Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Georgia Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing professional competency requirements for Georgia-licensed land surveyors, now on an annual renewal cycle.
Georgia Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Georgia statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Annual. Under House Bill 476 (2022), Georgia moved professional engineer, structural engineer, and land surveyor renewals from biennial to annual, expiring December 31.
- Required hours 7.5 PDH each 12-month annual renewal period for land surveyors.
- Carryover A land surveyor exceeding the requirement may carry forward a maximum of 3.75 PDH into the next annual period.
- Dual PE and LS licensees 15 PDH annually, with at least one-third in engineering and one-third in surveying, and the remainder in either field.
Mandatory subjects
- Minimum Technical Standards Once every two years, at least 3 of a surveyor’s PDH must be in Minimum Technical Standards.
- What it covers That material must include a review of all board rules and applicable Georgia state laws pertaining to the practice of land surveying specific to Georgia.
- State-specific by design Because the required content is Georgia-specific, it generally cannot be satisfied by a generic national course.
- No separate ethics minimum Ethics content is accepted toward PDH but is not separately required for surveyors.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. Correspondence, televised, videotaped, audiotaped, and other short courses and tutorials qualify when taken to maintain, improve, or expand skills and knowledge relevant to the surveyor’s practice. There is no stated cap on distance-learning hours.
Practical interpretation. A Georgia surveyor may generally satisfy the annual 7.5-PDH requirement, including elective content, through qualifying online coursework, with the Minimum Technical Standards portion drawn from Georgia-specific material.
PDH may also be earned through college courses, seminars and workshops, teaching or instructing, and authoring published papers, articles, or books relevant to the practice.
Provider and course approval
Verified requirement. The Board does not pre-approve providers or specific courses, and a course need not be presented by an approved sponsor for a licensee to claim credit. The licensee determines whether an activity conforms to the categories in Board Rule Chapter 180-11.
Qualifying activity must have a clear purpose and objective that maintains, improves, or expands skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice.
Comity. The Board recognizes continuing education imposed by other states to the extent those courses meet Georgia’s requirements. Non-resident and out-of-Georgia licensees must still meet Georgia’s recordkeeping expectations.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
Registrants maintain their own records of PDH activity, including the sponsoring organization, course title and description, duration, and PDH earned, along with supporting documentation such as completion certificates.
At renewal, the licensee attests to having met the requirement. Documentation is retained by the licensee and produced if the registrant is selected for audit under Chapter 180-11.
Inactive and suspended status
A registrant may return an inactive or suspended license to active status by obtaining all delinquent PDH. For land surveyors this is 7.5 PDH for each year in inactive or suspended status, up to a maximum of 15 PDH.
Delinquent make-up hours are in addition to satisfying any other conditions attached to a suspension.
Exemptions and the Annual Transition
Annual renewal transition. Following HB 476, all affected license holders were placed on a December 31 expiration to align the profession with the new annual cycle. Surveyors should confirm their current expiration date through the Board’s renewal portal, since the shift from biennial to annual changed prior renewal dates.
Comity for out-of-state licensees. The Board recognizes another state’s continuing education to the extent it meets Georgia’s requirements, but the Georgia-specific Minimum Technical Standards content should be addressed directly, as another state’s coursework will not typically cover Georgia board rules and laws.
Dual registrants. A person holding both a PE and LS license completes 15 PDH annually rather than separate totals, allocated at least one-third to each profession.
Exemptions. The Board’s rules address exemptions and hardship circumstances. A licensee who cannot meet the requirement due to extenuating circumstances should contact the Board before the renewal deadline to determine available relief.
Primary Georgia Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Licensees should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through the Board.
Board Rule Chapter 180-11
The Board’s continuing professional competency rules, including the 7.5-PDH annual surveyor requirement, Minimum Technical Standards, carryover, and reactivation.
Continuing Education Instructions
The Board’s official continuing education page explaining CPC requirements, acceptable activities, and recordkeeping.
Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board
The Board’s official page, including renewal information and the HB 476 transition to annual renewal.
Georgia PLS Laws and Rules
The Board’s compiled statutes and rules governing land surveyors, including O.C.G.A. 43-15-6 and the renewal provisions.
SurveyorCE offers a growing library of surveyor-focused PDH courses through a simple one-time $135 membership. Visit the homepage to see how the program works and decide whether it fits your renewal needs.
Important Notice
This page is an educational summary, not legal advice or a determination that any particular course will be accepted. Georgia moved to annual renewal under HB 476, and requirements, interpretations, and renewal procedures can change. The Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board is the controlling authority.