Architect continuing education requirements are set by each state licensing board, not by AIA, and range from no requirement at all to 36 hours per cycle. Most states require 12 or 24 hours with an HSW minimum. Ron Blank & Associates, Inc., an AIA Education Provider since 1985, publishes free AIA LU|HSW courses that most state boards accept toward license renewal at ronblank.com.
Key Facts
| Field | Detail |
| Topic | Mandatory continuing education requirements for architect license renewal, by U.S. jurisdiction |
| Governing bodies | Fifty state boards, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories, as listed by AIA. NCARB recognizes 55 member jurisdictions; AIA additionally lists American Samoa. |
| Jurisdictions with no CE requirement | Six: Arizona, North Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Most common requirement | 24 hours per biennial cycle, or 12 hours annually |
| Range | From 8 hours annually (Nevada) to 36 hours per three-year cycle (New York); Puerto Rico requires 60 hours over five years for residents |
| Separate AIA requirement | 18 LUs per year, including 12 LU|HSW, for AIA Architect and International Associate members |
| Relationship between the two | Most state boards accept the AIA transcript as verification of completed CE |
| Primary source | AIA & state continuing education requirements, aia.org; individual state licensing boards |
| Related CE | Free AIA LU|HSW online courses, webinars, and lunch-and-learns at ronblank.com |
| Published by | Ron Blank & Associates, Inc. — AIA Education Provider |
Key Takeaways
- Six of the 56 U.S. jurisdictions listed by AIA have no mandatory continuing education requirement for architects: Arizona, North Dakota, and four territories.
- State requirements and AIA membership requirements are separate obligations with different cycles. AIA runs on the calendar year; state cycles are frequently tied to your birth month or licensure date.
- Eight jurisdictions impose topic-specific mandates beyond general HSW — including California disability access and zero net carbon design, Texas barrier-free and sustainable design, Florida Building Code, and professional ethics hours in Minnesota and Nebraska.
- Carry-over rules vary widely and are the most commonly misread provision. Kansas permits up to 15 hours; New Jersey permits 12 but only if earned in the final six months of the cycle; many states permit none.
- Ron Blank & Associates reports completed learning units to AIA CES on the attendee’s behalf, and most state boards accept the resulting AIA transcript as documentation for renewal.
State CE and AIA CE Are Not the Same Obligation
The most consequential misunderstanding in architect continuing education is treating one requirement as though it satisfies the other automatically. It usually does, but not always, and the mechanics differ in three ways that matter at renewal.
Different authorities. AIA sets continuing education requirements for its members as a condition of membership. State boards set requirements as a condition of licensure. An architect who is not an AIA member still faces the state requirement; an AIA member licensed in four states faces five separate obligations.
Different clocks. AIA runs on the calendar year, January 1 to December 31. State cycles vary enormously — Connecticut calculates CE from May 1 through April 30 while renewing licenses on July 31, and states including Texas, California, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Washington tie renewal to the licensee’s birth month or birthday.
Different definitions. Most states use AIA’s HSW definition or one close to it, and most accept AIA-registered coursework. But Alaska and Virginia count total learning units without an HSW breakdown, South Dakota divides hours into technical and professional management categories, and several states require specific subject matter that general HSW credit does not satisfy.
The practical consequence: an architect who completes 18 AIA LUs including 12 HSW each year is comfortably compliant in most jurisdictions, but underqualified in Kansas and South Dakota (30 hours), New York (36 over three years), and any state with a topic mandate the coursework did not address.
The table on the following pages summarizes every U.S. jurisdiction. It is a planning tool, not a substitute for your board’s current rules — verify before you certify at renewal.
