Texas Architect CE Requirements (2026): 12 Hours Every Year
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Requirements Overview
The Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) requires 12 Continuing Education Program Hours (CEPH) each calendar year (January 1-December 31). Every hour must be HSW-related — pertinent to the public's health, safety and welfare — and at least 45 minutes of every CE hour must directly address HSW topics.
Two specific subjects are mandatory within those 12 hours: at least 1 hour of sustainable / energy-efficient design and at least 1 hour of barrier-free (accessibility) design. On format, at least 8 of the 12 hours must be structured course study, and no more than 4 may be self-directed.
Note the timing quirk: your license renews biennially on a rolling birth-month schedule with an annual fee, but the CE obligation is measured per calendar year. Keep supporting documentation for five years after the year the credit is claimed. Verify current details with TBAE before relying on any course.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable / energy-efficient design | 1 | Every renewal | At least 1 of the 12 annual CEPH must be in sustainable or energy-efficient design. This hour counts within the all-HSW 12-hour total. |
| Barrier-free / accessibility design | 1 | Every renewal | At least 1 of the 12 annual CEPH must be in barrier-free (accessibility) design. This hour counts within the all-HSW 12-hour total. |
How You Can Complete Your CE
Texas CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Texas that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Annual minimum — at least 12 hours must be completed each year of the cycle, not just by the renewal deadline.
- All 12 CEPH each calendar year must be HSW-related — study of subjects pertinent to the health, safety and welfare of the public, with at least 45 minutes of every CE hour directly addressing HSW.
- Within the 12 hours, at least 1 hour must be sustainable/energy-efficient design and at least 1 hour must be barrier-free (accessibility) design.
- At least 8 of the 12 hours must be structured course study; no more than 4 may be self-directed study.
- The license renews biennially on a rolling birth-month schedule with an annual fee, but the CE obligation is measured per calendar year. Keep supporting documentation for 5 years after the year credit is claimed.
Tips for Texas Architects
- Meet all 12 hours every calendar year — the obligation is annual even though your license renewal is birth-month based and biennial.
- Lock in the two mandatory topics first: 1 hour of sustainable/energy-efficient design and 1 hour of barrier-free/accessibility design.
- Keep self-directed study to 4 hours or fewer; at least 8 of your 12 hours must be structured course study.
- Remember every hour must be HSW-related, with at least 45 minutes of each CE hour directly on HSW topics — general practice-management courses generally will not qualify.
- Retain your certificates for five years after the calendar year you claim them, in case TBAE audits your record.
Sources
- Cross-checked against the official published rules of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners
- Each stated figure recorded with its exact source excerpt
- 1 source cited — 1 primary (official board)
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