Landscape Architect Articles

CEUs for Landscape Architects02-21-12 | News

CEUs for Landscape Architects

by Michelle Medaris, LASN

Landscape architect professionals attend an approved course to receive continuing education units.
Photo: Guy Nelson

There are landscape architecture license regulation laws in all 50 states, excluding Washington, D.C. Forty-seven states have practice acts, while three states (Ill., Mass. and Maine) have title acts. A title act, the weaker of the two acts, allows anyone to perform landscape architectural services as long as they do not identified themselves as a ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Note: ASLA is currently encouraging RLAs to use the designation PLA (professional landscape architect) after their names to ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) establishes the education standards and regulates the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE). Once licensed, landscape architects in 32 states are required to take continuing education units (CEUs), generally, 8-15 hours to maintain a license. The requirement can be annual, bi-annual or tri-annual. For license renewal requirement in your state visit www.asla.org/StateGovtAffairsLicensure.aspx.

Many associations offer CEUs, however, not all can be counted toward maintaining state licensure. Check with your state to verify what type of continuing education units they accept for renewal. Here are some associations that offer CEUs and how you receive credit:

LA CES (Landscape Architect Continuing Education System, ASLA). The course provider tracks these credits with sign-in sheets, which are sent to LA CES.

ISA (International Society of Arboriculture). One ISA approves a course, it sends the course provider sign-in sheets, which are faxed back to the ISA by the course provider.

APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers) asks only that attendees keep a log of their credits and send them in to the APLD once every three years.

IA (Irrigation Association) asks attendees to log on to its website for the credits to be added.

IECA (International Erosion Control Association) provides PDH (professional development hours) and CEU credits, however the CEUs are more readily accepted. IECA gives the attendee a question-based evaluation to determine understanding of the course, then provides a certificate of attendance.

See below for a list of states that require continuing education units and their , as well as the number of units required annually, biennially or triennially.

Alabama- 15 every year
Alaska- 24 per 2 years
Arkansas- 7 every year
Connecticut- 24 per 2 years
Delaware- 20 per 2 years
Florida- 16 per 2 years
Georgia- 12 per 2 years
Indiana- 24 per 2 years
Iowa- 24 per 2 years
Kansas- 30 per 2 years
Kentucky 15 every year
Louisiana- 8 every year
Minnesota- 24 per 2 years
Mississippi- 24 per 2 years
Missouri- 24 per 2 years
Nebraska- 15 every year
New Hampshire- 30 per 2 years
New Jersey- 24 per 2 years
New Mexico- 30 per 2 years
New York- 36 per 3 years
North Carolina- 10 every year
Ohio- 24 per 2 years
Oklahoma- 24 per 2 years
Oregon- 12 every year
Pennsylvania- 10 every year
South Carolina- 20 per 2 years
South Dakota- 30 per 2 years
Tennessee- 24 per 2 years
Texas- 8 every year
Virginia- 16 per 2 years
West Virginia- 8 every year
Wyoming- 16 per 2 years