CEU FAQs
CEU: Continuing education unit
HSW: Health, safety and welfare
IDCEC: International Design Continuing Education Council. The IDCEC administers IDIBC’s CEU tracking system on its website and reviews IDCEC-approved seminars to ensure quality and relevance.
January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024 (3-year cycle).
If you are an IDIBC member, you should have received your IDCEC card in the mail. If you haven’t received your number, please contact the IDIBC.
You need a prorated number of IDCEC-approved CEUs and non-IDCEC-approved CEUs. Download the Guide for Continuing Education chart
No. CEU requirements are spread over a three-year period.
CEUs cannot be carried over into the next reporting cycle. However, if at the end of the cycle you have extra IDCEC-approved CEUs and insufficient non-IDCEC-approved CEUs, you may count the former toward your total requirement.
It’s a CEU that has been reviewed and approved by the IDCEC. For a list of IDCEC-approved courses, please go to the IDCEC Course Search webpage.
A seminar or activity that hasn’t been approved by the IDCEC is considered a non-IDCEC-approved CEU. Seminar subject matter must be generic and non-proprietary. Examples of activities include volunteering, attending the IDIBC AGM, etc.
For a complete list of non-IDCEC approved CEU activities, refer to this document.
The IDIBC will accept as health, safety and welfare (HSW) CEUs any courses designated as such by IDCEC. Also, the IDIBC will accept those courses where a minimum of 75% of the CEU content covers knowledge and practice of interior design that is focused on protection of the public and the environment. The subject of these CEUs can include, but is not limited to, codes, fire and life safety systems, sustainability, barrier-free access, and energy compliance (HVAC, water, acoustics, electrical, etc.).
Additionally, courses designated as HSW by the following organizations will be accepted by IDIBC as such. Registrants must obtain certificates of completion with verifiable course information as proof of participation. Self-directed learning does not qualify for HSW CEUs at this time. Please notify the IDIBC if you think a provider should be added to this list.
IESNA – Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
IALD – International Association of Lighting Designers
IIDA – International Interior Design Association
IWBI – International WELL Building Institute
NCIDQ – National Council for Interior Design Qualification
NKBA – National Kitchen and Bath Association
USGBC – US Green Building Council
Building code and accessibility courses and seminars may also count as HSW CEUs. These courses must have local relevance (e.g., Vancouver Building By-Law, BC Building Code, National Building Code, Canadian Electrical Code, National Plumbing Code, National Fire Code, etc). Similarly, energy compliance courses offered by organizations such as BC Hydro, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the National Research Council of Canada may be considered as HSW CEUs.
Please review the definition stated above and contact us if you require further clarification.
1 CEU = 1 hour. Some events may advertise the CEU as .1 CEU. This also equals 1 hour.
Some specific IDCEC-approved CEUs will be counted as 1.5 CEUs. Otherwise, CEUs are only counted in full increments.
a. Use the IDCEC online registry to self-report CEUs if you have attended:
- an IDCEC-approved conference such as Buildex or IDS Vancouver. Note: IDCEC events that offer a variety of optional CEUs are also considered conferences, such as the Phillips Get Enlightened Lighting series held in Vancouver in 2014.
- a non-IDCEC-approved conference such as the Home and Garden Show or conferences held by IFMA, IESNA, etc.
- a non-IDCEC-approved course or activity
b. IDCEC-approved-courses should be reported by the presenter.
Do not self-report attendance for an IDCEC course if you have provided your IDCEC number to the presenter of the course. Providers will report attendance within 5–7 business days. If you have not received attendance within 7 business days, please contact the provider of the course. If they don’t report your attendance, you may have to self-report.
All self-reported education and activity must be submitted with proof of attendance to be accepted for credit. Examples of proof include a certificate of completion, conference card, transcript or letter from the organizer. The document must include your name, date of the activity, duration of activity, and content or duty performed. Upload the document when you log your CEU online.
Yes, if the course subject matter is related to interior design. Examples of relevant topics would be marketing, business practices, computer skills, building systems, building code, graphic design, etc. The CEUs would be logged as non-IDCEC-approved.
Interior designers who return to university in order to upgrade their credentials to a Bachelor of Interior Design can log the courses for non-IDCEC approved CEUs.
The online registry only allows you to log 8 CEUs per activity, so if your course is longer than 8 hours, break it into sections of up to 8 hours each, and log them separately.
On your dashboard on the IDCEC website, you have the opportunity to delete an entry.
Yes. One non-approved CEU per day. Use activity code 510. This can be logged as a non-IDCEC-approved conference.
Yes. One non-IDCEC approved CEU per day. Use activity code 600.
For more information and FAQs on the IDCEC and its registry, please download the IDCEC FAQ for Learners.
If you are an IDIBC member and have been issued an IDCEC number but can’t remember what it is, you can search for it here.
Do not create an account with the IDCEC directly if you cannot find your account. Please contact us at info@idibc.org.
By passing a 36 hour building code course at BCIT, you earn 15 non-IDCEC approved CEUs, eight of which are HSW. Upload your transcript as proof of completion.
For further information, please contact the Continuing Education Committee at info@idibc.org.
For details about current IDC CEU events click here.
For details about current IDIBC CEU events visit our events calendar.