Continuing Education Requirements

All architects and landscape architects are required to obtain continuing education as a condition of license renewal. Licensees must obtain twenty-four hours of continuing education in each biennial licensure period. At least sixteen (16) of the required twenty-four (24) hours must pertain to technical and professional topics related to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. First-time registrants are not required to comply with continuing education requirements at the first renewal. Please review the information below to ensure you are in compliance with all rules and regulations. Any questions regarding this information can be verified by reviewing the statutes and rules directly.

Continuing Education Tracking Worksheet

Calculating CEUs and Hour Requirements

Continuing Education Units or "CEUs" are calculated by contact hours. A contact hour means one (1) sixty (60) minute clock hour of an educational activity with no less than fifty (50) minutes of instructional content within the hour. For accepted organizations, the Board will accept the hours established by each organization. Where the number of CEUs are established by others, the Board may require additional evidence supporting the CEUs claim. The Board may accept for credit toward the CEU requirement courses that are accepted for credit toward the continuing education requirements for architects and landscape architects in another state. Credit may be granted for education offerings that cover architecture and landscape architecture and related technical and professional topics and contribute directly to the improvement of the professional knowledge and competence to practice architecture and landscape architecture. The Board shall not preapprove continuing education activities or courses.

Continuing education activities or courses may be provided by any of the following organizations:

1. Accredited colleges, universities, or other postsecondary educational institutions.
2. American Institute of Architects.
3. American Society of Landscape Architects.
4. American Planning Association.
5. Board of Registration for Architects and Landscape Architects.
6. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.
7. Construction Specifications Institute.
8. National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
9. Other related technical or professional societies, organizations, or institutions.

At least sixteen (16) hours of the required continuing education requirements for architects and landscape architects must pertain to technical and professional topics related to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. "Health, safety, and welfare" means the planning and designing of buildings and structures and the spaces within and surrounding the buildings and structures that:

1. minimize the risk of injury to persons or property and comply with applicable building and safety codes;
2. are durable, environmentally friendly, cost effective, and conserve resources;
3. are aesthetically appealing;
4. function properly in all relevant respects; and
5. enhance the public's overall sense of well-being, harmony, and community and integrate effectively with the surrounding environment.

These topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Codes, statutes, and administrative regulations governing the practice of architecture or landscape architecture.
2. Environmental and ecological resources.
3. Professional ethics.
4. Indiana licensing statutes and rules.
5. Legal aspects of contracts, documents, insurance, bonds, and project administration.
6. Construction documents and services.
7. Materials and methods.
8. Mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and life safety.
9. Structural technology.
10. Energy efficiency.
11. Project administration.
12. Security and safety issues.
13. New technical and professional skills.

The following types of activities may qualify to fulfill the requirements for a minimum of sixteen (16) contact hours to be acquired in structured educational activities (all twenty-four (24) hours may be acquired in such activities):

1. Contact hours in attendance at short courses or seminars dealing with architectural or landscape architectural subjects and sponsored by college or universities.
2. Contact hours in attendance at presentations on architectural or landscape architectural subjects that are held in conjunction with meetings, conferences, or conventions of architect or landscape architect professional organizations recognized by the board to the extent that contact hours are credited only to that portion of the meeting, conference, or convention that comprises the educational program.
3. Contact hours in attendance at short courses or seminars relating to professional practice or new technology and offered by colleges, universities, professional organizations, or system suppliers.
4. Teaching or instructing an architectural or landscape architectural course, seminar, lecture, presentation, or workshop shall constitute three (3) contact hours for each hour spent in the actual presentation. Teaching credit shall be valid for the initial presentation only. A maximum of nine (9) hours may be accumulated over a two (2) year licensure period.
5. Contact hours spent in architectural or landscape architectural research that is published or is formally presented to the profession or public. A maximum of nine (9) total contact hours may be accumulated over the two (2) year licensure period.
6. Successfully completing structured architectural or landscape architectural self-study courses, presented by correspondence, Internet, television, video, or audio, ending with an examination or other verification process. The contact hours acquired for this activity shall be established by the program sponsor.
7. College or university credit courses dealing with architectural or landscape architectural subjects. Each academic semester hour shall equal fifteen (15) contact hours. Each academic quarterly hour shall equal ten (10) contact hours.
8. Contact hours spent in educational tours of architecturally or landscape architecturally significant projects, where the tour is sponsored by a college, university, professional organization, or system supplier. A maximum of eight (8) total contact hours may be accumulated over the two (2) year licensure period.
9. Contact hours spent in professional services to the public that draw upon the licensee's professional architectural or landscape architectural expertise on boards and commissions, such as, serving on any of the following:
   1. Planning commissions.
   2. Building code advisory boards.
   3. Urban renewal boards.
   4. Code study committees.
   5. Regulatory boards.
   6. Professional accreditation teams.

