30 Miss. Code. R. 901-23.1

1. Introduction

a. The purpose of the continuing professional competency requirement (CPC) is to insure a continuing level of competency of Professional Engineers and/or Professional Surveyors in their respective fields of engineering and/or surveying practice.

b. Every licensee shall meet the continuing professional competency requirements of these regulations for professional development as a condition for licensee renewal.

2. Definitions - Terms used in this section are defined as follows:

a. Professional Development Hour (PDH) A contact hour (nominal) instruction/or presentation. The common denominator for other units of credit.

b. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Unit of credit customarily used for continuing education courses. One continuing education unit equals 10 hours of class in approved continuing education course.

c. College/Unit Semester/Quarter Hour Credit for course in ABET-approved programs or other related college course approved in accordance with article 5 of this rule.

d. Course/Activity Any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee's field of practice in engineering and/or surveying.

e. Licensee A person who is licensed as a Professional Engineer or a Professional Surveyor.

f. Dual Licensee A person who is licensed as both a Professional Engineer and a Professional Surveyor.

g. Renewal Period Year January 1 to December 31 of each year.

h. Board The Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers & Surveyors.

3. Requirements

a. Every Professional Engineer licensee is required to obtain 15 PDH units during the renewal period year.

b. Every Professional Surveyor licensee is required to obtain 12 PDH units during the renewal period year.

c. Dual Licensees - The number of PDH units required shall be 18, at least 1/3 of which shall be obtained in each profession.

d. As of January 1, 2010, every licensee shall be required to obtain one (1) PDH unit of Ethics training every two years. After 2010, excess ethics PDH may not be carried forward.

e. Professional Surveyors licensed in Mississippi are required to obtain training in Mississippi Standards of Practice.

Professional Surveyors with five (5) years or less licensure in Mississippi are required to obtain one PDH unit in Mississippi Standards of Practice annually.

Professional Surveyors with more than five (5) years licensure in Mississippi are required to obtain one PDH unit in Mississippi Standards of Practice biennially.

Courses of surveying standards in other states may not be used to meet this requirement. However, standard courses from other states may be used as a portion of the licensee's remaining PDH.

Excess Mississippi Standards PDH may not be carried forward.

f. If a licensee exceeds the annual requirement in any renewal period, PDH units may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period as follows: a maximum of 18 PDH units by a Professional Engineer/Professional Surveyor licensee; a maximum of 15 PDH units by a Professional Engineer licensee; a maximum of 12 PDH units by a Professional Surveyor licensee, with the exception of Ethics and Standards of Practice, in which case 3d and 3e will govern. PDH units may be earned as follows:

(1) Successful completion of college courses.

(2) Successful completion of continuing education courses.

(3) Successful completion of correspondence, televised, videotaped, electronic and qualifying short courses/tutorials.

(4) Presenting or attending qualifying seminars, in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences.

(5) Teaching or instructing in (1) through (4) above.

(6) Authoring published papers, articles, or books.

(7) Active participation in professional or technical societies, or active participation in educational outreach activities.

4. Units - The conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:

a. 1 College or unit semester hour	15 PDH
b. 1 College or unit quarter hour	10 PDH
c. 1 Continuing Education Unit	10 PDH
d. 1 Hour of professional development in course work, seminars, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences	1 PDH
e. For teaching apply multiple of 2*
f. Each published paper, article, or book	10 PDH
g. Active participation in professional and technical society.** (1 PDH per organization with a maximum of 3 PDH.)	1 PDH
h. Active participation in educational outreach activities (maximum of 3 PDH)	1 PDH

*Teaching credit is valid for teaching a course or seminar for the first time only. Teaching credit does not apply to full-time faculty.

**Active participation will be defined as each member paying his/her annual dues.

5. Determination of Credit - The Board has final authority with respect to approval of courses, credit, PDH value for courses, and other methods of earning credit.

a. Credit for college or community college approved courses will be based upon course credit established by the college and approved by the Board.

b. Credit for qualifying seminars and workshops will be based on one PDH unit for each hour of attendance. Attendance at qualifying programs presented at professional and/or technical society meetings will earn PDH units for the actual time of each program.

c. Credit determination for activities 4f, publishing paper, article, or book, is the responsibility of the licensee (subject to review as required by the Board), but shall not exceed 10 PDH units per renewal period year.

d. Credit for activity 4g, active participation in professional societies, limited to 1 PDH per organization with a maximum of 3 PDH, requires that a licensee be an active member of the organization. PDH units are not earned until the end of each renewal period year.

6. Record keeping The responsibility of maintaining records to be used to support credits claimed is the responsibility of the licensee.

a. Records required include, but are not limited to:

1) a log showing the type of activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's name, and PDH credits earned;

2) attendance verification records in the form of completion certificates or other documents supporting evidence of attendance; or

3) records as maintained by the NCEES's CPC Tracking Program, NSPE's Professional Development Registry for Engineers & Surveyors, or other similar repositories;

b. These records must be maintained for 3 years; copies may be requested by the board for audit verification purposes.

7. Exemptions - A licensee may be exempt from the professional development educational requirements for one of the following reasons:

a. New licensees by way of examination or comity shall be exempt until the beginning of the next renewal period.

b. A licensee serving on temporary active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days in a year shall be exempt from obtaining the professional development hours required during that year. Supporting documentation must be furnished to the Board.

c. Licensees experiencing physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances as reviewed and approved by the board may be exempt. Supporting documentation must be furnished to the Board, upon request by the Board for audit verification purposes.

d. A Professional Engineer licensee 60 years of age and having 20 years of aggregate practice shall be exempt from the professional development educational requirement. A Professional Surveyor licensee 60 years of age and having 20 years of aggregate practice shall obtain at least 1 PDH of Mississippi Standards of Surveying biennially, but shall be exempt from the remaining professional development educational requirement.

e. A Professional Engineer or Professional Surveyor currently in Retired Status.

8. Reinstatement - A licensee may bring a lapsed license to active status by obtaining the PDH units required for one renewal period, which must include 1 PDH unit of Ethics. Dual licensees bringing only one license to active status is required to obtain only the PDH units required for the license being renewed. If the license being brought to active status is a Professional Surveyor's license, one PDH unit of Standards of Practice must be obtained. A Professional Surveyor Relicensure applicant who qualifies for the exemption of 7d above shall be required to obtain at least 1 PDH of Mississippi Standards of Practice. All PDH units being claimed for reinstatement must have been acquired within the most current twelve (12) months.

9. Comity/Out-of-Jurisdiction Resident - The CPC requirements for Mississippi will be satisfied when a non-resident certifies to be licensed in and having met the mandatory CPC requirements of the state of Mississippi.

10. Forms - All renewal applications will require a certification by the licensee that the CPC requirement for that year has been met. When renewing by mail, the licensee must certify and sign the continuing education form, and submit it with the renewal application and fee.

11. Audits Each licensee's Continuing Professional Competency records are subject to audit by the Board or its authorized representative.

Notes

30 Miss. Code. R. 901-23.1

Miss. Code Ann. § 73-13-15

Amended4/15/2017