Montana Architect CE Requirements (2026): 12 Hours Every Year
Requirements Overview
The Montana Board of Architects and Landscape Architects, part of the Department of Labor & Industry, sets architect continuing education in ARM 24.114.2105. Every licensed architect must complete 12 hours of HSW continuing education each calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
Montana ties the hours tightly to health, safety, and welfare: no more than 25% of any single course may be devoted to non-HSW subjects related to architecture, so in practice the full 12-hour requirement is HSW. Renewal runs each year from May 2 to June 30, but the CE obligation is accounted on a calendar-year basis.
Two groups are exempt: architects renewing for the first time, and those granted emeritus status. Licensees keep their own records to document the hours if the Board asks.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 12 | Every renewal | All 12 continuing education hours each calendar year must be HSW related to the practice of architecture. No more than 25% of any single course may be devoted to subjects other than health, safety, and welfare, so effectively every qualifying hour is HSW. |
Exemptions
- First-Time Renewal — Continuing education is not required for an architect renewing the license for the first time.
- Emeritus Status — Architects granted emeritus status are exempt from the continuing education requirement.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Montana CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Montana 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.
- Montana requires 12 HSW continuing education hours each calendar year (January 1 - December 31); all hours must be health-, safety-, and welfare-related to the practice of architecture (ARM 24.114.2105).
- No more than 25% of any single course may cover non-HSW subjects, so effectively the entire 12-hour requirement is HSW.
- License renewal runs May 2 - June 30 each year; CE is nonetheless accounted on a calendar-year basis.
- Continuing education is not required for a first-time renewal or for emeritus licensees. Licensees retain records to document their CE.
Tips for Montana Architects
- Earn 12 HSW hours every calendar year. Because the requirement is annual, you can't defer a light year onto the next — each January the clock resets.
- Watch the 25% rule per course. Any single course must be at least 75% HSW content to count toward the requirement, so verify a course's HSW share before relying on it.
- Don't confuse the renewal window with the CE period. Renewal runs May 2-June 30, but your 12 hours are measured over the calendar year.
- First-time renewers are exempt — if you're renewing your Montana license for the very first time, you don't owe CE yet. Confirm your first required year with the Board.
- Keep your completion certificates. Montana licensees self-document CE and should be able to produce records on request.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Montana Board of Architects and 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.