Mississippi’s Biennial Renewal Process for Engineers and Surveyors: What You Need to Know

The Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors recently made an important announcement that will impact engineers, surveyors, and their firms. They have adopted a biennial renewal cycle for licenses issued by the board. This change applies to professional engineer, land surveyor, and firm licenses. The change is effective immediately, and there will be changes to the continuing education requirements for individual license holders starting from the 2023 renewal.

For more detailed information and to understand exactly how these changes may impact you, we recommend you to read Mississippi’s formal announcement.

Understanding the Biennial Renewal Cycle

Previously, licenses for engineers, surveyors, and their firms in Mississippi were renewed annually. License renewals will be transitioned to biennial in two phases.

Phase 1: Persons licensed in odd years will be the first renewed under the new biennial system.

Phase 2: Persons licensed in even years will initially be renewed for one year and will begin renewing biennially next cycle.

The transition begins immediately, meaning your next license renewal will fall on or before December 31 of an odd-numbered year.

Implications for Individual License Holders

As an individual engineer or surveyor licensed in Mississippi, it is vital to understand how this biennial renewal process affects you. Here are some key implications:

Extended Continuing Education Requirements

Starting from the 2023 license renewal cycle, there will be changes to the continuing education requirements for individual license holders. With the longer renewal period, the board has decided to double the continuing education hours required for each biennial renewal cycle.

Renewal Deadlines

Under the new biennial renewal process, licenses must be renewed by December 31 of odd-numbered years. Mark your calendar and set reminders well before these deadlines to avoid any last-minute rush or potential penalties for late renewals.

Changes for Firms

The biennial renewal process also applies to firms licensed in Mississippi. Whether you operate as an engineering firm or a surveying firm, it is essential to understand how this change affects your organization:

License Renewal Schedule

Like individual license holders, firms must renew their licenses every two years by December 31 of odd-numbered years. Keeping track of these dates and ensuring the necessary steps are taken within the designated timeframe is crucial.

Online Renewal: The Only Way Forward

All renewals (Licensees and Firms) MUST be completed online. As a licensee, you must have completed all your Continuing Education (CE) Professional Development Hours (PDHs) before your renewal, and you will be required to enter these into the system to renew.

Instructions on how to enter your CE PDHs and complete your renewal are conveniently provided on the Boards’ website under the title “CE How To Manual”. This manual is also accessible within the licensing portal.

Getting Started with the Renewal Process

To kickstart your renewal process, visit www.pepls.ms.gov and select “License Renewals”.

You will need your Mississippi license number, date of birth, and the last four numbers of your social security number to log into the system.

For firm licensees, access is via the firm’s designated licensee’s license information, so firms need their designated licensee’s information to log into the system.

Remember, individual biennial renewal fees will be doubled to $70.00 for individuals and $100.00 for firms.

Compliance Management Solutions

Navigating regulatory changes like this can be challenging for firms in the AEC industry. However, Harbor Compliance offers managed services and purpose-built software to help firms like yours stay on top of licensing requirements and regulatory updates.

With Harbor Compliance’s comprehensive solutions, you can streamline your compliance management processes, automate key tasks, receive timely notifications about upcoming renewals or changes, and ensure ongoing compliance with ease.

At Harbor Compliance, we are committed to supporting professionals and firms in the AEC industry by providing reliable resources and technology-driven solutions. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you in meeting your licensing requirements and staying compliant amidst evolving regulations.