The North Carolina Board of Examiners of Engineers and Surveyors (NCBELS) regulates the practice of engineering and sets standards for continuing education. North Carolina engineers must earn 15 professional development credit hours each year. A maximum of 15 hours can be carried over to the next renewal period. Ethics courses are accepted but not required. North Carolina pre-approves course providers. PDH-Pro is North Carolina approvedCPC Sponsor(S-0695). The renewal of the license is mandatory annually, on December 31st.
Listed below are the North Carolina Professional Engineer (PE) license renewal requirements.
| Number of hours of PDH required | 15 PDH | |
| renewal period | Annually, until December 31. | |
| Supplier approval | Course providers are pre-approved by the Board. PDH-Pro is a North Carolina Approved Approved Sponsor #S-0695. | |
| Approval of course content | Although the Council does not have specific acceptance rules, its website states that one or more of the following criteria must be used to determine acceptable material:
| |
| PDH maximum hours to transit | 15 PDH | |
| Online courses | Unlimited online courses. | |
| state council website | www.ncbels.org/cpc.html |
We have prepared a comprehensive review of North Carolina's continuing education requirements (read the article).
Detailed Review of Engineering Continuing Education Requirements for North Carolina
If you are a professional engineer in North Carolina preparing to renew your license, you may be wondering what the continuing education requirements are.
When it comes to the continuing education requirements for professional engineers in North Carolina, you must take 15 hours of continuing education courses and activities (also known as Continuing Professional Competency) each year.
All engineering licenses expire on December 31 of each year. There are no required courses you need to take and you can take up to 15 professional development hours (PDH) in your next renewal cycle.
When it comes to completing your PDH credits, you can do so by taking classes online or by attending webinars or live seminars.
North Carolina PDH Credits
Engineering licensing in North Carolina is regulated by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCBELS).
You must complete at least 15 PDH credits each year. When it comes to continuing education requirements for North Carolina professional engineers, NCBELS does not require specific course completion and does not pre-approve courses. However, the NCBELS Board must approve sponsors and providers.
After you complete a continuing education course, the provider or sponsor must provide you with an evaluation form, certificate of completion, or attendance record for each class you take. It is recommended that you keep this documentation for at least 3 years. Some of the other information you will need after completing a course includes:
- the subject of the course
- Course Title
- Data
- Course duration
- presenter name
- Number of credit hours earned
License renewal dates
Since all engineering licenses expire on December 31 in North Carolina, the license renewal date is December 1 of each year. It is your responsibility to keep a record of the courses you have completed and proof of attendance for 3 years.
Ethics and Professional Conduct in Engineering
When it comes to continuing education requirements for professional engineers in North Carolina, NCBELS does not require you to take any courses related to state law or standards, engineering ethics, or professional conduct as part of your 15 PDH credits. . However, you may choose to take continuing education courses covering these topics and this will count toward your license renewal, but the Board does not require them.
Record-Keeping Requirements for Engineers
Professional engineers in North Carolina are required to keep records and records of the courses they take to fulfill their 15 annual PDH credits. You will need to keep an accurate record of the specific courses you have taken, the dates the courses were taken, the name of the course presenter, where the course or activity was held, who sponsored the course/activity, proof that you attended the course and took any tests, and whether you received a certificate of completion.
You will need to keep attendance tracking for 3 years. The Board may conduct an audit and will need to show that it has met the requirements.Continuing Education Requirements for North Carolina Professionalsengineers
Board-accepted continuing education activities
Although NCBELS does not pre-approve continuing education courses or activities, there are certain criteria that must be met to be accepted for license renewal. These include the following:
- It is possible to complete the 15 PDH credits by taking online courses
- Live webinars must provide engineering-specific information
- Self-paced courses should be based on your knowledge and experience.
- Courses/activities must be taught by approved sponsors
- You must be able to demonstrate that the course/activity has enhanced, maintained, or expanded your engineering knowledge or ability to perform your job or that the course/activity has enhanced your ability to provide engineering services that can better serve and protect the safety of the public, health and well-being
- The course should be designed for engineers and technicians in nature.
- You can take courses used for professional engineering practices.
unacceptable activities of PDH
Courses or activities that will not be accepted by the Board include the following:
- College courses not specifically designed for engineers
- Training programs offered by a company that focus on company policy or procedures
- On-the-job training or refresher courses
- Any activities you have already completed for PDH credit during the current renewal period
- Non-technical topics that you can use for self-improvement, financial gain, or finding another job.
- General first aid or safety courses
- Participation in congresses or fairs
- Memberships in professional societies or clubs
Pre-approval of continuing education activities
The Board does not pre-approve continuing education courses you take for your PDH credits, but it does approve the providers or sponsors of the course or activity. If you are looking for an online site with a variety of courses to help you with your license renewal, PDH-Pro has been pre-approved as a sponsor by the North Carolina CPC (S-0695).
Sources of Free Continuing Education Courses
If you are looking for free courses to fulfill your North Carolina professional engineering continuing education requirements, there are several organizations that provide them. If you are part of a professional society such as ASME, ASCE, AIA, or NSPE, they may offer free courses as a benefit of membership.
North Carolina Engineering Licensing
Becoming a licensed professional engineer in North Carolina requires you to complete a four-step process. These include the following:
Paso 1:Earn an engineering degree from a university, college, or other educational institution that has been accredited by the Engineering and Technology Accreditation Council.
Paso 2:Achieve a passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam
Stage 3:Spend 4 years working as an engineer.
Stage 4:After accumulating the necessary engineering work experience, you must pass the National Board of Engineering Examiners and Professional Surveying Engineering exam. NCBELS must certify your engineering experience before you can take this exam.
Engineering discipline restrictions
When it comes to the continuing education courses you take to renew your license, the Board requires that they be offered by approved sponsors and that the courses enhance, maintain, and expand your professional engineering knowledge. They want to make sure that the skills and information you gain enable you to protect and improve the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
Improvement in Engineering and Engineering
NCBELS has guidelines to ensure that all engineers are properly trained so that they can obtain their professional licenses and provide engineering services of the highest quality. The goal is to ensure that the work of every professional engineer creates products, services, infrastructure, and buildings that contribute to public safety. These guidelines also apply to North Carolina's continuing education requirements for professional engineers and the required 15 PDH credits each year.