Professional Surveyor Renewal Guide
New Mexico Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing professional development requirements for New Mexico-licensed professional surveyors.
New Mexico Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in New Mexico statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Odd-numbered licenses renew by December 31 of odd-numbered years; even-numbered licenses renew by December 31 of even-numbered years.
- Required hours Each licensee must obtain 30 professional development hours (PDH) during the biennium. New Mexico refers to this as continuing professional development (CPD).
- Carryover A licensee who exceeds the biennial requirement may carry forward a maximum of 15 PDH into the next cycle, except that ethics hours may not be carried over.
- Concurrent submission PDH must be submitted concurrently with license renewal; failure to meet the requirement results in rejection of the renewal.
Mandatory subject
- Ethics or business At least 2 of the 30 PDH must be in ethics or business-related content, with ethics training defined as course content addressing ethics in the engineering and surveying fields.
- Ethics not carried over The ethics hours must be earned within the biennium and cannot be applied as carryover to the next cycle.
- No fixed state-law course Beyond the ethics or business requirement, New Mexico does not mandate a separate state-specific statutes course for surveyors.
- Rounding A PDH credit is roughly one clock hour of instruction, rounded to the nearest half-hour.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. New Mexico does not impose a cap on the number of PDH earned online for surveyors. Online courses that require the licensee to pass a quiz to receive credit may be used to earn the required hours, and all 30 PDH may generally be earned online.
Practical interpretation. A surveyor may satisfy the full requirement, including the ethics or business hours, through qualifying online coursework, provided each activity has a clear purpose and objective relevant to the practice of surveying.
One CEU equals 10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education course.
Provider and course approval
Verified process. The Board does not pre-approve providers or specific courses. Each licensee determines whether an activity meets the Board’s requirements, and the Board retains authority over acceptance of PDH.
The Board’s PDH guide assigns credit to categories including college courses, continuing education courses, conferences and technical sessions, vendor and factory presentations, teaching, and authoring, each with its own calculation.
Licensee responsibility. Because there is no pre-approval, the licensee is responsible for confirming that each activity qualifies and for retaining documentation.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention and reporting
All renewal applications require the number of earned PDH units, and the licensee must sign the renewal application and submit it with the appropriate fee. Submission of PDH is made concurrently with renewal.
The licensee should retain documentation supporting the claimed PDH so it can be produced if the Board requests verification.
Audit and late renewal
The Board may verify PDH compliance, and failure to meet the requirement results in rejection of the renewal. A licensee should ensure the required hours are complete before submitting the renewal.
A licensee renewing an expired license after the March 1 deadline must submit a formal application and fee, and must have acquired the appropriate PDH required for reinstatement under the Board’s rules.
Inactive Status and Reinstatement
Inactive status. A licensee may become eligible for inactive status, with a waiver of renewal fees and professional development requirements, after meeting the Board’s qualifications and filing the inactive-status application before the license expires. An inactive licensee may use the title with “(Ret.)” or the applicable designation but may not practice.
Return from inactive status. A licensee on inactive status who wishes to return to practice within six years must apply to the Board and comply with the continuing professional development requirements, completing a minimum of 30 PDH before approval.
Reinstatement of an expired license. A licensee reinstating a lapsed license must submit the required PDH under the New Mexico Administrative Code as a condition of reinstatement, along with the formal application and fee.
Dual licensees. A person holding both engineer and surveyor licenses renews both in the same year; the licensee should contact the Board to confirm how the PDH requirement applies across the two licenses.
Primary New Mexico 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.
16.39.2 NMAC
The Board’s continuing professional development rule, covering the 30-PDH requirement, the ethics or business hours, carryover, and inactive status.
Board License Renewal
The Board’s official renewal page, with renewal deadlines by license number and reinstatement instructions.
Board of Licensure for PEs and PSs
The New Mexico board that licenses and regulates professional engineers and professional surveyors under the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act.
Board PDH Guide
The Board’s guide summarizing PDH credit values for various continuing education activities.
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 New Mexico Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors is the controlling authority.