The Nebraska Professional

2026 License Renewals: 

Deadlines and Important Information

Online license renewals are open for architects and professional engineers whose last names begin with the letters L through Z. Renewals must be received and processed online by 11:59 PM CT on December 31, 2026, to avoid late payment fees.

Renew your license online.

• Practicing with an Expired License is Prohibited: Licenses not renewed by December 31 will EXPIRE, and practicing with an expired license is prohibited under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-3442.

• Complete CE Before Renewing: All continuing education requirements must be satisfied before renewing your license.

• Late Payment Fees: Renewals completed after December 31, 2026, are subject to a late payment fee of $8 per month, up to a maximum of $80.

If your license expired on December 31, 2025, and you wish to renew, online renewal is no longer available. Contact the Board office to request a paper renewal application.

If the online renewal system does not accept your password or you prefer to renew by a paper application, please contact the Board office at (402) 471-2021 or nbea.office@nebraska.gov for assistance.

Continuing Education: 

Requirements and Reminders

With license renewal season underway, now is the perfect time for licensees to refresh their understanding of continuing education (CE) requirements! Whether newly licensed or an experienced design professional, this refresher provides important reminders and guidance to help licensees accurately complete their CE hours and meet all requirements before renewing.

For each biennial renewal period, licensees must complete the following continuing education hours before renewing their license:

• Architects: 24 hours of architectural-related learning

• Professional Engineers: 30 hours of engineering-related learning

To qualify for continuing education credit, topics must be either:

• technical in nature, or 

• a topic that is part of that profession’s body of knowledge as developed by the applicable national professional engineering society or categorized as a Health, Safety, and Welfare topic by NCARB.

Web-based offerings include webinars, video conferences, online meetings, and pre-recorded presentations. 

Web-based offerings are not restricted and may constitute all of the biennial education requirements if at least one of the following applies:

1. The Course is Live and Interactive

These courses are led by an instructor and enable both the instructor and attendees to give, receive, and discuss information in real time.

2. The Course is Provided by a Qualifying Provider

The course is provided by one of the following types of providers:

1. International Association for Continuing Educational Training (IACET) approved providers,

2. Institutions of higher education that have an accredited program in architecture or engineering,

3. Professional engineering or architectural societies,

4. Technical societies and associations recognized at a national level,

5. Governmental agencies,

6. NCARB and NCEES, and

7. American Institute of Architects-approved providers.

If neither of the above conditions apply, web-based offerings may constitute no more than one-fourth of the biennial education requirement.

At least one hour of the biennial continuing education requirements must be directly related to ethical issues of a licensee’s professional practice.

Self-guided activities are those planned and performed under the licensee’s own direction and guidance. Examples may include educational activities completed independently without a sponsor or host, or activities for which no attendance verification was received.

Self-guided hours may constitute no more than one-fourth of the biennial education requirement. Additionally, these hours are separate and distinct from the web-based activities restriction. 

To document self-guided activities, you must complete a Nebraska Continuing Education Self-Guided Reporting Form and submit it if selected for a CE audit.

The Board has final authority concerning courses, credit, unit value for courses, and other methods of earning CE credit. The Board DOES NOT pre-approve CE courses or providers. 

Additionally, Board staff cannot provide guidance to licensees as to whether a particular course or activity qualifies for credit.

A CE provider claiming to be approved in Nebraska or “all 50 states” is a red flag. Licensees who encounter a provider making this claim are encouraged to notify Board staff.

Licensees may carry up to one-half of the required continuing education credits from the previous biennial period. Excess credit can be carried over only into the biennial period immediately following the period in which the credit was earned.

For example, a professional engineer whose license expires on December 31, 2026, earns 25 CE hours during the 2025–26 renewal period and plans to use five carryover hours from 2023–24 to meet the 30-hour requirement. To do so, they must have earned at least 35 acceptable hours during the 2023–24 renewal period. If selected for an audit, all documentation for both renewal periods must be submitted.

