Renewal Requirements

The renewal process ensures that TOPSs maintain good standing in the transportation profession and continue to enhance their knowledge of the technology and scientific principles related to the practice of traffic operations. Renewal will be granted for a three-year period upon written application meeting the following conditions and accompanied by the renewal fee.

Online TOPS Renewal

1. Renewal application shall include a signed declaration that the applicant’s employment or engagement as a Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist has not been suspended nor terminated for unethical or illegal actions during the past certification period. Absence of the above declaration may be cause for the TPCB to refuse certification renewal.
2. Continuing Professional Development – Renewal application shall include evidence in a form acceptable to the TPCB that the applicant has engaged in at least 30 Professional Development Hours (PDH) of activities during the past certification period, which should meet the following criteria:
   1. The subject matter of the activity shall be traffic operations.
   2. The activity shall be educational in nature and have the clear purpose and objective of maintaining, improving, or expanding professional skills and knowledge. The study should relate primarily to technical competence in:
      1. traffic operations studies;
      2. traffic devices;
      3. elements of design;
      4. traffic safety;
      5. incident management; and
      6. transportation management; and
   3. The activity shall be in addition to activities of the certificate holder’s normal work assignment.
   4. For each educational activity meeting the above criteria:
      1. ONE PDH shall be credited for each nominal contact hour at a course, seminar, or conference.
      2. TEN PDH shall be credited for each Continuing Education Unit (CEU) meeting requirements of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
      3. THIRTY PDH shall be credited for obtaining one academic quarter-hour credit in a course offered by a college or university.
      4. FORTY PDH shall be credited for obtaining one academic semester-hour credit in a course offered by a college or university.
      5. TWICE the PDH listed above shall be credited for the preparation and initial presentation (and possible associated publication) of a transportation planning subject in an educational activity meeting the above criteria.
   5. TEN PDH shall be credited for active participation in the preparation and initial publication of a professional paper, article or book meeting the above criteria, which is not eligible for credit under 4)(v).
   6. TWO PDH shall be credited for serving as an officer or an active committee participant in a professional or technical society that meets the requirements of IACET. This credit is limited to TWO PDH per year.
   7. PDH must be earned during the immediate past certification period and may not be carried forward.
   8. The applicant for renewal shall self-certify that the number of PDH claimed and the activities they are based on meet the above criteria.
   9. The applicant must file a renewal application within one year of renewal date. Failure to do so will require that the candidate reapply and retake the TOPS exam.
   10. Expiration date for renewals will be three years from the date that the TOPS expires irrespective of when the renewal application is received during the one-year grace period.