Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Tennessee Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Tennessee-registered land surveyors.
Tennessee Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Tennessee statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Every licensee is required to obtain the equivalent of 30 PDH per biennial renewal period, reported by the end of the renewal cycle.
- Required hours 30 PDH during the two-year period, per Rule 0820-05-.03(1).
- Carryover If a licensee exceeds the biennial requirement, a maximum of 15 PDH may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period.
- First cycle A licensee in the first renewal cycle may have a prorated requirement; new registrants should confirm their first-cycle total with the Board.
Mandatory subjects and online cap
- Ethics and standards At least 2 PDH must be earned by completing a course focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice, generally 1 PDH in surveying ethics and 1 PDH in Tennessee standards of practice.
- Online cap A maximum of 15 PDH may be completed online, and the remaining 15 must be completed in person.
- State-specific element The Tennessee standards-of-practice hour addresses Tennessee-specific content and generally cannot be met with a generic national course.
- Remaining hours The balance may be earned in activities relevant to the practice of land surveying, subject to the in-person minimum.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online, live, and in-person study
Verified limit. Tennessee caps self-paced online courses at 15 of the 30 PDH, with at least 15 earned in person. The Board distinguishes online (computer-presented with no live interaction) from synchronous live courses, in which the instructor and students interact in real time.
Practical interpretation. A surveyor may complete up to 15 PDH through self-paced online courses; the other 15 must come from in-person classroom or, where the Board treats it as meeting the in-person expectation, qualifying live interactive instruction. Confirm how a specific live-online course is classified before relying on it.
Online courses must verify the participant’s identity, time attended, and comprehension of the material.
Provider and course approval
Verified requirement. Tennessee approves providers and courses. To be accepted, providers and courses must meet the requirements of Rule 0820-05-.05 and complete the Board’s application with required documentation. The Board maintains a public list of approved courses and providers.
Course types are defined as classroom, online, synchronous (live), and hybrid, each with its own documentation requirements for approval, such as identity verification and attendance tracking.
Actionable point. Because Tennessee pre-approves courses, a provider seeking to serve Tennessee surveyors submits each course for Board approval, and licensees should confirm a course appears on the approved list.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention and reporting
Pursuant to Rule 0820-05-.03(2), a registrant is no longer required to submit proof of completed continuing education with the renewal. Registrants have until the renewal cycle ends to complete their hours and certify compliance.
The licensee should retain the continuing education summary log and completion documentation in case of audit, since the Board can request verification of the hours claimed.
Audit
The Board may audit compliance and request documentation supporting the PDH claimed. Because approved courses are tracked, a licensee’s use of Board-approved courses simplifies verification.
A licensee should ensure the 30 PDH, including the 2-hour ethics and standards requirement and the in-person minimum, are complete before the renewal cycle ends.
Exemptions and Status Options
Senior exemption. A land surveyor over the age of 65 with 25 years of experience may submit a completed exemption form and needs only the 2 PDH focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice, that is, 1 PDH surveying ethics and 1 PDH Tennessee standards of practice, rather than the full 30.
Inactive status. A licensee may request inactive status using the Board’s form. An inactive licensee may not practice, and returning to active status requires the Board’s reinstatement process.
Retirement. A licensee may retire a license under TCA 62-18-128 using the Board’s retirement form, ceasing practice in Tennessee.
Dedicated surveyor board. Tennessee regulates land surveyors through a dedicated Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors within the Department of Commerce and Insurance, separate from the engineers board.
Primary Tennessee Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Registrants should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through the Board.
Rule 0820-05-.03 and .05
The Board’s continuing education rules, covering the 30-PDH requirement, the ethics and standards hours, carryover, and provider and course approval.
Continuing Education
The Board’s official continuing education page, defining classroom, online, synchronous, and hybrid course types and their approval requirements.
Approved Course Listing
The Board’s public dashboard of courses and providers approved for Tennessee land surveyor PDH credit.
Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors
The Tennessee board that licenses and regulates professional land surveyors.
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. Tennessee approves providers and courses and caps self-paced online study, and requirements can change. The Tennessee Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors, within the Department of Commerce and Insurance, is the controlling authority.