Ohio Architect CE Requirements (2026): 12 Hours Every Year
Requirements Overview
The Ohio Architects Board requires a minimum of 12 continuing education hours each calendar year to renew or reinstate a registration, and all 12 must be in health, safety and welfare (HSW) subjects (Ohio Administrative Code Rule 4703-2-07). Ohio adds a delivery condition many states do not: the hours must be acquired in structured educational activities, not informal or self-directed study.
The requirement is measured per calendar year and registration renews annually. Excess hours may not be credited to a future calendar year, so banking extra credit toward next year is not an option.
CE may be earned at any location, and architects must complete and submit board-required forms certifying that they finished the hours. Failure to comply can result in non-renewal of the registration, and records should be retained for six years.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 12 | Every renewal | All 12 continuing education hours must be completed in health, safety and welfare subjects acquired in structured educational activities. There is no non-HSW allowance. |
How You Can Complete Your CE
Ohio CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Ohio 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.
- All 12 required CE hours must be health, safety and welfare (HSW) acquired in structured educational activities (OAC 4703-2-07).
- The requirement is measured per calendar year and registration renews annually.
- Excess hours may not be credited to a future calendar year (no carryover).
- Continuing education may be acquired at any location, but the architect must submit board-required forms certifying completion. Records are retained for six years. Verify course acceptability with the Ohio Architects Board.
Tips for Ohio Architects
- Plan all 12 hours as HSW — Ohio has no general or elective category, so every hour must be a health, safety and welfare subject.
- Choose structured activities (organized courses and programs); informal or self-directed study does not satisfy the rule.
- Finish by the calendar-year deadline and do not over-earn expecting a rollover — excess hours cannot be credited to a future year.
- Keep the certification forms handy: Ohio requires you to certify completion to the board, and records should be kept for six years.
- You can take courses anywhere, including online structured programs, but confirm HSW acceptability with the Ohio Architects Board.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Ohio Architects Board'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.