Missouri Land Surveyor CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 20 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Professional Landscape Architects (APELSLA) requires each licensed professional land surveyor to complete a minimum of 20 professional development units (PDUs) during the two-year period immediately preceding renewal (20 CSR 2030-8.020) — a lighter load than the 30 hours Missouri asks of professional engineers.
Of those 20 PDUs, at least 2 must be in Surveying Standards, pointing to 20 CSR 2030 Chapters 16 and 17 and/or Chapters 60 and 327, RSMo (a requirement effective March 30, 2016). A PDU is earned for every 50 to 60 minutes of qualifying activity.
Excess hours help you later: up to 10 PDUs may be carried into the next two-year period. New licensees (held less than 12 months at first renewal) and those on active military duty are excused, and a surveyor who cannot meet the requirement may place the license on inactive status rather than renew as active.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surveying Standards | 2 | Every renewal | At least 2 of the 20 PDUs must be in Surveying Standards (20 CSR 2030, Chapters 16 and 17, and/or Chapters 60 and 327, RSMo) during the two-year period immediately preceding renewal. |
Exemptions
- Newly Licensed (First Renewal) — A licensee who has held licensure less than twelve (12) months need not report PDUs at the first renewal.
- Active Military Duty — A licensee on active duty in the military is exempt from the PDU requirement for the renewal period during the service.
- Good Cause / Hardship — For good cause shown, the board may grant an extension or make-up period to complete the required PDUs.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Missouri CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Missouri that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Carry-over — A licensee who completes more than 20 PDUs during the two years immediately preceding renewal may carry forward up to 10 PDUs into the next two-year period.
- A PDU is earned for every 50 to 60 minutes of qualifying activity (20 CSR 2030-8.020(4)(B)).
- The 2-PDU Surveying Standards requirement (effective March 30, 2016) points to 20 CSR 2030 Chapters 16 and 17 and/or Chapters 60 and 327, RSMo.
- A surveyor who cannot meet the requirement may place the license on inactive status instead of renewing as active.
- Retain records of completed PDU activities for four years after the reporting period; a completed PDU documentation form must be submitted with renewal.
Tips for Missouri PLSs
- Reserve 2 of your 20 PDUs for Surveying Standards tied to 20 CSR 2030 Chapters 16/17 and/or Chapters 60 and 327, RSMo — a generic surveying course will not satisfy this piece.
- Remember a PDU is 50 to 60 minutes of qualifying activity, so plan course lengths accordingly when totaling to 20.
- Carry up to 10 excess PDUs into the next two-year cycle if you over-earn, but not more than that.
- If you cannot complete the hours, consider inactive status instead of renewing active — it avoids a compliance violation while you are not practicing.
- Keep your PDU documentation form and supporting records for four years; you submit the form at renewal and must be able to back it up.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Professional Landscape Architects (APELSLA)'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.