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How many continuing education hours does a PE need in New York?

New York’s Education Department says licensed professional engineers must complete 36 hours of continuing education in each three-year period, unless you qualify for an exception. New York also requires professional ethics every period.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
36 hours of continuing educationThe Education Department gives this number to professional engineers.
Verified. www.op.nysed.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
Each three-year registration periodThe Education Department counts hours inside this window.
Same source and date as above
Who needs it
Every licensed PE, unless an exemption or newly licensed status appliesThe department’s Q&A names both exceptions.
Same source and date as above
Rule
Education Law §7211It is the section of the Education Law that sets mandatory CE.
Verified. www.op.nysed.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check what applies to you. Professional engineers complete 36 hours of CE in each three-year period. If on December 31, 2003 you worked full time for New York State, its agencies, public authorities, public benefit corporations or local government units, in a job that needed an engineering license, and you are in a collective bargaining unit or hold a managerial or confidential title, that counts as meeting the CE rule while you stay in that job. Doing engineering work in New York outside it ends that.

  2. Step 2. Pick courses that count. They must come from an approved New York State sponsor, in an approved subject area and format. On-demand programs count when they come from an approved provider and include a testing instrument.

  3. Step 3. Take the hours. Include 1 hour of professional ethics, taken as a course or educational activity, in each period.

  4. Step 4. Keep your proof. Do not send certificates or an NCEES CPC tracking transcript to the Education Department unless its staff asks. Keep them at least 6 years from the date you took each course.

Before you pay

We haven’t confirmed a course price. Before you pay, ask whether the sponsor is approved in New York and whether the subject is on the approved list, because not every course from an approved sponsor counts.

Questions

What if I was just licensed in New York?

It depends on how you got it. If you just passed the exams and got your first license, you need no CE in your first three-year period. If you were practicing somewhere else first, you must complete 1 hour of CE for every month of your registration period.

What if my period is shorter than three years?

Count the months in your period. You complete 1 hour for each month, up to a maximum of 36 hours for professional engineers.

Can extra hours carry over?

Yes, a little. A maximum of six hours completed in one triennial period may be transferred to a subsequent one.

Is there a fee for continuing education?

Yes. A mandatory CE fee of forty-five dollars is due on or before the first day of each triennial period, in addition to the regular fees.

What to do next

Start with the New York State Education Department Q&A on continuing education for engineers. Check your own dates there before you pay for a course.

www.op.nysed.gov

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