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

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

   1. (1) Professional Development Hour (PDH)--A contact hour (clock hour) of CE activity. PDH is the basic unit for CE 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 or registration 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, the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act, and Board rules; watching tutorials; and viewing other online content.)
3. (c) Every license or registration holder is required to obtain 24 PDH units during the renewal period.
4. (d) A minimum of 4 PDH units per renewal period must be in the area of professional ethics, roles and responsibilities of professional surveying, case law impacting professional surveying in Texas, or review of the Acts and Board Rules.
5. (e) A license or registration 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 groups.
   3. (3) Successful completion of correspondence, on-line, televised, videotaped, and other short courses/tutorials.
   4. (4) Attendence 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 groups.
   5. (5) Teaching, presenting, or instructing as listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection.
   6. (6) Authoring published papers, articles, books, or accepted licensing or registration examination items.

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

      1. (A) Serving as an elected or appointed official;
      2. (B) Serving on a committee of the organization; or
      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 surveying that involve K-12 or higher education students.
7. (g) All activities described in subsection (f) of this section shall be relevant to the practice of professional land surveying 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 8 PDH per renewal period).
   6. (6) Each published paper, article, or book on a topic related to the practice of professional surveying--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 surveying 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.

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 CE activities. It is the responsibility of each license or registration holder to assure that all PDH credits claimed meet CE 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 8 PDH per renewal period. Credit determination for self-directed study is the responsibility of the license or registration 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 or registration 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 or registration 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 or registration 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 §138.7(c) of this chapter (relating to License or Registration Expiration or Renewal), the license or registration holder must certify that CE requirements have been satisfied for that renewal period. If the CEP requirements have not been met, the registration holder shall wait to renew the registration until such time that they have been met or the registration holder shall change the registration to inactive status in accordance with Section 138.13 of this Chapter, relating to Inactive Status.
12. (l) CE records for each license or registration holder must be maintained for a period of four years by the license holder.

13. (m) CE records for each license or registration 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 or registration 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 surveying; the board may require the license or registration holder to acquire additional PDH as needed to fulfill the minimum CE requirements.

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

    1. (1) License or registration holders shall be exempt prior to their first renewal.
    2. (2) A license or registration 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 registration holder may be eligible for an exemption each year of the renewal period. If selected for a CEP audit, a registration 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 registration holder's eligibility for this exemption.

    3. (3) License or registration holders experiencing disability, illness, or other clearly extenuating circumstances that prevented the license or registration holder's ability to work during a substantial period of either or both years of the renewal period may qualify for a partial of 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 12 hours may be claimed. If the disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances occurred during the entire renewal period, an exemption of up to 24 hours may be claimed.
       2. (B) If selected for a CEP audit, a license or registration 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 license or registration holder, a statement from a licensed healthcare provider, or records documenting the physical disability, illness, or circumstances that prevented the license or registration holder'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 license or registration holder from the continuing education requirement for the renewal period in question.
    4. (4) License or registration holders who list their status as "Inactive" and who further certify that they are not providing professional surveying services in Texas shall be exempt from the continuing education hours required.
    5. (5) Documentation to support any claimed exemption must be supplied in response to a CEP audit.
15. (o) A license or registration holder may bring an inactive license to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH units and submitting copies of CE records demonstrating compliance to the board or its authorized representative for verification purposes. If the license or registration holder has been in inactive status for one year or less, the total number of units of continuing education required to return to active status is 12. If the license or registration holder has been in inactive status for more than one year, then 24 units of continuing education shall be required to return to active status, and the hours acquired must be within the two years prior to reactivation.

16. (p) Noncompliance:

    1. (1) If a license or registration holder does not certify that CE requirements have been met for a renewal period, the license or registration shall be considered expired and subject to late fees and penalties.
    2. (2) Failure to comply with CE 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 CE requirements or exemption eligibility have been falsely reported shall be considered to be misconduct and will subject the license or registration holder to disciplinary action.
    4. (4) If found to be noncompliant, the board may require additional audits of the license or registration holder.

Source Note:The provisions of this §138.17 adopted to be effective December 24, 2020, 45 TexReg 9206; amended to be effective July 3, 2022, 47 TexReg 3688; amended to be effective January 7, 2026, 50 TexReg 138.