (1) Professional Development Hour (PDH)--A contact hour (clock hour) of CEP activity. PDH is the basic unit for CEP reporting.
   2. (2) Continuing Education Unit (CEU)--Unit of credit customarily used for continuing education courses. One continuing education unit equals 10 hours of class in an approved continuing education course.
   3. (3) College/Unit Semester/Quarter Hour--Credit for course in ABET-approved program or other related college course.
   4. (4) Course/Activity--Any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the license holder's field of practice.
   5. (5) Self-directed study--Time spent engaging in professional development that is not otherwise identified in this rule. (Examples include, but are not limited to: reading/reviewing trade magazines, books or the Texas Engineering Practice Act and Board Rules; watching tutorials; and viewing other online content.)
3. (c) Every license holder is required to obtain 30 PDH units during the renewal period.
4. (d) A minimum of 2 PDH units per renewal period must be in the area of professional ethics, roles and responsibilities of professional engineering, or review of the Texas Engineering Practice Act and Board Rules.
5. (e) A license holder may not carry forward PDH units into the subsequent renewal period.

6. (f) PDH units may be earned as follows:

   1. (1) Successful completion or auditing of college credit courses.
   2. (2) Successful completion of continuing education courses, either offered by a professional or trade organization, university or college, or offered in-house by a corporation, other business entity, professional or technical societies, associations, agencies, or organizations, or other group.
   3. (3) Successful completion of correspondence, online, televised, videotaped, and other short courses/tutorials.
   4. (4) Attendance of seminars, in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences sponsored by a corporation, other business entity, professional or technical societies, associations, agencies, or organizations, or other group.
   5. (5) Teaching, presenting, or instructing any of the activities listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection.
   6. (6) Authoring published papers, articles, books, or accepted licensing examination items.

   7. (7) Active participation in the leadership or committee activities of professional or technical societies, associations, agencies, or organizations that involve the engineering profession, through:

      1. (A) Serving as an elected or appointed official;
      2. (B) Serving on a committee of the organization;
      3. (C) Serving in other official positions.
   8. (8) U.S. patents issued.
   9. (9) Engaging in self-directed study.
   10. (10) Active participation in formal, organized educational outreach activities in coordination with a school or organization, including activities that build awareness or skills regarding engineering, that involve K-12 or higher education students.
   11. (11) A passing score on the NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering examination in accordance with §133.71 of this title (relating to Examination For Record Purposes).
7. (g) To receive PDH units, all activities described in subsection (f) of this section must be relevant to the practice of engineering and may include educational, technical, ethical, or managerial content.

8. (h) The conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:

   1. (1) 1 College or unit semester hour--15 PDH.
   2. (2) 1 College or unit quarter hour--10 PDH.
   3. (3) 1 Continuing Education Unit--10 PDH.
   4. (4) 1 Hour of professional development in course work, seminars, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences--1 PDH.
   5. (5) 1 Hour of professional development through self-directed study--1 PDH (Not to exceed 10 PDH per renewal period).
   6. (6) Each published paper, article, or book on a topic related to the practice of engineering --10 PDH.
   7. (7) Active participation in the leadership or committee activities of a professional or technical society, association, agency, or organization that involves the engineering profession--1 PDH (Not to exceed 5 PDH per organization per calendar year and a maximum of 10 PDH per renewal period).
   8. (8) Active participation in formal, organized educational outreach activities--1 PDH (Not to exceed 6 PDH per renewal period).
   9. (9) Each U.S. patent issued--15 PDH.
   10. (10) Other activities shall be credited at 1 PDH for each hour of participation in the activity.
   11. (11) A passing score on the NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering examination in accordance with §133.71 of this title -- 14 PDH.

9. (i) Determination of Credit.

   1. (1) The board shall be the final authority with respect to whether a course or activity meets the requirements of these rules.
   2. (2) The board shall not pre-approve or endorse any CEP activities. It is the responsibility of each license holder to assure that all PDH credits claimed meet CEP requirements.
   3. (3) Credit for college or community college approved courses will be based upon course credit established by the college.
   4. (4) Credit for seminars and workshops will be based on one PDH unit for each hour of attendance. Attendance at programs presented at professional and/or technical society meetings will earn PDH units for the actual time of each program.
   5. (5) Credit for self-directed study will be based on one PDH unit for each hour of study and is not to exceed 10 PDH per renewal period. Credit determination for self-directed study is the responsibility of the license holder and subject to review as required by the board.
   6. (6) Credit determination for activities described in subsection (h)(4) of this section is the responsibility of the license holder and subject to review as required by the board.
   7. (7) Credit for activity described in subsection (h)(7) of this section requires that a license holder serve as an officer of the organization, actively participate in a committee of the organization, or serve in other official positions. 1 PDH credit is earned for each hour of active participation.
   8. (8) Credit for teaching, instructing, or presenting each unique course or seminar may only be earned once per renewal period.

