PE PDH Requirements by State (2026) | TheCalcDesk
50-state PE PDH comparison: hours required, cycle length, ethics mandates, and analysis of states above or below the 30-PDH standard. Official data, 2026.
30 PDH Is the Standard — But 9 States Differ
Of 51 jurisdictions, 36 require exactly 30 PDH per biennial renewal cycle — reflecting widespread adoption of NCEES model law recommendations. But 15 states diverge from the 30-PDH standard: 13 require fewer, and 2 require more. The range is 15 PDH (Alabama) to 36 PDH (California).
States Requiring More Than 30 PDH
Only 2 jurisdictions require more than 30 PDH per cycle:
- California: 36 PDH — California PEs must complete 36 PDH per two-year renewal. At least 1 hour must be in ethics.
- New York: 36 PDH — New York PEs must complete 36 PDH per three-year renewal cycle.
California's 36-PDH requirement is the highest in the dataset and includes a mandatory 1-hour ethics PDH. New York's data notes a 3-year renewal cycle, which would make 36 PDH over 3 years equivalent to 24 PDH/year — slightly below the 15 PDH/year implied by the standard 30-PDH/2-year model. Engineers licensed in New York should verify the exact cycle and CE requirements at the New York State Education Department website.
Biennial PDH Requirements — Select States
States With Below-30 PDH Requirements
13 states require fewer than 30 PDH per biennial cycle:
- Alabama: 15 PDH — Alabama Professional Engineers must complete 15 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Louisiana: 15 PDH — Louisiana Professional Engineers must complete 15 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- North Carolina: 15 PDH — North Carolina PEs must complete 15 PDH per year.
- Texas: 15 PDH — Texas requires 15 PDH per two-year renewal cycle. One PDH must be in professional ethics.
- Virginia: 16 PDH — Virginia Professional Engineers must complete 16 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Florida: 18 PDH — Florida PEs must complete 18 PDH per two-year cycle, including 1 hour each in ethics, rules, and laws.
- Connecticut: 24 PDH — Connecticut Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Delaware: 24 PDH — Delaware Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- District of Columbia: 24 PDH — District of Columbia Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Maryland: 24 PDH — Maryland Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- New Jersey: 24 PDH — New Jersey Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Pennsylvania: 24 PDH — Pennsylvania Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
- Utah: 24 PDH — Utah Professional Engineers must complete 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per two-year renewal cycle.
Ethics PDH: Which States Mandate It
Several states explicitly require ethics PDH within the total requirement. From our database:
- California: 1 PDH in ethics required
- Florida: 1 PDH in laws/rules AND 1 PDH in ethics required within 18 PDH
- Texas: 1 PDH in professional ethics required within 15 PDH
Many other states strongly encourage ethics PDH without a hard mandate. NSPE recommends 1 PDH of ethics per cycle for all PEs, and NCEES model rules incorporate ethics into the PDH framework. Most PDH providers offer 1-hour ethics courses for $15–$40.
Complete 50-State PDH Reference Table
All data sourced from our licensing database. Always verify with your specific state board before renewing — requirements change more frequently than most PEs expect. Use the PE Renewal Calculator for an interactive view with board links.
| State | PDH Required | Cycle | Renewal Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL Alabama | 15 | 2 years | $75 | $150 |
| AK Alaska | 30 | 2 years | $110 | $220 |
| AZ Arizona | 30 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| AR Arkansas | 30 | 2 years | $50 | $100 |
| CA California | 36 | 2 years | $180 | $360 |
| CO Colorado | 30 | 2 years | $70 | $140 |
| CT Connecticut | 24 | 2 years | $105 | $210 |
| DE Delaware | 24 | 2 years | $95 | $190 |
| DC District of Columbia | 24 | 2 years | $200 | $400 |
| FL Florida | 18 | 2 years | $125 | $250 |
| GA Georgia | 30 | 2 years | $80 | $160 |
| HI Hawaii | 30 | 2 years | $115 | $230 |
| ID Idaho | 30 | 2 years | $55 | $110 |
| IL Illinois | 30 | 2 years | $80 | $160 |
| IN Indiana | 30 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| IA Iowa | 30 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| KS Kansas | 30 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| KY Kentucky | 30 | 2 years | $50 | $100 |
| LA Louisiana | 15 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| ME Maine | 30 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| MD Maryland | 24 | 2 years | $95 | $190 |
| MA Massachusetts | 30 | 2 years | $165 | $330 |
| MI Michigan | 30 | 2 years | $80 | $160 |
| MN Minnesota | 30 | 2 years | $90 | $180 |
| MS Mississippi | 30 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| MO Missouri | 30 | 2 years | $80 | $160 |
| MT Montana | 30 | 2 years | $55 | $110 |
| NE Nebraska | 30 | 2 years | $60 | $120 |
| NV Nevada | 30 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| NH New Hampshire | 30 | 2 years | $90 | $180 |
| NJ New Jersey | 24 | 2 years | $120 | $240 |
| NM New Mexico | 30 | 2 years | $65 | $130 |
| NY New York | 36 | 2 years | $133 | $266 |
| NC North Carolina | 15 | 2 years | $65 | $130 |
| ND North Dakota | 30 | 2 years | $55 | $110 |
| OH Ohio | 30 | 2 years | $55 | $110 |
| OK Oklahoma | 30 | 2 years | $75 | $150 |
| OR Oregon | 30 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| PA Pennsylvania | 24 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| RI Rhode Island | 30 | 2 years | $120 | $240 |
| SC South Carolina | 30 | 2 years | $75 | $150 |
| SD South Dakota | 30 | 2 years | $50 | $100 |
| TN Tennessee | 30 | 2 years | $50 | $100 |
| TX Texas | 15 | 2 years | $70 | $140 |
| UT Utah | 24 | 2 years | $50 | $100 |
| VT Vermont | 30 | 2 years | $100 | $200 |
| VA Virginia | 16 | 2 years | $95 | $190 |
| WA Washington | 30 | 2 years | $126 | $252 |
| WV West Virginia | 30 | 2 years | $55 | $110 |
| WI Wisconsin | 30 | 2 years | $75 | $150 |
| WY Wyoming | 30 | 1 year | $50 | $100 |
| Average / Median | ~29 PDH | Mostly 2 years | $86 | ~$150 |
Color coding: amber = above 30 PDH, green = below 30 PDH, black = exactly 30 PDH. Data as of 2026. Verify with your state board.
PDH Cost Estimation
Beyond the renewal fee itself (average $86/year), the cost of completing 30 PDH depends heavily on your source:
| PDH Source | Typical Cost/PDH | 30 PDH Total |
|---|---|---|
| Online self-study (PDHengineer, PDH Academy) | $5–$12 | $150–$360 |
| Webinars (ASCE, NSPE, ASME) | $20–$50 | $600–$1,500 |
| In-person technical conferences | $50–$150 | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Academic courses (university) | $200–$600/credit | Varies |
| Teaching/presentations | Free (earn PDH for prep time) | Free |
Total biennial cost including renewal fee and PDH: typically $250–$600 for online-focused engineers, or $700–$2,000+ for those attending conferences. Employers in engineering firms commonly reimburse PDH expenses as professional development.
Use our PE Renewal Calculator to calculate your exact renewal cost and deadline based on your state and last renewal date.