Renewal Overview
What is required?
For each renewal cycle, a licensed Professional Engineer must obtain 30 hours of professional development that meets the requirements listed in Section 1380.325 (a) and (c) of the rules for the administration of the professional engineering practice act. There are three (3) core hours and twenty-seven (27) elective hours.

There is now an option to carryover up to 15 hours to the next renewal cycle, provided the hours are gained between June 1st through November 30th of the renewal year (view PDH Carryover Form section for more details). 

The core hours are:
1) A minimum of one hour of sexual harassment prevention training.
2) A minimum of one hour of programs, courses, or activities in the area of Illinois statutes and rules that regulate professional engineers and professional engineering.
3) A minimum of one hour of programs, courses, or activities in the area of professional conduct and/or ethics.
The remaining 27 hours may be obtained in areas/content of the licensee’s discretion. (50 minutes of instruction = 1 PDH). 
View IDFPR's ​Professional Engineering page for more resources and to renew online.

Who is subject to the requirements?
All professional engineers licensed by the State of Illinois must meet the requirements. Exceptions include:
  • A professional engineer is not required to fulfill the PDH requirements in their first renewal period.
  • Professional engineers licensed by the State of Illinois but residing in another state may use the professional development requirements in their home state if they are substantially equivalent to those of Illinois.
  • Individuals may seek a waiver of the PDH requirements prior to the renewal deadline for undo hardships, including full time service in the Armed Forces, extreme illness, or significant physical inability to travel.

How Do I Report My PDHs?

Who Are the Qualified Providers?
Professional Engineers will be required to certify on their renewal application that they are in compliance with the PDH requirements. PEs are required to maintain a record of their professional development hours for a period of six years. Recommended formats include:
  • Maintaining a record including the name & address of the provider, the hours for each program, the date and place of the program, and a certificate of attendance if available.
  • Maintaining a log of activities that includes the date and number of hours claimed as PDHs, a statement on the subject matter, printed program schedules, agendas, and/or minutes, registration receipts or other proof of participation;
  • Records of professional development hours maintained by an acceptable provider.
  • Illinois Society of Professional Engineers
  • National Society of Professional Engineers
  • National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
  • Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois
  • Colleges, Universities or other Educational Institutions
  • Technical or Professional Societies or Organizations Relating to Professional Engineering (i.e. ASCiE)
  • Other Technical or Professional Societies or Organizations (including Manufacturers)​

What Activities Qualify for PDHs?
Unfortunately, the Department of Professional Regulation will not pre-certify courses as qualifying as appropriate PDHs, so use prudence when selecting your activities.
NCEES PDH Tracking Tool
Keeping all your PDHs in one place just got easier with the new tracking tool available on the NCEES website.
​Completely free with a MyNCEES log-in, the CPC (continuing professional competency) tracker allows you to conveniently track and report your CPC requirements.
How to Track Your CPC Courses and Requirements:
  1. Identify the state licensing board(s) for which you would like to track CPC requirements. Login to your MyNCEES account and select CPC Tracking to select the appropriate state licensing boards and enter renewal period information for each.
  2. Enter CPC course information
  3. When you complete a continuing education course, add the course information and corresponding professional development hours (PDH). Supporting documentation can be uploaded to your account and the course and PDHs will be applied to the appropriate states.
  4. Track your progress
  5. View a side-by-side comparison of the state’s requirements and your completed CPC courses.
  6. Transmit your completed CPC report
  7. Send your CPC transcript electronically to a state licensing board. Check with your state licensing board for specific requirements.

For more information and FAQs about CPC Tracking, click here.
PDH Carryover Form
Illinois law requires that each Professional Engineer licensed in the State of Illinois must satisfy the professional development requirements as a condition for license renewal. Beginning with the November 30, 2023, renewal, pursuant to 68 IAC Section 1380.325 (a)(1) of the Rules for the administration of the Illinois Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989, licensees are eligible to carryover a maximum of 15 qualifying PDH hours from the current renewal cycle to the subsequent renewal cycle. Provided the hours are gained between June 1st through November 30th of the renewal year and not used for the current renewal period.
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Please note the carry over does not include the requirements for the State statutes and rules, professional conduct and/or ethics, or sexual harassment prevention training, which must all be satisfied during each pre-renewal period.

Licensees wishing to utilize this provision must document the PDH’s to be used in this manner on this form and be retained as part of your records in the event you are audited or need to restore your license. If audited or restoring your license, you must include this form and copies of all documentation/proof for listed activities on this form. Download the form. 

PDH Limitations - Beginning with the November 30, 2023, renewal: A maximum of 12 PD hours may be earned within a 24-hour period, where a period begins at midnight.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
On Friday Aug. 6, Gov. Pritzker signed SB 1079 into law making it Public Act 102-0308. The bill removes the PDH requirement for sexual harassment prevention training (SHPT), but still requires licensed personnel to show proof of SHPT when they renew their license.  ISPE offers a 1-hour training course to meet the SHPT requirement for license renewal. Click the link to view more information and purchase the course.
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