Licensees are responsible for maintaining records necessary to support credits claimed for continuing education.  Records required include, but are not limited to:

• A log showing the type of activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's name, and unit credits earned, with supporting information to include verification records in the form of completion certificates or other documents supporting evidence of attendance; OR

• Records relating to continuing education that are maintained by NCEES, NCARB, or other organizations that satisfy Rule 9.5.1 requirements.

The Board provides a free Continuing Education Log on its website for licensees.

Licensees in their initial renewal period or in emeritus status are exempt from CE requirements.

With supporting documentation and approval from the Board or Executive Director, licensees may qualify for a CE exemption for one of the following reasons:

• Served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States or any state.

  • If the time exceeds 120 days in each calendar year of their renewal period, licensees are exempt from obtaining the continuing education hours required during that renewal period. 

  • If the time exceeds 120 days in only one calendar year of their renewal period, licensees are required to complete 15 actual hours of engineering-related learning at the time of license renewal if licensed as a professional engineer, or 12 actual hours of architectural-related learning if licensed as an architect. 

• Experienced physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances.

Licensees selected for a CE audit will be notified by mail and email in early February 2027. Please ensure mailing and email addresses are current.

Do not send audit documentation unless you receive notification that you have been selected for an audit.

For more details about CE requirements, refer to Board Rule Chapter 9.

Latest Lunch and Learn Webinar 

Now Available Online

Thank you to everyone who attended the recent Lunch and Learn Webinar on license renewals, continuing education requirements, and continuing education audits.

The webinar is now available on the Board’s YouTube channel. View the PDF of the webinar here.

As a reminder, certificates will not be issued as attendance verification. Attendees who participated in the entire presentation should have received an email confirming their attendance. This email may be used as verification to substantiate CE hours for the webinar. Please check Junk or Spam folders for the confirmation email if needed.

It is anticipated that the Board will give continuing education credit for the webinar, but as a reminder, the Board DOES NOT pre-approve continuing education offerings.

Follow the Board’s Facebook page for upcoming NBEA Lunch and Learn Webinar presentations and other important updates and information.

Information on upcoming webinars, along with YouTube videos and presentation documents from past webinars, is also available on the Board’s website.

Suggestions for future webinar topics may be emailed to nbea.marketing@nebraska.gov.

Questions from Our Latest Webinar

Missed the Board's recent Lunch and Learn webinar? Here are answers to several attendee questions that may be helpful to licensees completing CE requirements and preparing for renewal.

Can an individual with Emeritus status reinstate their professional license?

Answer: Yes. Per Board Rule 1.11.4.4, an architect or professional engineer who has elected emeritus status must submit the following to be reinstated to practice:

• New Application for Licensure (Architect / Professional Engineer)

  • Can also apply online (Architect / Professional Engineer)

• License Reinstatement Affidavit attesting that they have not practiced architecture or engineering in Nebraska during the time the license was expired.

• Documentation of CE compliance for the two-year period immediately preceding the date the reinstatement application was received by the Board.

• Passage of an exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act.

Can CE hours earned for another professional license, such as an Electrical Contractor license, be applied toward a Nebraska professional engineer license?

Answer: CE activities gained for another professional license may also count towards a Nebraska professional engineer license if the subject is engineering-related and the course meets the Board's acceptable CE topic requirements outlined in Board Rule 9.2.4.

Is the Nebraska Continuing Education Self-Guided Reporting Form required for live and interactive web-based courses?

Answer: No. The Nebraska Continuing Education Self-Guided Reporting Form is intended for activities planned and performed under the licensee’s own direction and guidance, and typically do not have a sponsor or host.

Live and interactive web-based courses, however, are instructor-led and therefore are not considered self-guided activities.

What documentation should be maintained for CE hours earned at a large conference that has several presentations?

Answer: If audited, licensees should maintain documentation that verifies attendance at conference presentations. Supporting documentation may include conference agendas, registration confirmations, and hotel or conference registration receipts.

Can CE hours be earned for courses outside a licensee's engineering discipline?

Answer: Yes. Board Rules do not prohibit licensees from earning CE credit for courses outside their specific engineering discipline. For example, a Nebraska-licensed professional electrical engineer may earn CE hours for a course related to mechanical engineering.