Architect CE Requirements by Jurisdiction (2026)
| Jurisdiction | Total hours | HSW and topic detail | Cycle | Deadline |
| Alabama | 12 | 12 HSW. Calculated for current calendar year. | Annual | December 31 |
| Alaska | 24 | 24 LU, no HSW minimum specified. Max. 12 LU carryover. | Biennial | December 31, odd years |
| American Samoa | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Arizona | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Arkansas | 12 | 12 HSW. Previous calendar year. None due at first renewal. | Annual | July 31 |
| California | 10 | 5 hrs Disability Access + 5 hrs Zero Net Carbon Design. ZNCD required for expirations on or after Jan. 1, 2023. | Biennial | Last day of birth month, odd years |
| Colorado | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 HSW per calendar year. | Biennial | October 31, odd years |
| Connecticut | 12 / yr | 12 HSW. CE period runs May 1–Apr. 30, which differs from the renewal date. | Annual | CE due April 30; renewal July 31 |
| Delaware | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 8 HSW per calendar year. None due at first renewal. | Biennial | January 31, even years |
| District of Columbia | 24 | 24 HSW. None due at first renewal. | Biennial | April 30, even years |
| Florida | 24 | 22 HSW + 2 hrs advanced Florida Building Code. None due at first renewal. | Biennial | February 28, odd years |
| Georgia | 24 | 16 HSW. Reduced requirement if licensed 12–23 months. | Biennial | June 30, odd years |
| Guam | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Hawaii | 16 | 16 HSW. Reduced requirement if licensed 12–23 months. | Biennial | April 30, even years |
| Idaho | 12 | 12 HSW. Max. 6 HSW carryover. | Annual | Licensee’s birth date |
| Illinois | 24 | 16 HSW, including min. 1 hr on design practice for high wind or natural disasters, plus 1 hr sexual harassment prevention from an Illinois-approved provider. | Biennial | November 30, even years |
| Indiana | 24 | 16 HSW. Max. 6 carryover. None due at first renewal. | Biennial | December 31, odd years |
| Iowa | 24 | 24 HSW. Reduced requirement if licensed 12–23 months. | Biennial | June 30 (A–K even yrs, L–Z odd yrs) |
| Kansas | 30 | 24 HSW. Max. 10 HSW in any 24-hour period. Max. 15 LU carryover. | Biennial | June 30 (A–L even yrs, M–Z odd yrs) |
| Kentucky | 12 | 12 HSW. Previous calendar year. | Annual | June 30 |
| Louisiana | 12 | 12 HSW. None due at first renewal. | Annual | December 31 |
| Maine | 12 | 12 HSW. Previous licensing period. | Annual | June 30 |
| Maryland | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 HSW per year. Max. 12 HSW carryover. None due at first renewal. | Biennial from licensure | Renewal date is licensure date |
| Massachusetts | 12 | 12 HSW. Previous licensing period. | Annual | August 31 |
| Michigan | 24 | 24 HSW. Reduced requirement if licensed 12–23 months. | Biennial from licensure | Renewal date is licensure date |
| Minnesota | 24 | 18 HSW + 2 hrs professional ethics. Max. 12 HSW carryover. | Biennial | June 30, even years |
| Mississippi | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per calendar year. None due at first renewal. | Biennial | November 30, odd years |
| Missouri | 24 | 16 HSW. Max. 8 HSW per day. Max. 12 LU carryover. | Biennial from licensure | December 31 |
| Montana | 12 | 12 HSW. Previous calendar year. | Annual | June 30 |
| Nebraska | 24 | 23 HSW + 1 hr Professional Ethics in Architecture. Max. 12 carryover. | Biennial | Dec. 31 (A–K odd yrs, L–Z even yrs) |
| Nevada | 8 | 8 HSW total: 6 HSW + 2 code-related HSW. | Annual | December 31 |
| New Hampshire | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per year. Max. 12 HSW carryover. | Biennial from licensure | Last day of birth month |
| New Jersey | 24 | 16 HSW. Max. 6 hrs per calendar day. Max. 12 hrs / 8 HSW carryover, earned in the final six months only. | Biennial | July 31, odd years |
| New Mexico | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per calendar year. | Biennial | December 31, odd years |
| New York | 36 | 24 HSW. Max. 6 carryover. | Every three years | Last day of month preceding birth month |
| North Carolina | 12 | 12 HSW. None due at first renewal. | Annual | June 30 |
| North Dakota | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Northern Mariana Is. | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Ohio | 12 | 12 HSW. Current calendar year. | Annual | December 31 |
| Oklahoma | 24 | 24 HSW. Max. 4 HSW carryover. | Biennial | June 30, odd years |
| Oregon | 24 | 24 HSW. Previous two licensing years. | Biennial | Dec. 31 (year matches license number parity) |
| Pennsylvania | 24 | 24 HSW. Previous two licensing years. | Biennial | June 30, odd years |
| Puerto Rico | 12 / 60 | 12 hrs for non-residents; 60 hrs for residents. Min. 2 HSW per calendar year. | Annual (non-res.); every 5 yrs (res.) | Renewal date is licensure date |
