Pennsylvania Architect CE Requirements (2026): 24 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Pennsylvania State Architects Licensure Board requires 24 hours of health, safety and welfare (HSW) continuing education as a condition of each biennial license renewal. Licenses expire June 30 of every odd-numbered year, so the requirement is measured over the two-year period ending on that date. All 24 hours must be HSW — there is no non-HSW allowance.
This is a brand-new requirement. Continuing education was authorized by a 2024 law change (Act 144 of 2024) that took effect December 30, 2024, but the Board expressly waived it for the 2025 biennial renewal period — it was not required for the renewal due June 30, 2025. Because the next renewal falls on June 30, 2027, the 24-hour HSW obligation is first enforced at the 2027 renewal.
Architects in their initial licensure period are exempt during that first period. Confirm current details with the Board before relying on any course.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 24 | Every renewal | All 24 continuing education hours per biennial renewal must be in health, safety and welfare (HSW) subject areas. There is no separate non-HSW allowance. |
Exemptions
- 2025 Biennial Renewal Period (One-Time Waiver) — The Board expressly waived continuing education for the 2025 biennial renewal period; CE was not required for the renewal due June 30, 2025.
- Initial Licensure Period — An individual applying for initial licensure to practice architecture is exempt from the continuing education requirement during the initial licensure period.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Pennsylvania CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Pennsylvania that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Continuing education for Pennsylvania architects was newly authorized by a law change (Act 144 of 2024, amending the Architects Licensure Law) effective December 30, 2024.
- The State Architects Licensure Board expressly WAIVED the requirement for the 2025 biennial renewal period — CE was not required for the renewal due June 30, 2025.
- Because licenses expire June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the 24-hour HSW requirement first applies going forward and is first enforced at the June 30, 2027 renewal.
- All 24 hours must be in health, safety and welfare (HSW) subject areas.
- Architects in their initial licensure period are exempt from continuing education.
Tips for Pennsylvania Architects
- Do not assume you owe hours for the 2025 renewal — the Board waived CE for the 2025 biennial period. The 24 HSW hours first count toward the renewal due June 30, 2027.
- Every hour must carry the HSW (health, safety & welfare) designation. General business or marketing courses do not count toward the 24.
- Track hours against the two-year window ending June 30 of the odd-numbered year, since that is when your license expires and compliance is checked.
- If you are in your initial licensure period, you are exempt from CE for that first period — verify your first full compliance cycle with the Board.
- Because the program is new, keep your certificates of completion and re-check the Board's requirements page, as guidance for the first enforced (2027) cycle may be updated.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Pennsylvania State Architects Licensure 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.