Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Louisiana Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing professional development requirements for Louisiana-licensed professional land surveyors.
Louisiana Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Louisiana statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- CPD measured annually Every professional land surveyor must earn 8 PDH per calendar year in land surveying-related acceptable activities, under R.S. 37:697 and Board Rule 3105(B).
- Renewal Licenses renew on a schedule tied to the year of initial licensure. The continuing development requirement is tracked and verified each calendar year.
- Daily cap No more than 8 PDH may be earned in a single calendar day.
- Carryover Up to 7 excess PDH may be carried forward into the subsequent calendar year.
Mandatory subjects each year
- Professional ethics At least 1 PDH per calendar year must be in professional ethics.
- Louisiana boundary-survey standards At least 1 PDH per calendar year must be in the standards of practice for boundary surveys in Louisiana.
- State-specific by design The boundary-standards hour is Louisiana-specific and generally cannot be met by a generic national course.
- Remaining hours The balance of the 8 PDH may be earned in other qualifying land surveying-related activities.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. Louisiana does not cap the number of PDH that may be earned online for surveyors. All 8 annual PDH, including the ethics hour and the boundary-standards hour, may be earned through qualifying online coursework.
Practical interpretation. A land surveyor can meet the full annual requirement through structured online courses, provided each activity is relevant and properly documented, and subject to the 8-PDH-per-day limit.
PDH may not be earned through informal, non-structured activities.
Provider and course approval
Verified process. Effective November 16, 2015, the Board no longer pre-approves course providers, sponsors, or specific courses. It is the individual licensee’s responsibility to determine whether a course meets the Board’s requirements.
Acceptable activities must have subject matter that is technical in nature or that addresses professional ethics, business management practices, or other topics that increase the licensee’s knowledge and skills and help safeguard the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
Acceptable formats include completing continuing education, college, or correspondence courses, and other structured activities defined in the Board’s rules.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
Each licensee must maintain a board-approved professional development activity log outlining all PDH claimed during a calendar year, and must retain completion certificates and supporting documentation. Records should be kept for the Board’s audit period and produced on request.
At each renewal, the licensee certifies on the renewal form that all licensure renewal requirements, including CPD, have been met.
Verification and audit
Licensees verify compliance with the CPD requirements at the end of each calendar year. The Board audits licensees to confirm compliance, and a licensee selected for audit must produce the activity log and supporting documentation.
Because the requirement is measured per calendar year, a shortfall in any single year can affect compliance even when the overall total appears adequate.
Exemptions and Dual Licensure
Dual PE and PLS licensees. A dual licensee must earn 15 PDH per calendar year, with at least one-third of the required PDH for each calendar year earned separately in each profession. This is a different total from the 8 PDH required of a surveyor-only licensee.
Building designers. A professional engineer who designs buildings or building systems must earn at least 4 PDH per calendar year in Life Safety Code, building codes, or ADA Accessibility Guidelines. This requirement applies to engineers, not to surveyor-only licensees, but is relevant to dual licensees who design buildings.
Exemptions. The Board’s rules provide exemptions from the CPD requirement in defined circumstances. A licensee seeking an exemption should confirm eligibility and documentation with the Board.
Status changes. A licensee changing status completes the affirmation on the renewal form. Reinstatement of a lapsed license requires satisfying the CPD shortfall as provided in the Board’s rules.
Primary Louisiana Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Licensees should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through LAPELS.
Board Rules Chapter 31 (CPD)
The Board’s continuing professional development rules, including the 8-PDH annual surveyor requirement, mandatory subjects, carryover, and daily cap.
LAPELS Continuing Professional Development
The Board’s CPD documents and activity log, summarizing the requirements for professional land surveyors.
Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board
The board that licenses and regulates Louisiana engineers and land surveyors and administers the CPD requirement.
LAPELS Renewals
The Board’s renewal page, where Louisiana land surveyors renew and certify CPD compliance.
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 Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board is the controlling authority.