| Rhode Island | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per year. First renewal prorated at 1 hr per month licensed. | Biennial | December 31, odd years |
| South Carolina | 24 | 24 HSW. None due at first renewal. No carryover between cycles. | Biennial | June 30, odd years |
| South Dakota | 30 | 20 hrs technical + max. 10 hrs professional management. AIA transcript accepted with min. 12 HSW per year, 24 HSW max. | Biennial from licensure | Last day of month of initial licensure |
| Tennessee | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per calendar year. Reduced requirement if licensed under 24 months. | Biennial from licensure | Last day of month of initial licensure |
| Texas | 12 | 12 HSW, including 1 hr sustainable or energy-efficient design and 1 hr barrier-free design. Min. 8 hrs structured, max. 4 hrs self-directed. | Annual | Last day of birth month |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | None | No continuing education requirement. | — | — |
| Utah | 24 | 24 HSW. Min. 12 per calendar year. | Biennial | May 31, even years |
| Vermont | 24 | 24 HSW. None due at first renewal if licensed under 24 months. | Biennial | January 31, odd years |
| Virginia | 16 | 16 LU, no HSW minimum specified. | Biennial from licensure | Last day of licensure month |
| Washington | 24 | 16 HSW. Max. 12 carryover, only if earned in the second half of the cycle. | Biennial from licensure | Licensee’s birthday |
| West Virginia | 12 | 12 HSW. Current calendar year. | Annual | June 30 |
| Wisconsin | 24 | 16 HSW. Reduced requirement if licensed 12–23 months. | Biennial | July 31, even years |
| Wyoming | 24 | 24 HSW. Previous two licensing years. | Biennial | December 31 |
Source: AIA & state continuing education requirements, aia.org, and the individual state licensing boards linked from that page. Compiled August 2026. Requirements change; confirm with your board before certifying compliance at renewal.
The Topic Mandates General HSW Credit Will Not Satisfy
Eight jurisdictions require specific subject matter on top of, or instead of, general HSW hours. These are the provisions architects most often discover too late, because a transcript showing sufficient total HSW hours can still be non-compliant.
- California — 5 hours disability access and 5 hours zero net carbon design. California requires no general HSW hours at all; the entire 10-hour requirement is these two topics.
- Texas — 1 hour barrier-free design and 1 hour sustainable or energy-efficient design, every year, within the 12-hour total.
- Florida — 2 hours of an advanced Florida Building Code course from an approved provider.
- Illinois — 1 hour of design practice addressing high wind or natural disasters, plus 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training from an Illinois-approved provider.
- Minnesota — 2 hours of professional ethics. Nebraska requires 1 hour specifically in Professional Ethics in Architecture.
- Nevada — 2 of the 8 required hours must be code-related.
- South Dakota — hours are divided into technical and professional management categories rather than an HSW split.
Ron Blank & Associates maintains free ADA and accessibility coursework addressing the California and Texas requirements, alongside its general HSW catalog.
How AIA Reporting Works for State Renewal
When you complete a course from an AIA CES registered provider and supply your AIA member number, the provider reports the completed learning units to AIA CES and your transcript updates automatically. Most state licensing boards accept that transcript as verification of completed continuing education. Ron Blank & Associates reports completed learning units to AIA CES on the attendee’s behalf, and also reports to IDCEC, RCEP, and GBCI for courses carrying those credit types.
Two limits are worth knowing. Many boards, including Texas, Washington, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Maryland, do not accept reports from providers directly — the licensee attests to compliance at renewal and produces documentation only if audited. And several boards do not pre-approve courses or providers at all, which places the judgment of whether a course qualifies on the licensee.
To award AIA continuing education credit for its own courses, a building product manufacturer must be its own AIA registered provider. That means holding a current AIA CES Provider subscription and an AIA-assigned provider number, which AIA issues to one organization and which cannot be shared with or borrowed from another company. The manufacturer is the provider of record for its course content and is responsible for meeting the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Ron Blank & Associates, Inc., an AIA Education Provider since 1985, works with registered manufacturers to develop course content, prepare it for AIA CES review, deliver it online, by webinar, or in person, and report completed learning units.
