Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Texas Surveyor CE Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Texas-registered professional land surveyors.
Texas Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Texas statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Annual. A surveyor must complete the required continuing education by December 31 of each calendar year to renew.
- Required hours 12 continuing education (CE) credits or hours each calendar year.
- Carryover Up to 9 units of other approved CE may be carried over from the previous year, so the maximum applied from carryover is 9 of the 12.
- Annual reporting Because the cycle is annual, hours must be met each year rather than pooled across a two-year period.
Mandatory subject and limits
- Act, Rules, or Ethics A minimum of 3 CE hours must cover the Act and Rules and/or professional ethics, and these hours must be taken every year.
- No carryover for the 3 hours The 3-hour Act, Rules, or Ethics requirement cannot be carried over and must be earned each year.
- Self-study cap A maximum of 4 hours of self-directed study in a topic related to the practice of surveying may be applied toward the 12 hours.
- State-specific element The Act and Rules component addresses Texas surveying law and generally cannot be met with a generic national course.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online study and self-study
Verified distinction. Texas caps self-directed study at 4 hours per year. Self-study is defined by the Board as a self-directed activity that a licensee documents, rather than a structured course with verified participation.
Practical interpretation. A structured online course that documents attendance and verifies completion is generally not treated as self-study and is not limited by the 4-hour self-study cap. A surveyor relying on undocumented, self-directed reading should observe the 4-hour limit and keep the required written summary.
Confirming whether an online activity is a structured course or self-study is important, because the two are counted differently toward the 12 hours.
Provider and course approval
Verified structure. Texas administers a Continuing Education Program with defined categories of acceptable activity. The licensee is responsible for ensuring that activities meet the Board’s requirements and for retaining documentation.
Acceptable continuing education includes courses and activities relevant to the practice of surveying, with the Act, Rules, or Ethics component satisfying the annual 3-hour requirement.
Self-study documentation. A licensee using self-study must document the dates of study, the number of hours claimed, the topic goals, the resources used, and a short summary of the outcome of the study.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention
A licensee should maintain continuing education certificates and a log documenting the activities claimed for each year. A licensee who uses self-study must keep the written documentation described above.
Because the cycle is annual, records should be organized by calendar year, with the 3-hour Act, Rules, or Ethics component clearly reflected for each year.
Audit
After renewals, a percentage of the licensee population is audited and required to provide continuing education certificates and logs.
A licensee selected for audit must demonstrate the full 12 hours, including the annual 3-hour Act, Rules, or Ethics requirement and compliance with the 4-hour self-study cap.
Status Options and the Board
Combined board. Texas regulates engineers and surveyors through one agency, the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Surveyors follow the 12-hour annual requirement, while professional engineers follow a separate 15-hour requirement.
Inactive status. A licensee may request inactive status through the Board; an inactive licensee may not practice land surveying in Texas and must satisfy the Board’s requirements to return to active status.
Licensure types. Texas issues the Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) license and the Licensed State Land Surveyor (LSLS) designation; continuing education attaches to the surveyor’s registration.
New registrants. A surveyor should confirm with the Board how the annual requirement applies in the first partial year of registration.
Primary Texas 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.
Surveying Continuing Education
The Board’s official land surveyor continuing education page, stating the 12-hour annual requirement, the 3-hour Act, Rules, or Ethics component, carryover, and the self-study cap.
Continuing Education Program
The Board’s Continuing Education Program page and CEP frequently asked questions, with details on acceptable activities and self-study.
TBPELS Board Rules
The Board’s rules, including the continuing education requirements for registered professional land surveyors.
RPLS Renewals
The Board’s page for registered professional land surveyor renewals and status changes.
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. Texas requires 12 hours each calendar year, including 3 non-carryover hours in the Act, Rules, or Ethics, and caps self-study at 4 hours. The Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is the controlling authority.