Minnesota Land Surveyor CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 24 Hours Every 2 Years

Requirements Overview

The Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID) licenses land surveyors, and continuing education is written directly into Minnesota Statutes 326.107. Licensed land surveyors must earn a minimum of 24 professional development hours (PDH) per biennial renewal, of which at least 2 hours must be professional ethics.

The 24 hours must be completed during the two-year period before renewal. Ethics hours are special: they must be earned within the biennium to which they apply and cannot be counted toward carryover. Excess general hours can roll forward — the Board permits up to 12 PDH to be carried into the next renewal period.

If you hold two Minnesota licenses (for example, both surveyor and engineer), you meet the larger of the two requirements and must earn at least one-third of the total in each profession. Keep your records for four years; the Board may audit.

Mandatory Topics

Exemptions

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  Serious Illness, Injury, Or Extenuating Circumstances — A licensee who during the biennial renewal experiences a serious illness, injury, or other extenuating circumstances that restrict compliance may be exempted, as reviewed and approved by the board and supported by documentation.
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  Extended Active Military Duty — A licensee called to active duty in the military services for a period exceeding 120 consecutive days that restricts compliance may be exempted, as reviewed and approved by the board and supported by documentation.

How You Can Complete Your CE

Minnesota CE Rules & Limits

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

• Carry-over — Carryover of excess professional development hours from the previous renewal period is permitted. The Board allows up to 12 PDH to be carried into the next renewal period. Professional-ethics hours must be earned during the biennium to which they are applied and may never be carried over.
• The 24 PDH must be satisfied during the two-year period prior to biennial renewal; at least 2 hours must be professional ethics earned within that biennium.
• Dual license/certificate holders must meet the requirement of the profession with the greatest PDH requirement and must earn at least one-third of the total in each profession, with the remaining one-third in either profession.
• Activity-specific caps apply (e.g., a maximum of 5 PDH per biennium for examination grading/writing and up to 10 PDH per biennium for public board/commission service); such hours must be earned in the biennium and cannot be carried over.
• Keep course and activity records for four years after the end of the licensure period; the board may audit.
• If the board rejects enough hours to drop you below the minimum, you have 180 days after notification to substantiate or make up the hours.

Tips for Minnesota PLSs

• Bank your 2 ethics hours every cycle and treat them as non-negotiable: they must be earned inside the current biennium and cannot be satisfied with carried-over hours.
• You can carry up to 12 general PDH into the next renewal period, but never ethics hours — plan any overage accordingly.
• Hold dual Minnesota licenses (e.g., surveyor and engineer)? You owe the larger requirement and at least one-third of the total in each profession, with the last third in either.
• Some activities are capped per biennium — for example, up to 5 PDH for exam grading/writing and up to 10 PDH for serving on public boards or commissions; these must be earned in the biennium and cannot carry over.
• If the Board rejects enough hours to put you below 24, you get 180 days from notice to substantiate them or earn replacements, so keep documentation for four years.

Sources

PLS Requirements in Nearby States

Other Professions in Minnesota

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.