Florida licensed engineers are reminded that per Rule 61G15-22.001, Florida Administrative Code, they are required to complete 18 continuing education hours during each licensing renewal biennium as a condition of license renewal. Of those 18 hours, four hours shall relate to the licensee’s area of practice; one hour related to ethics; and one hour related Chapter 471, Florida Statutes, and the rules of the FBPE. All remaining hours may relate to any topic pertinent to the practice of engineering as defined in Rule 61G15-22.002, F.A.C.
In order to demonstrate compliance with the Continuing Education (CE) requirements, licensees must attest to completion of the continuing education requirements upon licensure renewal. After the last renewal cycle, FBPE staff audited about 1000 PEs (about 3 percent of currently licensed PEs) and of those audited 188 could not produce documentation of having met the CE requirements. This is an unacceptable number of licensees who were in non-compliance of the CE requirements. Florida licensed engineers are reminded that per Rule 61G15-22.006, F.A.C., it is their responsibility to retain all receipts, vouchers, certificates, or other papers necessary to provide documentation of completion of the continuing education requirements. This documentation is to be retained for a period of four years from the date of the completion of the continuing education activity. Licensees should also keep in mind that pursuant to Rule 61G15-19.001(6)(s), FAC, renewing a license without completion of the required CE hours is an disciplinary violation that, if proven, subjects a licensee to a penalty may include one or more of the following: a fine, suspension of licensure, and potentially, revocation (61G15-19.004(2)(g)4.i.).