West Virginia Architect CE Requirements (2026): 12 Hours Every Year
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Requirements Overview
The West Virginia Board of Architects requires 12 hours of continuing education every year, and all 12 must be in health, safety, and welfare (HSW) subjects. Registration renews annually, with hours accrued in the prior calendar year (January–December) counting toward the following June renewal.
West Virginia is strict about documentation: the Board only accepts transcript entries and certificates that carry the HSW designation. An otherwise-good course that is not HSW-designated will not count, so the designation — not just the subject matter — is what matters.
Compliance is checked by audit. Audits are generally run in January or February, when roughly 5% of registered architects are randomly selected and asked to submit a log of hours plus an AIA transcript or copies of certificates.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 12 | Every renewal | All 12 required hours must be in health, safety, and welfare (HSW) subjects. The Board only accepts transcript entries and certificates that carry the HSW designation, so an activity without the HSW designation does not count. There is no non-HSW allowance. |
How You Can Complete Your CE
West Virginia CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to West Virginia 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 annual hours must be health, safety, and welfare (HSW) subjects. The Board only accepts transcript entries and certificates bearing the HSW designation — an activity without the HSW designation will not count.
- Hours are earned in the prior calendar year (January–December) and applied to the June renewal. Registration renews annually.
- Audits are generally conducted in January or February; about 5% of registered architects are randomly selected and must submit a log of hours plus an AIA transcript or copies of certificates.
- AIA HSW transcripts are accepted as evidence of compliance.
Tips for West Virginia Architects
- Confirm the HSW designation on every course. West Virginia counts only HSW-designated hours, so a course that covers safety topics but lacks the formal HSW designation will not be accepted.
- All 12 hours must be HSW — there is no allowance for general (non-HSW) architecture hours, unlike many other states.
- Mind the timing: hours earned January–December of one year apply to the following June renewal. Plan your courses within the correct calendar year.
- Keep a log of hours plus your AIA transcript or certificates. Audits happen in January or February and pull about 5% of architects at random.
- An AIA HSW transcript is the simplest way to document compliance. Always verify current requirements with the West Virginia Board of Architects.
Sources
- Cross-checked against the official published rules of the West Virginia Board of Architects
- Each stated figure recorded with its exact source excerpt
- 1 source cited — 1 primary (official board)
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