Wisconsin Continuing Education Requirements
Continuing education (CE) for licensed professionals in Wisconsin is set by each profession's own state board — Wisconsin Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers and Land Surveyors (DSPS), Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board, Wisconsin Physical Therapy Examining Board, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Professional Engineer Section, Wisconsin Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers, Professional Land Surveyors and Registered Interior Designers (Department of Safety and Professional Services, DSPS), Wisconsin Real Estate Examining Board, and Wisconsin Board of Nursing. Every board sets its own contact-hour total, renewal cycle, and mandatory subjects. Compare all 7 professions below, then open a profession for the full Wisconsin breakdown.
Wisconsin CE Requirements at a Glance
| Profession | Contact Hours | Renewal Cycle | Online? | Key Topics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architect | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | View → |
| CPA (Certified Public Accountant) | 80 | 2 yr | Yes | Ethics, Formal Learning Activities | View → |
| Physical Therapist (PT) | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Ethics and/or jurisprudence | View → |
| Professional Engineer (PE) | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Professional conduct and ethics | View → |
| Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) | 20 | 2 yr | Yes | Wisconsin statutes and rules regulating professional land surveyors and surveys, Professional conduct and ethics | View → |
| Real Estate Agent / Broker | 18 | 2 yr | Yes | Fair Housing and Antitrust, Wisconsin Contract Law | View → |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | None | — | — | — | View → |
Notable Wisconsin Requirements
Specific mandates Wisconsin boards impose that often trip up license holders:
- Architect Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) — 16 hours — At least 16 of the 24 contact hours in each biennial period must be in health, safety, and welfare (HSW) topics pertinent to the practice of architecture. Full Architect details →
- CPA Ethics — 3 hours — A minimum of 3 ethics credits must be completed during each 2-year compliance period. Full CPA details →
- CPA Formal Learning Activities — 40 hours — At least 50% of the 80 required credits (40 credits) must come from formal learning activities where participation is objectively confirmed by a program sponsor. Full CPA details →
- PT Ethics and/or jurisprudence — 4 hours — 4 of the 30 total contact hours (PT) / 4 of the 20 total contact hours (PTA) must be in ethics, jurisprudence, or both -- the rule does not require a split between the two topics, either alone or combined satisfies the requirement. Full PT details →
- PE Professional conduct and ethics — 2 hours — At least 2 of the required 30 PDHs each biennium must be in professional conduct and ethics. Full PE details →
- PLS Wisconsin statutes and rules regulating professional land surveyors and surveys — 2 hours — At least 2 of the 20 PDH each biennium must be in programs, courses or activities on the Wisconsin statutes and rules that regulate professional land surveyors and surveys. Full PLS details →
Browse by Profession
Wisconsin Licensing Boards
CE requirements on this page are sourced from each profession's official Wisconsin board:
- Architect
- CPA
- PT
- PE
- PLS
- Real Estate
- RN
Other States
Browse CE requirements for another state: