North Carolina add Professional Engineer Ethics Course Requirement - North Carolina Professional Engineering Ethics Course

Effective as of the 2024 license renewal, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors will need at least 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) in Ethics

By: Ryan Malone
Published: 04/01/2023

Revised North Carolina Professional Engineer Continuing Professional Competency Rules.

Effective as of the 2024 license renewal, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors will need at least 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) in Ethics or Rules of Professional Conduct. The course or activity must contain content areas concerning:

• the awareness of ethical concerns and conflicts;

• an enhanced familiarity with codes of conduct; • an understanding of standards of practice or care;

• project management and risk-assessment management; or

• other similar topics aimed at maintaining, improving, or expanding the skill sets and knowledge relevant to conducting the practice of the profession so as to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

In addition, Professional Land Surveyors will need to obtain 1 PDH in the Standards of Practice for Land Surveying. The course or activity must contain content related to the Standards of Practice for Land Surveying in Section .1600 of the Board Rules.

Licensees will be required to indicate on their CPC log whether the specific activity is being claimed to satisfy the Ethics or Rules of Professional Conduct requirement (PE/PLS) or Standards of Practice for Land Surveying (PLS only) requirement [21 NCAC 56.1703].

Additionally, a revision to Board Rule .1705(f) now allows for licensees to earn up to 2 PDHs annually for active participation in accrediting organizations in addition to professional or technical societies. This credit is limited to 2 PDHs per society or organization and it requires that a licensee serve as an officer or participate in a committee or accreditation visits. PDH credits are not earned until the end of each year of service is completed.

The Rules now also allow for credit to be earned for active participation in educational outreach activities pertaining to professional licensure or the surveying/engineering professions that involve K–12 or higher education students. Licensees are limited to claiming to 3 PDHs annually for this activity.

To review all the continuing education requirements please visit the Board’s web site. Compliance with the Continuing Professional Competency requirements is determined through a random CPC audit process.

PDHNow and Engineer Educators are here to help North Carolina Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors with you Professional Development Continuing Edcuation Requirements and license renewal. Check our PDHNow Courses page for all available PE ethics courses and don't forget to check for updates on our PDHNow Discounts page.