Continuing Education Units, or CEUs, are a fundamental part of maintaining an active Life Safety & Property Protection endorsement in Louisiana. The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, through the LSPP Education Board, defines a CEU as one hour of approved continuing education designed to ensure that licensed professionals remain current on codes, technology, safety practices, and regulatory requirements. CEUs exist to support competency and consistency across the industry, ensuring that every technician or specialist working under an LSPP endorsement maintains the knowledge necessary to protect people and property effectively.
CEUs in Louisiana must meet the standards established by the LSPP Education Board, as outlined in the Training and Education Guidelines and Louisiana Administrative Code. For continuing education to qualify, the content must be directly relevant to the licensee’s endorsement and to the broader life safety or property protection fields. Commonly accepted topics include instruction on fire alarm systems, fire suppression system installation or maintenance, life-safety codes, state regulatory updates, security system operation, access control technologies, locksmithing practices, CCTV integration, inspection procedures, testing requirements, and other material that impacts compliance, safety, or proper system performance. Courses must come from Board-approved CEU providers, and the instruction must clearly support the professional duties, technical responsibilities, or regulatory obligations of the license holder.
Louisiana requires each LSPP license holder to complete eight CEUs every year. At least half of these hours must come from specific content categories defined by the Education Board to ensure that the training is sufficiently technical and relevant to the endorsement. These requirements help prevent licensees from relying on overly general training and encourage ongoing learning in the core areas tied to fire and security system safety. Courses taken for CEU credit must be completed within the licensing cycle and must align with the Board’s published guidelines to ensure they are accepted at renewal.
Reporting CEUs is an individual responsibility. When professionals renew their LSPP credentials, they must certify that they have completed the required eight hours and must provide documentation such as certificates of completion from approved providers. These certificates must be retained and submitted with the renewal form or made available upon request by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Failure to complete or properly document CEUs can delay or prevent license renewal, temporarily prohibiting the individual from performing work under their LSPP endorsement.
CEUs play a critical role in maintaining Louisiana’s high standards for life safety and property protection. The technology, codes, and best practices that govern our industry continue to evolve, and continuing education ensures that licensed professionals remain informed and capable. For those in fire alarm, suppression, security, CCTV, and related disciplines, CEUs are not simply a regulatory requirement; they are an ongoing commitment to professionalism, public safety, and the integrity of the systems we install and maintain.
Professionals seeking CEUs will find that the LLSSA offers some of the most accessible and relevant opportunities in the state. Each year, CEU-approved classes are available at the LLSSA Convention, the Dealer Conference in Natchitoches, regional meetings across Louisiana, self-paced online, and through our ongoing webinar series. These training events are tailored specifically to LSPP-licensed professionals and address the real-world challenges and code requirements of our industry. LLSSA members receive discounted pricing on many of these CEU courses, making it easier and more economical to stay compliant while staying connected to the latest developments in life safety and property protection.