Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Utah Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Utah-licensed professional land surveyors.
Utah Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Utah statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Licenses expire March 31 of each odd-numbered year, and the continuing education period is the two years ending on that date.
- Required hours At least 30 hours of qualified professional education during each two-year period.
- Proration A licensee first licensed during the two-year period completes a pro-rata amount of the 30 hours.
- Content areas Qualified hours must be directly related to ethics, business, and technical content aimed at maintaining, improving, or expanding skills relevant to the licensee’s professional practice.
Subjects and activity limits
- No fixed subject minimums Utah does not mandate a set number of ethics hours or a state-specific statutes course for surveyors; ethics, business, and technical content all qualify.
- Classroom Unlimited hours may be recognized for education completed in blocks of not less than one hour in formally established classroom courses, seminars, or conferences.
- Professional or civic activity A maximum of 15 hours per two-year period may be recognized for qualifying professional or civic activity.
- Organization service Up to 10 hours may be recognized for service to the profession, but no more than 5 of the 10 from any one organization.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and home study
Verified status. Unlimited hours may be recognized for continuing education provided via the Internet or through home study courses, provided the course verifies registration and participation by means of a test that demonstrates the participant has learned the material presented.
Practical interpretation. Utah is notably favorable to online study: a surveyor may complete the full 30 hours online, as long as each course includes a test verifying completion. A course that lacks such verification would not qualify under this provision.
This makes verified, quiz-based online courses fully creditable toward the requirement.
Provider and course approval
Verified process. The Division and Board do not pre-approve providers or specific courses. Each licensee determines whether an activity meets the rule’s requirements, which include an identifiable clear statement of purpose and a defined objective directly related to the practice of the profession.
Credit categories include formal classroom courses and seminars (unlimited), verified Internet or home study (unlimited), professional or civic activity (max 15), and service to the profession (max 10, no more than 5 per organization).
Licensee responsibility. Because there is no pre-approval, the licensee confirms that each activity qualifies and retains documentation.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
The licensee is responsible for maintaining competent records of completed continuing education for four years after the close of the two-year period to which the records pertain, and for demonstrating that the education meets the rule’s requirements.
DOPL uses online renewal and generally does not require certificate upload at renewal, but a licensee may be required to produce documentation if audited.
Audit and deficiencies
The Division may audit continuing education compliance and request supporting documentation. A licensee who did not meet the requirement at the time of expiration is required to complete 30 hours within the two years prior to reinstatement.
A licensee who is deficient may be required to complete double the number of hours missed to be eligible for renewal or reinstatement, so keeping current avoids a doubled makeup burden.
Waivers, Inactive Status, and Reinstatement
Waivers. The Division may waive continuing education in accordance with Section R156-1-308d, for circumstances such as illness or hardship, subject to documentation and approval.
Inactive status. A licensee may place a license on inactive status, certifying that they will not engage in the profession while inactive except as permitted by rule. Continuing education is not required while inactive, but is required to return to active status.
Reinstatement. A licensee reinstating after expiration must complete 30 hours of continuing education within the two years prior to the application for reinstatement.
Combined board. Utah regulates professional engineers, professional structural engineers, and professional land surveyors under one licensing act and one continuing education rule, with the same 30-hour biennial standard applying to each.
Primary Utah Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Licensees should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through the Division.
Utah Admin. Code R156-22-304
The continuing education rule for professional engineers, structural engineers, and land surveyors, covering the 30-hour biennial requirement, proration, credit categories, and the verified online provision.
DOPL Renew an Engineering or Surveying License
The Division’s official renewal page, stating the March 31 odd-year expiration and the 30-hour continuing education requirement.
Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 22
The Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors Licensing Act, which authorizes the continuing education requirement.
DOPL Engineering and Land Surveying
The Utah Division of Professional Licensing page for the engineering and professional land surveying profession.
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. Requirements, Board interpretations, and renewal procedures can change. The Utah Division of Professional Licensing and the Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors Board are the controlling authorities.