Tennessee Land Surveyor CE (PDH) Requirements (2026): 30 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Tennessee Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors requires every licensee to obtain the equivalent of 30 PDH per biennial (two-year) renewal period, under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0820-05-.03. Land surveyors are governed by their own board and rules, separate from architects and engineers.
A piece of that total is subject-specific: a minimum of 2 PDH must be earned in a course or activity focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice. If you exceed the requirement, up to 15 excess PDH may be carried forward to the next renewal period.
A new registrant is not required to meet the continuing education requirements as a prerequisite for the initial one-year period of active registration. Acceptable activities include college CEU courses and the relevant portions of technical meetings, seminars, webinars, tutorials, short courses, and correspondence courses.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surveying ethics and standards of practice | 2 | Every renewal | A minimum of 2 of the 30 PDH must be earned by successfully completing a course or activity with content areas focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice. |
Exemptions
- New Registrants (Initial Year) — A new registrant is not required to satisfy the continuing education requirements as a prerequisite for the initial one-year period of active registration.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Tennessee CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Tennessee that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Carry-over — If a licensee exceeds the biennial requirement in any renewal period, up to 15 excess PDH may be carried forward to the subsequent renewal period.
- The requirement is 30 PDH per biennial renewal period, including a minimum of 2 PDH focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0820-05-.03).
- Up to 15 excess PDH may be carried forward to the subsequent renewal period.
- A new registrant is exempt from continuing education for the initial one-year period of active registration.
- Acceptable activities include college/university CEU courses and the relevant portions of technical meetings, seminars, webinars, tutorials, short courses, and correspondence courses.
- Keep records of activities (dates, subjects, duration, program schedules, receipts, and proof of participation) for 3 years after the activity.
Tips for Tennessee PLSs
- Reserve at least 2 of your 30 PDH for a course focused on surveying ethics and standards of practice — it is a specific mandatory subject, not a generic technical hour.
- You can carry up to 15 excess PDH into the next renewal period, so a heavy course year can offset the next cycle.
- New registrants get a pass for their initial one-year period; confirm when your first full compliance cycle begins with the Board.
- Webinars and correspondence courses count as long as the content relates to the practice of land surveying.
- Keep your activity records — dates, subjects, duration, schedules, and receipts — for three years after each activity in case of audit.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Tennessee Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors'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.