10. (j) The license holder is responsible for maintaining records to be used to support credits claimed. Records required include, but are not limited to:

    1. (1) information on the type of activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's name, and PDH credits earned; and
    2. (2) documentation to verify attendance in the form of completion certificates, agendas, conference flyers or other documents supporting evidence of attendance.
11. (k) In accordance with §137.7(c) of this Chapter, relating to License Expiration and Renewal, the license holder must certify that CEP requirements have been satisfied for that renewal period. If the CEP requirements have not been met, the license holder shall wait to renew the license until such time that they have been met or the license holder shall change the license to inactive status in accordance with §137.13, relating to Inactive Status.
12. (l) CEP records for each license holder must be maintained for a period of four years by the license holder.

13. (m) CEP records for each license holder are subject to audit by the board or its authorized representative.

    1. (1) Copies must be furnished, if requested, to the board or its authorized representative for audit verification purposes.
    2. (2) If upon auditing a license holder, the board finds that the activities cited do not fall within the bounds of educational, technical, ethical, or professional management activities related to the practice of engineering; the board may require the license holder to acquire additional PDH as needed to fulfill the minimum CEP requirements.

14. (n) A license holder may be exempt from the professional development educational requirements for one of the following reasons listed in paragraphs (1) - (4) of this subsection:

    1. (1) License holders shall be exempt prior to their first renewal.
    2. (2) A license holder serving on active duty and deployed outside the United States, its possessions and territories, in or for the military service of the United States for a period of time exceeding one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days in a given year of the renewal period shall be exempt from obtaining 15 hours of professional development hours during that year. A licensee may be eligible for an exemption for each year of the renewal period. If selected for a CEP audit, a license holder claiming an exemption by reason of serving on active duty and deployed outside the United States, its possessions and territories, shall submit supporting documentation to demonstrate the license holder's eligibility for this exemption.

    3. (3) License holders experiencing disability, illness, or other clearly extenuating circumstances that prevented the licensee's ability to work during a substantial period of either or both years of the renewal period may qualify for a partial or full exemption from the continuing education requirements for the renewal period.

       1. (A) If the disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances only occurred during one year of the renewal period, an exemption of up to 15 hours may be claimed. If the disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances occurred during the entire renewal period, an exemption of up to 30 hours may be claimed.
       2. (B) If selected for a CEP audit, a license holder claiming an exemption by reason of disability, illness, or other clearly extenuating circumstances shall submit supporting documentation in the form of a sworn statement by the licensee, a statement from a licensed healthcare provider, or records documenting the disability, illness, or circumstances that prevented the licensee's participation in the continuing education program during a substantial period of the renewal period.
       3. (C) If the board finds from the submitted documentation that good cause has been shown for a partial or full exemption, the board may exempt the licensee from the continuing education requirement for the renewal period in question.
    4. (4) License holders who list their status as "Inactive" and who further certify that they are not providing professional engineering services in Texas shall be exempt from the professional development hours required.
    5. (5) Documentation to support any claimed exemption must be supplied in response to a CEP audit.
15. (o) A license holder may bring an inactive license to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH units and submitting copies of CEP records demonstrating compliance to the board or its authorized representative for verification purposes. If the license has been in inactive status for one year or less, the total number units of continuing education required to return to active status is 15. If the license has been in inactive status for more than one year, then 30 units of continuing education shall be required, and hours acquired must be within the two years prior to reactivation.

16. (p) Noncompliance:

    1. (1) If a license holder does not certify that CEP requirements have been met for a renewal period, the license shall be considered expired and subject to late fees and penalties.
    2. (2) Failure to comply with CEP reporting requirements as listed in this section is a violation of board rules and shall be subject to sanctions.
    3. (3) A determination by audit that CEP requirements or exemption eligibility have been falsely reported shall be considered to be misconduct and will subject the license holder to disciplinary action.
    4. (4) If found to be noncompliant, the board may require additional audits of the license holder.

Source Note:The provisions of this §137.17 adopted to be effective May 20, 2004, 29 TexReg 4878; amended to be effective September 19, 2004, 29 TexReg 8812; amended to be effective February 24, 2005, 30 TexReg 847; amended to be effective January 1, 2006, 30 TexReg 8687; amended to be effective December 21, 2008, 33 TexReg 10174; amended to be effective September 20, 2009, 34 TexReg 6322; amended to be effective September 9, 2012, 37 TexReg 6914; amended to be effective December 11, 2016, 41 TexReg 9705; amended to be effective March 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 1440; amended to be effective July 3, 2022, 47 TexReg 3687; amended to be effective January 7, 2026, 51 TexReg 137.