Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Virginia Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Virginia-licensed land surveyors.
Virginia Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Virginia statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Land surveyors renew by the last day of their birth month, on a two-year cycle.
- Required hours 16 hours of board-approved continuing education per biennium, as a prerequisite to renewal or reinstatement, set by statute and Board rule.
- No carryover Continuing education must be completed during the two-year license period immediately prior to expiration and is valid for that renewal only; additional hours do not carry to a subsequent renewal.
- Combined board Land surveyors are regulated by the APELSCIDLA Board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Subjects and content
- No mandatory subjects The Board does not require ethics or state-law courses, though such courses are accepted for continuing education credit.
- Relevance standard Continuing education must be relevant to the practice of land surveying and may include conferences, workshops, seminars, and courses on surveying advancements, technology, or ethics.
- Board-approved activities The statute frames the requirement as board-approved continuing education activities; licensees should ensure activities qualify under the Board’s rules.
- Reinstatement parity The same 16-hour standard applies for reinstatement, completed during the two years prior to reinstatement.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. Virginia does not impose an online limitation for surveyors; all courses may be taken online. The full 16 hours may be earned through qualifying online coursework relevant to the practice of land surveying.
Practical interpretation. A surveyor may satisfy the entire requirement online, provided the activity is board-approved and relevant. Because there is no carryover, hours should be completed within the current two-year period.
The renewal process is electronic, and the Board does not require submission of completion certificates at renewal.
Provider and course approval
Verified framing. The statute requires board-approved continuing education activities. The licensee is responsible for ensuring that each activity meets the Board’s requirements under 18VAC10-20-683 and is relevant to the practice of land surveying.
The Board does not require ethics or state-law courses, but accepts them for credit, and recognizes a range of activities such as conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses.
Licensee responsibility. Because the renewal is certification-based, the licensee confirms that each activity qualifies and retains documentation.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
By submitting the renewal fee, the licensee certifies compliance with the continuing education requirements. The Board does not require licensees to submit certificates of completion at renewal.
The licensee should retain documentation of the 16 hours in case of audit, since the Board may request verification of the hours certified.
Audit and Board authority
The Board may audit compliance and may deny renewal for noncompliance with the continuing education requirements, with the regulant’s right to further review under the Administrative Process Act.
The Board may require an examination or additional continuing education in defined circumstances as a condition of renewal or reinstatement.
Reinstatement and Status
Reinstatement. A license that has expired may be reinstated within the period allowed by the Board’s rules by completing a reinstatement application and verifying at least 16 hours of board-approved continuing education completed during the two years prior to reinstatement.
Extended lapse. A license expired more than six months but less than five years generally requires reinstatement rather than a new application; a surveyor should confirm the applicable path with the Board based on how long the license has been expired.
Birth-month renewal. Because renewal is keyed to the licensee’s birth month, each surveyor should confirm their specific expiration date, which appears on the license and in the online licensing system.
Combined board scope. The APELSCIDLA Board regulates architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, certified interior designers, and landscape architects; the same 16-hour biennial standard applies to architects, engineers, surveyors, and landscape architects.
Primary Virginia 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.
18VAC10-20-683
The Board’s rule on continuing education requirements for renewal or reinstatement, covering the 16-hour requirement, the two-year completion window, and the no-carryover provision.
Va. Code § 54.1-404.2
The statute requiring 16 hours per biennium of board-approved continuing education as a prerequisite to renewal or reinstatement for surveyors.
APELSCIDLA Board
The DPOR board page confirming the 16-hour continuing education requirement and linking the Board regulations and renewal information.
Virginia DPOR Online Services
The DPOR online system where Virginia surveyors renew and certify continuing education 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. Virginia requires 16 hours of board-approved continuing education each biennium, with no carryover, and requirements can change. The Virginia APELSCIDLA Board, within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, is the controlling authority.