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

Requirements Overview

South Carolina's State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors requires 30 PDH per biennial renewal, a program it calls Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) under Chapter 49 of the Code of Regulations. No specific topic is mandated; any activity that maintains or expands skills relevant to your field of practice is considered.

Two limits apply: effective July 1, 2022, no more than 50% of PDH may be earned in business or non-technical subjects, and no more than 12 hours may be earned in one calendar day. Up to 15 PDH may be carried forward. All licenses renew June 30 of even-numbered years.

The Board pre-approves no courses and does not track individual CPC; you maintain your own records. Certificates are produced only if selected for audit, and NCEES CPC transcripts are accepted for verification. If audited PDH is disallowed, you have 90 days to remedy the deficiency.

Exemptions

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  New Licensee — New licensees by way of examination or comity are exempt for their first renewal period. For the June 2026 renewal, first-time registrants with registration number 42433 or higher are exempt (but must still pay the renewal fee).

  Renewal fee is not waived; all licensees must pay the renewal fee.
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  Retired — Licensees who list their occupation as “Retired” on the Board-approved renewal form and certify they no longer receive remuneration from providing engineering/surveying services are exempt from PDH requirements. If they return to active practice, PDH must be earned before returning for each year exempted, not to exceed 30 PDH.
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  Hardship — Licensees experiencing physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances may apply to the Board (prior to renewal) for an exemption or extension of time to obtain the credits, subject to Board review and approval; supporting documentation required.
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  Military — A person regulated under SC Title 40 is exempt from completing continuing education requirements while serving on active military duty in the U.S. Armed forces (and is exempt from the renewal fee); documentation of active-duty status required (S.C. Code §40-1-610).
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  Other — Engineers and Surveyors continuously licensed by this Board prior to January 1, 1969 are exempt from continuing education requirements (but must still renew and pay the renewal fee).

  Renewal fee still applies.

How You Can Complete Your CE

South Carolina CE Rules & Limits

Details specific to South Carolina that generic CE guides tend to miss:

• Carry-over — A maximum of 15 hours may be carried forward into the subsequent (next) renewal period. If carry-over units are claimed during audit verification, the previous renewal period also becomes subject to verification (Reg 49-602(B)).
• PE continuing education in South Carolina is called Continuing Professional Competency (CPC), measured in Professional Development Hours (PDH), under SC Code of Regulations Chapter 49 (Reg 49-602 et seq.).
• 30 PDH are required per biennial renewal period; all engineering/surveying licenses renew June 30 of even-numbered years (e.g., the 2026 cycle covered July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026).
• Effective July 1, 2022, no more than fifty percent (50%) of PDH claimed during a renewal cycle may be earned in a business or non-technical subject matter (Reg 49-602(D)).
• No more than twelve (12) hours of credit may be obtained in one calendar day (Reg 49-604(6)).
• Certificates/documentation are NOT submitted at renewal; they must be produced only if the licensee is selected for audit verification. Licensees must maintain their own records (the Board does not track CPC).
• If audit verification disallows PDH, the licensee has a 90-day period to remedy deficiencies; otherwise the license is automatically deemed lapsed (Reg 49-605(C)).
• The Board accepts NCEES CPC Tracking system transcripts (and transcripts from other recognized CPC repositories) for audit verification.
• Auditing a college course (without earning credit) and read-and-answer/self-study workbook formats do NOT qualify; college coursework qualifies only if completed for credit with documentation. Numerous activity types are excluded (regular employment, self-study, OSHA training, sales/vendor presentations, basic computer software, repetitive/same-course attendance, non-relevant topics, etc.).

Provider Requirements

The Board does not pre-approve courses or sponsoring organizations. Any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and objective that maintains, improves, or expands skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice will be considered by the Board. Licensees are responsible for maintaining their own records; the Board does not track or maintain CPC for individual licensees.

Tips for South Carolina PEs

• Earn 30 PDH (Continuing Professional Competency) per biennial cycle, which ends June 30 of even-numbered years.
• Keep at least half your PDH in technical subjects — no more than 50% may be business or non-technical.
• Do not stack credits: no more than 12 PDH count from a single calendar day.
• Carry up to 15 surplus PDH forward, but note that claiming carry-over during an audit reopens the prior renewal period to verification.
• Maintain your own records; the Board does not track CPC, and certificates are only produced if you are selected for audit.

Sources

PE Requirements in Nearby States

Other Professions in South Carolina

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.