Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Iowa Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Iowa-licensed professional land surveyors.
Iowa Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Iowa statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Licenses renew December 31 in even- or odd-numbered years depending on the date of initial licensure.
- Required hours 30 PDH for an active licensee in land surveying, earned during the biennium preceding renewal.
- Carryover Up to 15 PDH may be carried forward into the next biennium.
- Dual PE and PLS licensees 40 total PDH, split 20 in engineering and 20 in land surveying, with at least 4 hours in ethics across the two professions.
Mandatory subjects and limits
- Ethics At least 2 of the 30 PDH must be in professional ethics.
- Independent-study cap No more than 10 PDH per biennium may be earned through independent study, which includes courses with no real-time interaction such as most online courses.
- Live instruction required Because of the independent-study cap, at least 20 of the 30 hours must come from live instruction such as webinars or classroom courses.
- No fixed state-law course Iowa does not require a separate state-specific statutes-and-rules course for surveyors beyond the ethics requirement.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and independent study
Verified limit. Independent study, defined as any course or activity with no real-time interaction between the provider and the licensee, such as most internet courses, is capped at 10 PDH per biennium.
Practical interpretation. An Iowa surveyor cannot satisfy the full 30-hour requirement through self-paced online courses alone. At least 20 hours must come from live, interactive formats such as live webinars or in-person instruction. Live interactive webinars are generally treated as live instruction rather than independent study.
This distinction matters when planning a renewal, since a provider’s on-demand catalog may count toward only 10 of the 30 hours.
Provider and course approval
Verified requirement. The Board does not pre-approve providers or specific courses. Each licensee determines whether an activity meets the Board’s requirements, which is that the activity maintain, improve, or expand skills and knowledge, or develop new and relevant skills.
Allowable activities include college courses, continuing education courses, correspondence and other short courses, seminars and workshops, teaching, and authoring, among others defined in the rules.
Comity for out-of-state residents. An Iowa licensee residing in another state that has a continuing education requirement is deemed to comply with Iowa’s requirement while meeting that state’s rules, subject to compliance review if selected.
Records, Reporting, and Compliance Review
Record retention
Maintaining records to support claimed PDH is the licensee’s responsibility. The Board recommends keeping a log showing the activity type, sponsoring organization, location, duration, and instructor or speaker, along with supporting documentation.
At renewal, the licensee reports the number of PDH achieved during the preceding biennium on the Board’s form. Documentation is produced during compliance review rather than submitted routinely.
Compliance review
The Board conducts compliance reviews of reported PDH. A licensee who cannot support the reported hours with documentation, or who falsified documentation, may be subject to disciplinary review.
Where documentation supports fewer hours than reported, the shortfall may result in a disciplinary review under the Board’s rules.
Exemptions and Status Options
New licensees. A new licensee satisfies one-half of the biennial continuing education requirement at the first renewal following initial licensure. A comity license is not an initial license, so licensees licensed by comity are not eligible for the one-half reduction.
Out-of-state residents. An Iowa licensee residing in another state or district that has a continuing education requirement for engineers or land surveyors is deemed to comply with Iowa’s requirement during that residency, provided the licensee meets that state’s requirements. Compliance review may still apply.
Waivers. For hardship or extenuating circumstances, the Board may grant a waiver of the continuing education requirement for a period not exceeding one year. A written request to the Board is required; no waiver or extension is granted without it.
Lapsed and inactive licenses. A licensee not practicing in Iowa may allow the license to lapse without penalty to its standing, and later reactivate by submitting the application, continuing education completion certificates, and fees.
Primary Iowa 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.
Iowa Administrative Code 193C, Chapter 7
The Board’s continuing education rules, covering the 30-PDH requirement, ethics, the independent-study cap, carryover, reporting, and waivers.
Iowa Code Chapter 542B
The governing statute for professional engineers and land surveyors, including licensure and renewal authority.
Engineers and Land Surveyors Licensing
The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing page for engineers and land surveyors, with renewal and continuing education information.
Iowa Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board
The board that licenses and regulates Iowa engineers and land surveyors and administers the continuing education requirement.
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 Iowa Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board is the controlling authority.