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Continuing Education
Latest update as of July 1st, 2026
The New York State Council of Landscape Architects (NYSCLA) update on the New York State (NYS) Landscape Architecture Continuing Education (CE) Law Changes.
NYSCLA met with Robert Lopez, Executive Secretary to the NYS Board for Landscape Architecture on June 18, 2026, to discuss the status of the revised NYS LA CE law implementation. The new LA CE law (Chapter 529 of the Laws of 2025) was signed by Governor Hochul on Nov. 21, 2025. It includes an 18-month long implementation period so that proposed regulatory amendments can be created by the NYS State Education Department (NYSED) with input from the NYS Board for Landscape Architecture and reviewed and approved by the NYS Board of Regents. Mr. Lopez said that progress is underway on the proposed amendments for a discussion by the Regents in December. Following Regents’ discussion, there will be a 60-day public comment period, with final implementation planned for May 21, 2027. Find here a link to highlights of the State Board’s review of the regulatory amendments that occurred at the State Board meeting on April 29, 2026.
This important legislation will allow NYS registered licensed landscape architects to take a wider variety of courses and formats, includes credit rollover, and brings LA CE regulations in the State of New York to parity with other licensed professions such as architecture, engineering, etc. The 36-hour credit load will remain during each 3-year registration period along with other adjustments still being determined.
IMPORTANT: Until the final implementation is confirmed (anticipated around May 21, 2027), please continue to get your CEs following the current requirements as shown on the NYSED Landscape Architecture Continuing Education link here:
https://www.op.nysed.gov/continuing-education-landscape-architecture
All approved providers should also follow this same guidance.
NYSCLA's ongoing advocacy in Albany on behalf of New York's landscape architecture community, including efforts such as advancing the revised CE law, is made possible through the dues ASLA members pay to the NY Upstate and Downstate Chapters. Thank you for supporting this important work through your ASLA membership.
NEXT STEPS: NYSCLA will post the December announcement to the NYSCLA website and pass on to each Chapter for posting on their websites once we have it. So check back here for that announcement in December.
Please hold all questions until this December’s release of the changes are posted. You can then review the changes and ask any questions during the 60-day public comment period.
General Information on Continuing Education courses:
To be acceptable for New York State continuing education, the courses or educational activities you take must meet all three of these basic criteria:
They must be administered by an approved NYS sponsor (provider), and
They must be in an acceptable subject area, and
They must be given in an approved format (either a course or educational activity)
Additionally, the courses or educational activities must contribute to the professional practice of landscape architecture; as such practice is defined in the NYS Education Law, Section 7321.
You should always verify prior to signing up for a course or education activity and when you arrive to take a course, that the course or education activity does indeed provide the needed NYS CE credit.
Providers already approved within the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) meet one of the criteria noted above, as AIA/CES is an entity authorized to approve providers. However, courses or educational activities taken through the AIA/CES provider program must also be in an acceptable subject area and given in an approved format in order to be acceptable to the NYS Education Department.
The C2Ed program administered by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB), SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Cornell University's Department of Landscape Architecture, and CCNY's Program in Landscape Architecture are approved providers of continuing education in New York State.
Always check with the provider to be sure that the course will meet SED requirements for CE credit for Landscape Architects.
NOTE: Regarding courses offered by manufacturers and representative of other products, there are now strict guidelines as to the course content and the degree to which 'sales' activity is part of the course presentation. Some of these providers are aware of the new guidelines, some are not.Courses are intended to be non-proprietary in nature. Courses that serve as a "marketing pitch" for a manufacturer will not be approved for NYS CE credit. For example, a manufacturer's Power Point presentation may only include their company name/logo on the first and last slide of a presentation.
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Upcoming NYSCLA Meetings & Events
2026 NYSCLA Board Meeting Schedule (Teleconference):
January 15th at 4pm
April 20th at 4pm
June 25th at 4pm
September 17th at 4pm
November 12th at 4pm
Lobby Day 2027: TBD
Contact Vincent Ryan vr@keplingerfreeman.com for more info.
Please refer to the ASLA Upstate and NY Chapters for more upcoming events..