Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Vermont Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of continuing education requirements for Vermont-licensed land surveyors.
Vermont Renewal Requirements
The following items are expressly stated in Vermont statutes, Board rules, or current Board guidance unless marked as an interpretation.
Renewal cycle and total hours
- Renewal cycle Biennial. Licenses are issued for a two-year period and must be renewed by the expiration date printed on the license.
- Required hours Licensees must complete and document 20 hours of continuing education within the preceding biennium.
- No carryover The rule sets a 20-hour biennial requirement without a stated carryover provision, so hours are earned within each biennium.
- Dedicated surveyor board Vermont regulates land surveyors through a dedicated Board of Land Surveyors within the Office of Professional Regulation.
Subjects and first-period exception
- No fixed subject minimums Vermont does not mandate a set number of ethics hours or a state-specific statutes course; content must be relevant to the practice of land surveying.
- First-period exception For a newly licensed surveyor, the mandatory requirement begins with the first full biennial renewal period; continuing education is recommended but not required during the initial licensing period.
- Relevance standard Activities must improve or expand skills and knowledge and contribute meaningfully to serving the public.
- Full completion Credit is granted only for satisfactory completion of an educational activity in its entirety.
Online Study and Approval Rules
Online and distance education
Verified status. Vermont does not impose a cap on online continuing education for surveyors; courses may be taken online provided they meet the rule’s criteria, including a procedure for controlling and verifying attendance.
Practical interpretation. A surveyor may complete the 20 hours through qualifying online courses that are relevant to land surveying, are well organized, and verify participation and completion.
Credit is given only for satisfactory completion of the full activity, and college courses convert at 15 continuing education hours per semester credit.
Provider and course approval
Verified process. Vermont approves educational activities. A sponsor or licensee may request pre-approval at least 90 days before the activity, and if the Board does not act within 90 days of a completed request, the program is deemed approved. Post-activity approval is also available.
An approved sponsor may state only that the activity has been approved by the Vermont Board of Land Surveyors for a specified number of hours, and must furnish a certificate of completion. The Office also maintains an approved-course search.
Actionable point. Because Vermont approves activities, a provider seeking to serve Vermont surveyors submits courses for approval, with the 90-day deemed-approval provision as a backstop.
Records, Reporting, and Audit
Record retention and reporting
At each renewal, a licensee must certify attendance or participation in the 20 hours of continuing education. Through the Office’s online renewal, a licensee attests to completing the requirement and uploads course completion certificates.
Each licensee is responsible for maintaining the documents and records supporting the credits claimed for four years after the biennial report on which they were claimed, available to the Board for audit.
Audit and corrective plans
Each biennium, the Board conducts a random audit of no fewer than 10 percent of licensees applying for renewal, and may also audit conditioned, late-renewing, or previously deficient licensees.
A licensee found deficient on audit may be permitted 90 days to develop and complete a corrective plan. If the Board determines a licensee has not complied, it may terminate the active status of the license.
Exceptions, Reinstatement, and Status
New licensees. The continuing education requirement begins with the first full biennial renewal period after initial licensure; it is recommended but not required during the initial period.
Reinstatement within three years. A license expired for less than three years may be renewed with an application, the required fees, and verification of no fewer than 20 hours of Board-approved continuing education.
Reinstatement after three years. A license expired for three or more years requires passing the Fundamentals of Surveying, Principles and Practice of Surveying, and Vermont-specific examinations, completed within one year of the renewal application.
Hardship. The Board, in its sole discretion, may grant waivers or extensions of the renewal and reinstatement requirements in individual cases involving extreme hardship.
Primary Vermont Sources
Board rules control if a summary conflicts with an official requirement. Licensees should verify their own renewal date and current instructions through the Office.
Administrative Rules of the Board of Land Surveyors
The Board’s rules, Part 7, establishing the 20-hour biennial continuing education requirement, the first-period exception, approval process, records, and audits.
26 V.S.A. Chapter 45
The Vermont land surveying statute establishing the Board and its authority over licensure, renewal, and continuing education.
OPR Land Surveyors
The Office of Professional Regulation’s official land surveyor page, with forms, statutes and rules, online licensing, and the approved-course search.
OPR Online Services
The Office’s online services platform, where Vermont surveyors renew, attest to continuing education, and upload certificates.
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. Vermont requires 20 hours of continuing education each biennium and approves educational activities, and requirements can change. The Vermont Board of Land Surveyors, within the Office of Professional Regulation, is the controlling authority.