Regular Session
Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis
SB681 mandates a structural shift from annual to biennial (two-year) renewal cycles for all Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and registered engineering/surveying firms in Texas. While this reduces administrative frequency, it doubles the upfront cash requirement for renewals and necessitates immediate updates to internal compliance tracking to prevent accidental licensure lapses.
Sen. Bryan Hughes·Senate Bill·Regular Session
Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS)
JD Key Consulting provides strategic guidance on Texas regulatory compliance and legislative impact for your business.
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
Review Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and sub-consultant contracts immediately. Remove representations requiring "annual" renewal of licensure to avoid technical breach of contract. Replace with language requiring vendors to "maintain valid licensure in accordance with TBPELS rules."
Adjust internal Continuing Education (CE) tracking systems. You must now track and verify 30 hours of CE over a two-year block rather than 15 hours annually. Implement policy to prevent staff from backloading 30 hours of training into the final month of the cycle.
Update proposal and bid qualification templates. Ensure RFP response teams possess updated license certificates reflecting the new two-year validity dates to avoid disqualification during client vetting. Retain CE documentation for the full biennial period plus the audit look-back period defined by the Board.
Adjust departmental budgets for FY 2026. While the annualized cost of licensure remains neutral, the cash flow requirement will double for the renewal month as you must pay for two years of licensure upfront.
JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.
Schedule a ConsultationInformation presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
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Common questions about SB681
SB681 mandates a structural shift from annual to biennial (two-year) renewal cycles for all Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and registered engineering/surveying firms in Texas. While this reduces administrative frequency, it doubles the upfront cash requirement for renewals and necessitates immediate updates to internal compliance tracking to prevent accidental licensure lapses.
SB681 was authored by Texas Senator Bryan Hughes during the Regular Session.
SB681 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.
SB681 is enforced by Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS).
The regulatory priority for SB681 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.
The cost impact of SB681 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
SB681 addresses topics including occupational regulation, occupational regulation--other trades & professions, engineers & engineering and professional engineers & land surveyors, texas board of.
Key dates for SB681: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Rulemaking: Adopt rules establishing a minimum two-year validity period for engineering and land surveying licenses and business registrations. (As soon as practicable after 2025-09-01). Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.
JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.
