Revised Continuing Professional Competency Rules

March 16, 2023

Effective as of the 2024 license renewal (license renewal opens on December 1, 2023), licensees will need at least 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) in Ethics or Rules of Professional Conduct.  The course or activity must contain content areas concerning:

• the awareness of ethical concerns and conflicts;
• an enhanced familiarity with codes of conduct;
• an understanding of standards of practice or care;
• project management and risk-assessment management; or
• other similar topics aimed at maintaining, improving, or expanding the skill sets and knowledge relevant to conducting the practice of the profession so as to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. 

In addition, Professional Land Surveyors will need to obtain 1 PDH in the Standards of Practice for Land Surveying.  The course or activity must contain content areas related to Standards of Practice for Land Surveying in Section .1600 of the Board Rules.

Additionally, a revision to Board Rule .1705(f) now allows for licensees to earn up to 2 PDHs annually for active participation in accrediting organizations in addition to professional or technical societies. This credit is limited to 2 PDHs per society or organization and it requires that a licensee serve as an officer or participate in a committee or accreditation visits. PDH credits are not earned until the end of each year of service is completed.

The Rules now also allow for credit to be earned for active participation in educational outreach activities pertaining to professional licensure or the surveying/engineering professions that involve K–12 or higher education students. Licensees are limited to claiming to 3 PDHs annually for this activity.

Compliance with the Continuing Professional Competency requirements is determined through the random CPC audit process. Licensees with questions about the requirements should contact Martha Michalowski at mmichalowski@ncbels.org.