Georgia PE CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 15 Hours Every Year

Requirements Overview

Georgia's Continuing Professional Competency rules (GAC Chapter 180-11), administered by the Georgia State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, require every PE to obtain 15 PDH per 12-month renewal period; because renewal is annual, that 15 PDH is also the annual minimum. The renewal cycle changed from biennial to annual, and renewal is completed online.

No specific subject is mandated: PDH activities may be technical, ethical, or managerial, so there is no required ethics minimum for PEs (the 3 PDH minimum-technical-standards rule applies only to land surveyors). Excess hours carry forward with a 7.5 PDH cap into the subsequent period (Rule 180-11-.03). Online and correspondence formats qualify with no stated cap, and the Board does not pre-approve courses under Rule 180-11-.05.

Exemptions

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  New Licensee — Exempt during the first renewal period following licensure by examination or by comity.
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  Military — Members of the armed forces on active duty exceeding 120 consecutive days are exempt.
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  Hardship — Exempt for physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances, subject to Board approval.
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  Senior Inactive — Registrants over 65 years of age holding an inactive license are exempt.
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  Senior Longevity — Registrants over 65 years of age who are actively practicing and have 25 or more consecutive years of Georgia licensure are exempt.

How You Can Complete Your CE

Georgia CE Rules & Limits

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

• Annual minimum — at least 15 hours must be completed each year of the cycle, not just by the renewal deadline.
• Carry-over — If a professional engineer exceeds the requirements in any annual renewal period, a maximum of 7.5 PDH may be carried forward into the subsequent (next) renewal period.
• PE CE in Georgia is measured in PDH (Professional Development Hours) under the Continuing Professional Competency rules, GAC Chapter 180-11.
• 15 PDH are required each 12-month (annual) renewal period; renewal is completed online and is due by December 31 each year. The PE renewal period changed from biennial to annual.
• Up to 7.5 PDH may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period (Rule 180-11-.03).
• No mandatory ethics PDH is required for professional engineers; PDH activities may include technical, ethical, or managerial content. (The 3 PDH 'Minimum Technical Standards' every two years applies to land surveyors, not PEs.)
• The Board does not pre-approve courses (Rule 180-11-.05); the licensee is responsible for ensuring activities qualify. PDH documentation must be retained for four (4) years (Rule 180-11-.06(c)).

Provider Requirements

The Board does not pre-approve courses for PDH credit. Under Rule 180-11-.05, the Board has final authority regarding approval of courses, classes, seminars, meetings, and all other methods of satisfying the requirements. It is the registrant's responsibility to assure the activities meet the requirements.

Tips for Georgia PEs

• Renewal is annual and due December 31, so plan to complete all 15 PDH within each 12-month period rather than a two-year window.
• You may carry a maximum of 7.5 PDH forward into the next renewal period if you exceed the requirement.
• No ethics PDH is mandated for PEs; ethical content is allowed but never required.
• The Board does not pre-approve courses (Rule 180-11-.05); it is your responsibility to ensure each activity qualifies.
• Retain your PDH documentation for four years (Rule 180-11-.06(c)) in case of audit.

Sources

PE Requirements in Nearby States

Other Professions in Georgia

All Professional Engineer CE Requirements by State

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