The following types of activities in individually planned educational activities that are self-directed may qualify for the maximum of eight (8) contact hours over the two (2) year licensure period:

1. Contact hours for serving as an architectural mentor or supervisor for the Intern Development Program (IDP) required to satisfy that diversified professional training requirements under 804 IAC 1.1-7. Such service to an intern or interns shall be consistent with the responsibilities set forth in the NCARB IDP Guidelines for an intern's mentor and supervisor, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Contact hours spent in planned activities, related to the practice of architecture or landscape architecture, which include the following:
   1. Business and practice efficiency.
   2. Business development.
   3. Personal improvement.
   4. New skills.
3. Actively participating in a technical or professional society or organization shall be the equivalent to two (2) contact hours. An individual shall serve as an officer or actively participate in a committee of the organization to receive credit for this activity. Contact hours shall be limited to two (2) per organization and shall not be acquired until the completion of each year of service.
    

Inactive Status and Reactivation

Registered architects or landscape architects may apply to the board to renew their licenses in an inactive status. No continuing education is required to renew inactive. An inactive registered architect or landscape architect may not practice architecture or landscape architecture while in an inactive status.

In order to reactivate an inactive, expired, or retired license, the registered architect or landscape architect must have obtained all twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education units, which would have been required had the license been active. In order to reactivate an inactive, expired, or retired license during a two (2) year licensure period, the registered architect or landscape architect must:

1. apply to the board for reactivation on the application form supplied by the board; and
2. submit evidence of completion of twenty-four (24) CEU hours within the two (2) year period immediately before the date the reactivation application is filed.

This section applies to all registered architects or landscape architects who reactivate an inactive, expired, or retired license by establishing the number of hours of continuing education required for the time period between reactivation and the following renewal date in order to qualify to renew active. Registered architects or landscape architects must complete the mandatory continuing education unless the requirement in the table in this section is zero (0). Additional hours of continuing education required in this table may be met by taking courses that meet the requirements of section 7 of this rule.

Audits and Continuing Education Compliance

The board shall conduct audits of registered architects under IC 25-4-1-31 and landscape architects under IC 25-4-2-13 for continuing education compliance. Those licensees chosen for the audit will be contacted by email or mail and required to send continuing education certificates proving the completion of requirements. Registered architects and landscape architects must retain certificates of completion for continuing education courses for three (3) years after the end of the licensing period for which the continuing education applied. Registered architects or landscape architects that are found not to be in compliance shall be subject to discipline under IC 25-1-11.

Waiver of continuing education requirements
An applicant for license renewal who was unable to fulfill the continuing education requirements may request a waiver of the continuing education requirements. This waiver should be received by the Board prior to license renewal. The Board may seek verification of the applicant's waiver prior to acceptance. The licensee requesting the waiver must certify under penalty of perjury that they were unable to fulfill the continuing education due to hardship resulting from any of the following:

1. Service in the armed forces of the United States under IC 25-1-12.
2. An incapacitating illness or injury.
3. Other circumstances determined by the board or agency.

If you have additional questions you may contact the Board by email at pla10@pla.in.gov or call 317-234-3022.