IStructE CPD requirements for structural engineers, in plain English

Short answerIStructE requires at least 30 hours of CPD each calendar year, or 90 hours across a rolling three years if your workload varies. Within that, around six hours should cover structural safety and around six hours sustainability. Hours are recorded on the IStructE CPD platform through My Account.

Short answerAny activity that keeps your structural engineering knowledge and skills current: courses, lectures and webinars, technical reading, mentoring, committee work, research and on-the-job learning with a clear development aim. Record each activity with its date, duration and a short note on what you learned. Structural safety and sustainability learning must be identifiable in your record.

Short answerEach year a proportion of professionally qualified members is asked to submit their CPD record; expect a request every three to five years. You submit through the platform by the given deadline. If you do not respond after reminders, your case goes to the Membership Committee, which can lapse or remove your membership. Removal is not automatic.

Short answerCPD runs on the calendar year. If you are asked to submit, the deadline is 31 March following the year in question. Voluntary annual submission is encouraged even when you are not selected. Members can also meet the requirement as 90 hours over three rolling years, so a quiet year can be balanced later.