How are CE hours credited for teaching or presenting, and does preparation time qualify?

Answer: Per Board Rule 9.4.2.4, teaching or presenting an activity may be credited double the number of actual hours. Credit is valid only for the first offering or presentation. Full-time faculty may not claim credit associated with their regular teaching duties.

Licensees must maintain documentation identifying the subject taught and the duration of the activity. 

Time spent preparing or organizing presentation materials does not qualify for CE credit.

 

Ariel Born Promoted to Board’s 

Administrative Programs Officer

The Board is pleased to announce the promotion of Ariel Born to Administrative Programs Officer, effective October 5, 2026. Ariel joined the Board in June 2025 as an Office Specialist. In this role, she was responsible for data entry of license applications and served as the point of contact for licensee applications, requests, and inquiries.

Growing up in an Air Force family, Ariel lived in various locations before making Nebraska her home in 2008. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in Art History from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She is also skilled in playing both the flute and alto saxophone.

In her new role as Administrative Programs Officer, Ariel will assist the Board in processing license and exam applications and serve as the primary point of contact for the Nebraska Board of Geologists and the Nebraska State Board of Landscape Architects.

Please join us in congratulating Ariel on her well-deserved promotion and wishing her continued success in her new role!

Now Hiring: Office Specialist

There is an immediate opening for the Board's Office Specialist position. 

This position is responsible for data entry and the initial review of license and exam applications against current requirements for exam admittance, intern enrollment, and licensure. In addition, it corresponds with applicants and licensees regarding architect and professional engineer application processes and requirements, as well as general inquiries related to them.

To learn more about the position and to apply, click here.

Monthly Q&A with Board Staff: 

Latest Session and Join Us Next Time

Thank you to everyone who attended the latest Monthly Q&A with Board staff on Thursday, October 8! The discussion focused on frequently asked questions from the September webinar, emeritus status, and independent contractors providing on-demand design and engineering services.

Watch the recording on the Board’s YouTube channel.

Join Us for the Next Q&A!

The next Monthly Q&A with Board Staff will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 12 PM CT. 

The Monthly Q&A is an informal webinar held on the second Thursday of each month at 12 PM CT that provides an opportunity to ask questions and learn about topics within the Board’s jurisdiction, including licensure, professional practice, and building projects. 

No question is too basic. Each month’s discussion will vary based on the questions and topics submitted by participants.

No registration is required. Simply use this recurring link to join.  You may also dial in by phone. Please call +1 402-257-5560 and enter the phone conference ID: 796 558 53#. 

Important Reminders

• Board staff are not speaking on behalf of Board members.

• Webinars are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

• Keep questions general and avoid sharing project-specific, personal, or sensitive information.

• It is anticipated that the Board will not give CE credit for these webinars. As a result, Board staff WILL NOT provide attendance verification for continuing education credits.

NCEES News

NCEES is introducing new PE Structural practice exams designed to give examinees a more comprehensive resource for preparing for the PE Structural exam. For the first time since the exam transitioned to computer-based testing (CBT), these practice exams will be representative of a full exam and reflect updated exam specifications taking effect in April 2027.

The practice exams include:

Practice Exam	New Practice Exam	Current Practice Exam
Lateral Breadth	55 questions	30 questions
Vertical Breadth	55 questions	30 questions
Lateral Bridges	4 scenarios, 48 questions	1 scenario, 12 questions
Lateral Buildings	4 scenarios, 50 questions	2 scenarios, 24 questions
Vertical Bridges	5 scenarios, 48 questions	1 scenario, 12 questions
Vertical Buildings	4 scenarios, 48 questions	2 scenarios, 24 questions

Explore NCEES’ practice exams and additional preparation resources.

The NCEES Foundation has opened its 2027 funding cycle. Organizations with projects that advance engineering and surveying licensure and help strengthen the future of the professions are encouraged to apply.

Beginning October 1, 2026, applicants may submit a letter of inquiry outlining their proposed project and its potential impact. Letters of inquiry will be accepted through February 1, 2027.

