Mississippi Architect CE Requirements (2026): 24 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Mississippi State Board of Architecture requires every licensed architect to complete continuing education under Chapter 6 of its Rules. The obligation is measured per calendar year: you must earn 12 CEH each year, and all of them must be HSW (health, safety, and welfare) subjects taken in a qualified structured setting. There is no general-interest category.
Because licenses renew biennially — renewals open October 1 of odd-numbered years and are due by November 30 — a complete two-year period covers 24 HSW CEH (12 per year). Mississippi accepts online and distance-learning courses with no cap on distance-learning hours.
Compliance is self-certified at renewal; the Board audits a random sample and requires documentation only if you are selected. Newly licensed architects are exempt from CE for their first renewal, and records must be kept for 6 years.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 24 | Every renewal | All continuing education hours must be health, safety, and welfare (HSW) related and earned in a qualified structured setting — 12 HSW CEH each calendar year, so all 24 CEH across the biennial renewal must be HSW. Mississippi provides no general-education allotment. |
Exemptions
- First Renewal — Licensees are exempted from the continuing education requirement for their first renewal.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Mississippi CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Mississippi that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Annual minimum — at least 12 hours must be completed each year of the cycle, not just by the renewal deadline.
- Mississippi requires 12 HSW continuing education hours (CEHs) each calendar year, all in health-, safety-, and welfare-related subjects earned in a qualified structured setting (Board Rules, Chapter 6).
- Architect licenses renew biennially — renewals open October 1 of odd-numbered years and are due by November 30 — so a full two-year renewal period covers 24 CEH (12 per calendar year).
- Online and distance-learning courses are accepted with no limit on the number of hours completed by distance learning.
- Compliance is self-certified at renewal; licensees may be randomly selected for audit and must produce documentation only if audited. Records must be retained for 6 years.
Tips for Mississippi Architects
- Hit 12 HSW hours every calendar year — not 24 all at once. Because the requirement resets each January, you cannot bank a full biennium's worth in a single year.
- Make sure every course carries an HSW designation and is a structured activity. Mississippi accepts no non-HSW hours, so general business or software training won't count.
- Online is fine — there's no distance-learning cap — so out-of-state or self-paced HSW courses from approved providers can cover the full requirement.
- If it's your first renewal as a newly licensed architect, you're exempt; confirm your first required compliance year with the Board before assuming a course counts.
- Keep completion certificates for 6 years. You self-certify at renewal but must produce documentation if the Board selects you for a random audit.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Mississippi State Board of Architecture'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.