Kentucky PE CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 30 Hours Every 2 Years

Requirements Overview

Kentucky sets no required subject areas for professional engineers — any qualifying engineering-related activity counts toward the 30 PDH. The 4-hour ethics/Standards of Practice course some sources cite applies only to Professional Land Surveyors, not to PEs. The requirement is governed by 201 KAR 18:196, and the reporting period is the two calendar years prior to the June 30 renewal.

A maximum of 15 PDH earned in excess of the 30 required may be carried forward to the next reporting period. The board selects 4 percent of licensees who renew before September 1 for audit and subjects all who renew on or after September 1 to audit; selected licensees must respond within 30 days. NCEES offers a free CPC tracking system for logging courses.

Exemptions

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  Initial Licensure Year — Licensees are exempt from the CPD requirement for the calendar year in which they are initially licensed by the Board.
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  Active Military — Active-duty military personnel are exempt from the CPD requirement for those calendar years in which the licensee is on active duty.
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  Legacy Pre 1972 Licensee — Professional engineers who were licensed in Kentucky prior to January 1, 1972, are exempt from the CPD requirements if they have been continuously licensed and kept that license in good standing since becoming licensed.

  Must have been continuously licensed and kept the license in good standing since becoming licensed.

How You Can Complete Your CE

Kentucky CE Rules & Limits

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

• Carry-over — A maximum of 15 PDH in excess of the 30 PDH required for the reporting period may be carried forward to the next reporting period.
• Legal reference: 201 KAR 18:196 governs the Professional Engineer CPD requirement.
• Four percent (4%) of all licensees who renew prior to September 1st shall be selected for audit; all licensees who renew on or after September 1st shall be subject to audit.
• Licensees selected for audit shall respond within thirty (30) days of the Board's request.
• Licensees must maintain a log (date, sponsoring organization, location, activity title, description, presenter's name, PDH units earned) plus attendance certification records (completion certificates or other supporting documents).
• NCEES provides a free CPC tracking system for logging courses; records should only be transmitted to the Board if selected for CPD audit, with the renewal period set to the two calendar years prior to renewal.
• The official CPD page does not specify online-delivery limits or a list of approved providers for Professional Engineers (the approved-provider list applies to the Land Surveyor ethics course only).
• Failure to comply with CPD requirements, or falsely answering the CPD compliance question on the renewal application, may result in disciplinary action.

Tips for Kentucky PEs

• No topic is mandatory for Kentucky PEs — choose engineering-relevant courses freely.
• Ignore the 4-hour ethics rule; it applies to Professional Land Surveyors, not Professional Engineers.
• Renew before September 1 to face only a 4% audit chance instead of a certain audit.
• Bank up to 15 excess PDH toward the next reporting period.
• Keep a detailed activity log plus completion certificates in case you are selected for audit.

Sources

PE Requirements in Nearby States

Other Professions in Kentucky

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.