Continuing Education

For Architects, Engineers, Landscape Architects, & Registered Interior Designers

In 1995, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law giving the Board the authority to establish continuing professional education requirements for its registrants. The rules adopted by the Board became effective July 9, 1997.

The continuing education program developed by the Board is an honor system designed to limit administrative costs. Here is how the program works:

• Engineer, Interior Designers or Landscape Architect seeking renewal for the first time after initial registration must obtain 12 hours of continuing professional education during the 2 years immediately following initial registration, 7 of which must address health, safety and welfare issues and technical competency;
  
• Engineers, Interior Designers or Landscape Architects seeking renewal for each 2-year period thereafter must obtain 24 hours of continuing professional education, 13 of which must address health, safety and welfare issues and technical competency. 
  
• Architects seeking renewal for the first time shall provide12hrs of PDH and all 12hrs must be completed in Health, Safety and Welfare subjects.
• Architects seeking renewal for each 2-year period thereafter must obtain 24 hours of continuing professional education. All 24hrs of PDH must be completed in Health, Safety and Welfare subjects.
• registered architects and registered interior designers may, as an alternative option, report 12 hours of continuing education for each calendar year (see Rule 0120-05-.14 Alternative Continuing Professional Development Option for Architects and Registered Interior Designers);
• For Architects, Engineers and Landscape Architects renewing a license that expires prior to 2023, up to 12 carryover PDHs from the preceding renewal period. For registrants renewing a license that expires in 2023 and thereafter, excess PDHs may not carry over.
• registrants must certify completion of the required hours on the renewal of registration form;
• registrants must maintain documentation of their training for a period of 4 years.

The Board will not approve continuing education courses in advance. It is the registrant's responsibility to determine which courses meet the criteria of the continuing education rules. Registrants may use the following criteria to determine if training will be acceptable:

• the objective of the activity is to maintain, improve or expand skills and knowledge;
• the presentation will be preplanned and made by individuals who are qualified.

Providers are simply asked to provide participants with documentation verifying attendance such as completion certificates showing the sponsoring organization, date, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's name and a description of the activity.

Continuing education activities include:

• presentations at related technical or professional meetings;
• seminars, tutorials, correspondence courses, Internet courses, televised courses or videotaped courses;
• programs sponsored by corporations or organizations;
• college or university-sponsored courses.

Click Here to view Tennessee's continuing education rules.
Click Here for an optional Record of Accrual form that may be used by registrants to document continuing education activities.
Click Here for a list of continuing education providers whose courses are generally accepted by the Board.

What happens if a registrant is one of the 5% who will be audited?

• Registrants will receive an audit letter in the mail and will be instructed to complete the summary log and enter PDH documentation online at https://core.tn.gov
  
• If the Board has questions about some of the hours claimed, it may request submittal of additional information about the training.
• If part of the training is not acceptable, registrants will have 90 days to complete the required hours.

For more complete information about the requirements, please refer to Chapter 0120-05 of the Board's Rules.
If, after reading the rules, you have questions, please contact ce.aeboard@tn.gov.

For those calling in the Nashville area, the number is 615-741-3221; outside the Nashville area, call 1-800-256-5758, or send an e-mail.