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Tennessee PE License Renewal: CE hours, deadlines, and portal.

Tennessee Professional Engineer (PE) licenses renew every two years (biennial). Tennessee requires 24 PDH per 2-year cycle (about 12 per year). Carryover is not permitted. The approximate renewal fee is $140 per cycle. Online renewal is available through the state board portal. 24 PDH per biennium (13 in health/safety/welfare or technical). No ethics mandate and no carryover (since 2023).

Renewal deadline:Two years from your initial registration date
Renewal cycle
Biennial
PDH required
24 per cycle
Ethics required
Not required
Approximate fee
$140

Tennessee engineering compliance at a glance

Everything it takes to legally practice engineering in Tennessee: your individual PE license, your firm's Certificate of Authorization, and the Secretary-of-State / tax filings that keep the entity in good standing. Costs and cadence are estimates, confirm on the official portals before relying on them.

RequirementApplies toCostRenewsWhat you do
PE license (individual)Always required to practice~$140BiennialEarn 24 PDH, then renew on the board portal · open
Firm Certificate of AuthorizationIf you practice through a firm$0BiennialApply / renew with the engineering board · open
Secretary of State annual reportIf the firm is a registered entity$300AnnualFile with the Secretary of State · open

CE / PDH requirements in Tennessee

Tennessee requires 24 PDH per 2-year renewal cycle (about 12 hours per year).

Tennessee does not allow PDH hours to carry over between renewal cycles. Earn the required hours each cycle.

How to renew your Tennessee PE license

  1. 1
    Confirm your renewal date

    24 PDH per biennium (13 in health/safety/welfare or technical). No ethics mandate and no carryover (since 2023).

  2. 2
    Verify your PDH balance

    Confirm you have at least 24 PDH for this cycle. Save certificates as PDFs in case the board audits you.

  3. 3
    Pay the renewal fee

    About $140. Tennessee accepts online renewal through the board portal.

  4. 4
    Save your new pocket card

    Once renewed, save your updated wall certificate or pocket card. If your firm needs a copy for project files, send it the same day.

What trips people up

Tennessee renewal gotchas

Field notes from mapping the Tennessee renewal flow. Specifics change, so confirm anything time-sensitive on the board portal before you rely on it.

  • CORE is the statewide licensing system for ALL Tennessee professions — not engineering-specific
  • SSO authentication via Shibboleth infrastructure — OAuth 2.0 flow
  • Login endpoint redirects through access.cloud.commerce.tn.gov/entellitrak/login.sso.submit.do
  • Monthly rolling renewal dates (based on individual registration date) — not a fixed statewide deadline
  • No grace period — crucial to submit before deadline to avoid suspension/revocation
  • PDH summary log must be entered online — more than a simple checkbox
Practicing through a firm in Tennessee?

Many states require firms to hold a separate Certificate of Authorization (CoA) to offer engineering services, on its own cycle and fee. PE License Pro tracks individual PE licenses, firm CoAs, and entity filings side by side.

Open the Tennessee firm CoA portal
Need a new Tennessee PE license? Open the Tennessee application page

Tennessee PE renewal FAQ

How often does a Tennessee PE license need to be renewed?+

Tennessee PE licenses are renewed every two years (biennial). 24 PDH per biennium (13 in health/safety/welfare or technical). No ethics mandate and no carryover (since 2023).

When is the deadline to renew a Tennessee PE license?+

Tennessee PE license renewal deadline: Two years from your initial registration date. Dates and cycles can change, so confirm the exact date on the Tennessee board portal and renew before it. A missed deadline usually means a late fee, and in some states the license lapses and has to be reinstated.

How many PDH hours does Tennessee require for PE renewal?+

Tennessee requires 24 PDH per 2-year cycle.

How much does it cost to renew a Tennessee PE license?+

The approximate renewal fee is $140 per cycle. Fees can change; confirm the current amount on the Tennessee board portal.

Where do I renew my Tennessee PE license?+

Tennessee renewals are handled by the state's licensing board. The current portal is at https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/architects-engineers.html.

Does Tennessee allow PDH carryover?+

No. Tennessee does not allow PDH hours to carry over between renewal cycles.

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