Four Compliance Mistakes Worth Avoiding
- Assuming the AIA calendar is the state calendar. AIA runs January to December. Connecticut calculates CE from May 1 to April 30 while renewing in July, and a dozen jurisdictions tie the deadline to your birth month or licensure date.
- Counting carry-over that does not exist. South Carolina permits no carry-over between cycles. New Jersey permits 12 hours only if earned in the final six months. Oklahoma caps carry-over at 4 hours.
- Meeting the hour total but missing the topic mandate. A California architect with 24 general HSW hours and no zero net carbon design coursework is not compliant.
- Forgetting the record retention period. Washington requires five years of records, Texas five years, South Carolina two, Maryland two. Boards audit, and the certificate is the only defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all states require continuing education for architects?
No. Fifty of the 56 U.S. jurisdictions listed by AIA require mandatory continuing education for architects. Arizona and North Dakota have no requirement, as do American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Every other state, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, requires CE as a condition of license renewal.
Will AIA-approved courses satisfy my state requirement?
In most jurisdictions, yes. Most state boards accept AIA-registered coursework and accept the AIA transcript as verification. The exceptions are states with specific topic mandates that general HSW coursework does not address, and states with hour totals above the AIA annual requirement, including Kansas, South Dakota, and New York.
Which state has the highest continuing education requirement?
New York requires 36 hours per three-year registration period, the highest single-cycle total among the states. Kansas and South Dakota each require 30 hours per biennial cycle. Puerto Rico requires 60 hours over five years for resident architects, the highest total of any jurisdiction.
Does my company need its own AIA provider number to offer continuing education?
Yes. Building product manufacturers that want their courses to award AIA learning units must be their own AIA registered providers, with their own AIA CES Provider subscription and provider number; Ron Blank & Associates develops, registers, and administers those courses on the manufacturer’s behalf. AIA issues a provider number to a single organization and it cannot be shared or borrowed.
What happens if I hold licenses in more than one state?
You must satisfy each state’s requirement independently. There is no reciprocity for continuing education between boards. In practice, architects licensed in several states plan against the strictest requirement in their portfolio, then confirm that any topic mandates are separately covered.
Where can I find free courses that satisfy these requirements?
Ron Blank & Associates publishes a free catalog of AIA LU and LU|HSW courses available on demand, by live webinar, and as in-firm lunch-and-learns, including ADA and accessibility coursework relevant to the California and Texas mandates. The catalog is organized by CSI MasterFormat division at ronblank.com/Online_Courses.
Sources
- American Institute of Architects. AIA & State Continuing Education Requirements. aia.org/career-growth/aia-state-requirements. Primary source for the jurisdiction table.
- American Institute of Architects. AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. HSW definitions and provider reporting requirements.
- California Architects Board. Continuing Education. Disability access and zero net carbon design requirements. cab.ca.gov/lic/ce.shtml
- Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. Continuing Education FAQs. 12 CEPH, barrier-free and sustainable design hours. tbae.texas.gov
- Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design. Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G1-24.001, Continuing Education for Architects.
- New Jersey State Board of Architects. N.J.A.C. 13:27-4.2 and 13:27-3.1. njconsumeraffairs.gov/arch
- South Carolina Board of Architectural Examiners. Regulation 11-8.1, Continuing Education. llr.sc.gov/arch/ceregs.aspx
- Washington State Department of Licensing. WAC 308-12-250, Continuing Education Requirements.
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. Architect Continuing Education, Board Rule 4.9.3.1.2. dpo.colorado.gov/AES/CE
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Architecture Continuing Education. op.nysed.gov
- Ron Blank & Associates, Inc. Free online AIA continuing education course catalog. ronblank.com/Online_Courses
About Ron Blank & Associates
Ron Blank & Associates, Inc. (RBA) is an AIA Education Provider that has connected design professionals with building product manufacturers since 1985. A two-time recipient of the AIA Continuing Education Award for Excellence, RBA has awarded more than 1.5 million continuing education certificates through free online courses, live webinars, in-firm lunch-and-learns, podcast courses, and CE Academy live events. Course catalogs and registration are available at http://www.ronblank.com.
Last updated: August 2026. State continuing education rules change frequently. Re-verify the full jurisdiction table against aia.org and the individual state boards each January, and update the visible date only when a requirement has actually changed.