Chapter 06. Continuing Professional Competency Requirements

“Activity” means attending and completing any qualifying courses, seminars, workshops, technical presentations, and other qualifying programs with a clear purpose and objective that will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice. Regular duties in the course of employment are not considered qualified activities.

"Authorized provider” means an organization or individual reviewed and approved by the Board.

“Board” means the State Board for Professional Engineers.

“Dual Licensee” means a person who is licensed as both a professional engineer and a professional land or property line surveyor.

“NCEES” means the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.

“Professional Development Hour (PDH)” means a contact hour (nominal) of instruction or presentation and is the common denominator for other units of credit.

“Qualifying program” means any course, seminar, workshop, technical presentation, or other qualifying offering that meets the criteria set forth in Regulation .04 of this chapter.

“Reporting period” means a 2-year licensing period immediately preceding a current individual licensing term.

“Self-directed activity” means an activity that does not involve a face-to-face direct learning experience. The self-directed activity may include, but is not limited to, correspondence courses, online courses, and televised, videotaped, or audiotaped presentations and shall provide for, in addition to the requirements in Regulation .04 of this chapter, clear outcome measures in the form of a narrative, test, report, study, research paper, or any other appropriate form or method.

The awareness of ethical concerns and conflicts related to the practice of engineering;

An enhanced familiarity with the code of conduct for professional engineers;

An understanding of standards of practice or care related to the practice of engineering; or

Laws and regulations applicable to the practice of engineering in Maryland.

Maintain and enhance professional competency of professional engineers; and

Foster improvement, advancement, and extension of professional skills and knowledge related to the practice of engineering.

Technical, research, analytical, or design aspects of engineering;

Laws and regulations applicable to the practice of engineering in Maryland;

Engineering-related computer hardware and software topics;

Standards of practice or care;

Professional engineering ethics;

Project management, risk assessment and management, or emergency and disaster management; or

Similar topics aimed to maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice.

Attending and successfully completing qualifying programs in which the teaching methodology consists primarily of systematic presentation of subjects related to the practice of engineering, and which programs are:

Serving as a single or first author of an original paper on engineering subject matters published in magazines, journals, professional proceedings, or other similar publications intended for professional use and distribution;

Serving as a single or first author of an original published book on engineering subject matters that exhibits excellence in scholarship and has a significant impact and influence on the direction of engineering;

Subject to limitations set forth in Regulation .06 of this chapter, active participation in an engineering professional or technical society;

Obtaining a patent;

Subject to limitations set forth in this Regulation .05, teaching or lecturing of a qualified program, as described in Regulation .04 of this chapter;

Developing examination questions accepted for use on NCEES examinations; or

Other appropriate methods approved by the Board.

Regular employment as a professional engineer, full-time faculty member, or expert witness;

Marketing or business development or sales;

Equipment demonstrations or trade show displays;

Time management techniques and strategies;

Computer-aided drafting;

Repetitive attendance of the same course or activity;

Attending committee meetings or general business meetings of any organization;

Conversational language courses for personal use;

Executive coaching;

Basic computer software, including, but not limited to, Excel, Word, Outlook, and similar basic computer software; or

Any other topics not relevant to the practice of engineering.

1 college or unit semester hour — 45 PDH units;

1 college or unit quarter hour — 30 PDH units;

1 continuing education unit — 10 PDH units;

Each published paper or article on an engineering subject as identified in Regulation .04 of this chapter — 5 PDH units;

Each published book on an engineering subject — 24 PDH units;

Teaching of engineering and related subjects on a part-time basis, provided that:

Participation in engineering, professional or technical societies, regardless of the number of organizations a licensee may be serving on simultaneously, as an officer, provided that the credit is not considered earned until the end of each year of service completed — 1 PDH unit;

Work related to the development and submission of examination questions subject to the following limitations:

Obtaining a patent — 8 PDH units.

The following providers are considered to be preauthorized providers without any further action by the Board:

In order to be eligible to become an approved provider, the provider must offer the qualifying activity that meets the criteria set forth in Regulation .04 of this chapter.

The Board may allow appropriate credits for the attendance and participation in a technical activity or presentation by companies or organizations, whether or not approved by the Board under this regulation, if:

Approval of Providers.

The responsibility of maintaining records to be used to support the continuing professional competency credit claim is the responsibility of each licensee.

A licensee shall maintain the records for a period of at least 4 years from the date of completion of the qualifying program.

Certificates of participation;

Transcripts, if appropriate;

Reprints of publications;

Proof of presentations;

Title and description of the activity;

Dates and times attended;

Presenter’s name; and

Any other information that may be required by the Board.

The licensee has been granted an initial license and is renewing a license for the next full term; and

The licensee qualifies under the criteria set forth in Title 2.5, Business Regulation Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.

If a licensee is unable to comply with all or part of CPC requirements due to physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances, the licensee may request the Board or the Board’s administrative designee grant a one-time exception from compliance (Compliance Exception Request), provided that the Compliance Exception Request is filed with the Board or the Board’s administrative designee at least 30 days prior to the licensee’s license expiration date.

If a Compliance Exception Request is based on physical disability or illness, the licensee must provide the Board or the Board’s designee with written documentation acceptable to the Board supporting the basis for the request.

A Compliance Exception Request must be accompanied by a detailed proposal acceptable to the Board indicating the licensee’s intended plan of compliance with CPC requirements within no later than 6 months after the license expiration date. Failure to provide the acceptable plan of compliance within the time period specified in this regulation may result in the Board’s administrative dismissal of the Compliance Exception Request.