Learn more about NCEES Foundation funding opportunities, eligibility, and application deadlines.

NCARB News

NCARB has updated the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) Guidelines to reflect the new rescheduling fee policy, which went into effect on October 1, 2026. 

Under the rescheduling policy, candidates will pay increasing fees based on the date of their scheduled appointment. Candidates may reschedule an exam seat appointment up to three times for free if they are 31 days or more away from their scheduled appointment. 

Learn more about NCARB’s updated rescheduling policy.

NCARB’s Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with its counterparts in Canada and Mexico has recently undergone minor administrative updates, including changes to the Canada/Mexico/U.S. Tri-National Manual and application forms. 

To be eligible for reciprocal licensure through this agreement, you must: 

• Be licensed and in good standing in a participating jurisdiction in Canada, Mexico, or the United States. 

• Hold a degree in architecture from an accredited architecture program or recognized equivalent. 

• Have a minimum of five years of post-licensure experience, at least two of which must be earned while in responsible control in the country where you were initially licensed. 

• U.S. architects must hold an NCARB Certificate. 

• Mexican architects must hold an ENCONARQ+EA Certificate. 

Learn more about the updated MRA and reciprocal licensure requirements. 

Licensure Updates

Recently Resolved Compliance Cases

Case 25.19 - Unlicensed Individual Practice - 81-3442(1)(a)

Summary: A complaint was submitted alleging that Stacy Spotanski, owner of “Spotanski Creative Building Design and Drafting LLC,” offered a contract and provided architectural services for the addition of a single-story building [B-Business occupancy] comprising approximately 6,418 square feet. The exemption level for Business (B) occupancies is less than 3,000 square feet, as noted in Neb. Admin. Code, Title 110, Rule 10.3.2.

Because this project exceeds the Business (B) occupancy maximum building area of 3,000 square feet, it is subject to the Act. 

Additionally, the complaint alleges that Spotanski held themselves out to be a licensed architect. 

Further, the complaint alleges that the Respondents performed design services by preparing technical documents that constitute the practice of architecture and engineering. At the time the complaint was filed, Spotanski did not hold a license to practice architecture or engineering in Nebraska. Additionally, Spotanski Creative Building Design and Drafting LLC does not employ licensed architects or professional engineers in Nebraska.

Action: Through its investigation, the Board found that the Respondents performed certain activities required of a Coordinating Professional, as described in Neb. Admin. Code Title 110 Rule 6.3.2.1 – 6.3.2.3, and therefore engaged in the practice of architecture or engineering in the state without a license. These actions violated Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-3441, § 81-3442, and § 81-3437.02, as well as Neb. Admin. Code Title 110 Rule 6.3. 

The Board and the Respondents reached a settlement agreement in which the Respondents agreed to disciplinary action requiring them to pay an $8,000 civil penalty, $5,525 in attorney fees, and $906.61 in investigative costs within 180 days. The Board voted to approve the settlement agreement, authorize the chair to sign and execute it, monitor its terms, and close the complaint. 

Case 26.28 – Unlicensed Individual Practice - 81-3442(1)(a)

Summary: The Board was notified of the submission of unsealed plans to another state agency for the renovation of a single-story building [Assembly (A) occupancy] comprising approximately 1,750 square feet. The exemption level for Assembly (A) occupancies is less than 1,000 square feet, as noted in Neb. Admin. Code, Title 110, Rule 10.3.1.

Because this project exceeds 1,000 square feet, it is subject to the Act. 

The plans did not bear the seal of a Nebraska-licensed architect or professional engineer. 

Action: The Board authorized architecture and engineering remediation to bring the project into compliance with the Act.

Per Board Rule 8.4, the project owner engaged a Nebraska-licensed architect and professional engineer to evaluate the project for compliance with the Act. During this review, the remediation professionals identified deficiencies and recommended design solutions. The project owner corrected the identified deficiencies based on the recommendations from the remediation professionals. As a result, the Board dismissed the complaint without disciplinary action based on the successful completion of architecture and engineering remediation.

* * *

More information about the enforcement process is available.

The Board also maintains a list of formal disciplinary actions it has taken.