Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Idaho Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing professional development requirements for Idaho-licensed professional land surveyors.
Idaho Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Idaho statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. As of July 1, 2025, the Board transitioned from annual to biennial licensure; the renewal period begins on the first day of the month following the licensee’s birth month.
- Required hours 30 PDH units of continuing professional development per biennium, equivalent to 15 PDH per year.
- Carryover Up to 30 PDH of excess continuing education may be carried forward into the next renewal period.
- Dual PE and PLS registrants A dual registrant must comply with the requirements for each profession.
Mandatory subjects and structure
- Two activity types PDH must be earned in at least two different activity areas, such as online courses combined with self-study, teaching, or another qualifying category.
- Self-study cap No more than 3 PDH per biennium may be earned through documented self-study, with 1 PDH awarded for every two hours of study.
- No fixed ethics minimum Ethics content qualifies toward the total, but Idaho does not impose a separate ethics-hour requirement for surveyors.
- Professional society Membership in a professional society counts as 1 PDH per year, up to 2 PDH per profession per year.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. Idaho places no stated limit on the number of PDH earned through online coursework. One PDH is a contact hour of at least 50 minutes of instruction, and one continuing education unit (CEU) equals 10 PDH.
Practical interpretation. A structured online course qualifies as one of the required activity types, but because Idaho requires at least two different activity areas, a surveyor should pair online coursework with a second qualifying category to satisfy the structure rule.
A qualifying activity must have a clear purpose and objective that maintains, improves, or expands the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s practice.
Provider and course approval
Verified requirement. The Board does not pre-approve providers or specific courses. A course is acceptable if it meets the criteria in Section 3 of the NCEES Continuing Professional Competency Guidelines, which the Board has adopted as its standard.
Qualifying categories include college courses, continuing education courses, correspondence and other short courses, seminars and workshops, teaching or instructing, authoring published works, and obtaining a patent, among others defined in the Board’s rules.
Licensee responsibility. It is the licensee’s responsibility to determine whether an activity meets the Board’s requirements and to document the activity type on the record.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
Maintenance of records to support claimed credits is the licensee’s responsibility. All continuing professional development records must be maintained for six years and provided to the Board on request for audit.
Since renewals in 2013, the CPD log is no longer submitted with the renewal. The licensee attests to compliance at renewal and produces the log and attendance records only when audited.
Audit procedure
The Board conducts random log checks and audits. A log check requests only the licensee’s log; if problems are found or the licensee fails to provide a log, a full audit follows, which requests the log together with attendance records.
The Board prefers electronic submittals by email in PDF format when records are requested, and specifically asks licensees not to use cloud file-transfer links for these submissions.
Exemptions and Status Options
Biennial transition. Idaho began transitioning this Board to biennial licensure on July 1, 2025. Because renewal timing keys to the licensee’s birth month, surveyors should confirm their current expiration date and reporting period through the Board, since the change from annual to biennial affects prior renewal dates.
Alternate reporting period. A licensee may instead obtain the 30 PDH cumulatively during the two calendar years closest to the renewal biennium, which offers some flexibility in when hours are earned.
Retired status. A licensee may convert a license to retired status. Retired status has its own conditions, and a licensee considering it as an alternative to meeting CPD should confirm the implications with the Board before the renewal deadline.
Reinstatement. A licensee reinstating a lapsed or discontinued license must satisfy the continuing professional development shortfall as part of returning to active practice, per the Board’s rules.
Primary Idaho 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.
IPELS Continuing Professional Development
The Board’s official CPD page with the notice to licensees, sample CPD log, audit checklist, and links to the governing rules.
IDAPA 24, Title 32, Chapter 1
The administrative rules governing continuing professional development for Idaho engineers and land surveyors.
Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
The IPELS Board’s official page, including the July 2025 biennial licensure transition and renewal information.
IPELS Frequently Asked Questions
The Board’s FAQ page addressing CPD logs, audits, self-study, and recordkeeping expectations.
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. Idaho transitioned to biennial licensure in 2025, and requirements, interpretations, and renewal procedures can change. The Idaho Board of Licensure of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors is the controlling authority.