Arkansas Land Surveyor CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 30 Hours Every 2 Years

Requirements Overview

The Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors requires every professional surveyor to report a minimum of 30 PDH for each biennial renewal period (Board Rules Article 19.C.1). Licenses expire every two years, on December 31 of the odd or even year matching the license number.

One subject is mandatory for surveyors: at least 2 PDH must cover Arkansas Standards of Practice No. 1 for Property Boundary Surveys and Plats every renewal period (Article 19.C.2). This is a surveyor-specific carve-out that professional engineers do not have, and it counts within — not on top of — the 30-PDH total.

Excess hours help: up to 30 PDH may be carried forward into the next renewal period. Surveyors who also hold a PE license (dual licensees) face a higher bar — 40 PDH per renewal, with at least 10 earned in each profession and the other 20 in either. Keep PDH records for three years in case of audit.

Mandatory Topics

Exemptions

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  New Licensees — Licensees are exempt from the continuing education requirement during their first renewal period.
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  Active Military Service — Licensees serving on active military duty may be exempt.
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  Disability Or Serious Illness — Licensees prevented from meeting the requirement by disability or serious illness may be exempt with documentation.
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  Inactive Status — Licensees on inactive status are exempt while not practicing.
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  Senior Licensees — Licensees age 60 or older with 20 or more years of licensure may qualify for an exemption.

How You Can Complete Your CE

Arkansas CE Rules & Limits

Details specific to Arkansas that generic CE guides tend to miss:

• Carry-over — Up to 30 excess PDH may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period. (Dual licensees may carry up to 40 PDH, with no more than 30 in either profession.)
• The 30 PDH are due each biennial renewal period, including at least 2 PDH on Arkansas Standards of Practice No. 1 for Property Boundary Surveys and Plats — a subject requirement that applies to surveyors but not to engineers.
• Dual licensees (professional engineer and professional surveyor) must report a minimum of 40 PDH per renewal, with at least 10 PDH earned in each profession and the remaining 20 in either profession.
• Up to 30 excess PDH may be carried forward into the next renewal period (up to 40 for dual licensees, capped at 30 in either profession).
• PDH records must be retained for three years and produced if the board audits the licensee.

Tips for Arkansas PLSs

• Lock in the 2 PDH on Arkansas Standards of Practice No. 1 (Property Boundary Surveys and Plats) early each cycle — it is required of surveyors specifically and is easy to overlook among general technical hours.
• If you hold both a PE and PS license, plan for 40 PDH, not 30: at least 10 must be in engineering and 10 in surveying, with the remaining 20 in either.
• You can carry up to 30 excess PDH into the next renewal period (40 for dual licensees, capped at 30 per profession), so a heavy course year is not wasted.
• Confirm your renewal year from your license number: odd-numbered licenses renew in odd years, even-numbered in even years, both by December 31.
• Keep completion records for at least three years — the board audits licensees and can request proof of every reported PDH.

Sources

PLS Requirements in Nearby States

Other Professions in Arkansas

All Land Surveyor CE Requirements by State

Open any other state's Land Surveyor CE (PDH) requirements, or see the full Land Surveyor CE hub to compare every state in one table.