Hawaii Architect CE Requirements (2026): 16 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Hawaii Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors & Landscape Architects requires every architect to earn 16 CE credit hours per two-year biennium to renew. Unlike states that allow a mix of topics, Hawaii requires that all 16 hours be in public-protection subjects — the state's term for health, safety and welfare (HSW). There is no allowance for general business or elective content.
Licenses renew biennially on April 30 of even-numbered years; for the current cycle, hours must be earned between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026. The board does not pre-approve courses, but AIA HSW offerings are generally accepted, and compliance is self-attested at renewal subject to random audit.
New licensees are prorated: 8 hours if first licensed in the first year of the biennium, and 0 hours if first licensed in the second year.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Protection / Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 16 | Every renewal | All 16 CE credit hours must be in public-protection (health, safety, welfare) subjects approved by the board. There is no non-HSW allowance — every hour must be HSW/public-protection. |
Exemptions
- First Biennium — Licensed In Year 1 (Prorated) — A licensee initially licensed in the first year of the biennium must complete 8 CE credit hours (half of the standard 16) for that biennium.
- First Biennium — Licensed In Year 2 — A licensee initially licensed in the second year of the biennium completes 0 CE credit hours for that biennium.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Hawaii CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Hawaii that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- All 16 CE credit hours must be in public-protection (health, safety, welfare) subjects; Hawaii has no non-HSW allowance for architects.
- Licenses renew biennially on April 30 of even-numbered years; for the current cycle CE must be earned between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026.
- New licensees are prorated: 8 hours if first licensed in year 1 of the biennium, 0 hours if first licensed in year 2.
- The board does not pre-approve courses; AIA HSW courses are generally accepted, and CE is self-attested at renewal subject to random audit.
Tips for Hawaii Architects
- Choose only HSW / public-protection courses — Hawaii gives no credit for non-HSW topics, so all 16 hours must carry that designation.
- AIA-registered HSW courses are the safest bet since the board does not pre-approve individual courses; keep the HSW designation on your certificates.
- Earn your hours within the biennium window (May 1 through April 30 two years later) and renew by April 30 of the even year.
- If you were newly licensed, check which year of the biennium you started: you may owe only 8 hours, or none at all.
- Keep completion records — CE is self-attested at renewal, but the board conducts random audits and can ask for proof.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors & Landscape Architects's official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Jul 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.