There are a number of good
reasons for obtaining an engineering license. If you are interested in performing
consulting engineering work at any point during your career, all 50 states require
that you obtain a license in order to do so. The majority of states have legislation
that virtually prohibits nonlicensed engineers from engaging in private practice,
performing engineering services, entering into contracts, or submitting original
designs, plans, or specifications for approval.
Most city, state, and federal government agencies now require PE licenses
for all their employees who perform responsible engineering duties of any kind.
In the private sector, it is increasingly common for industry employers to
require licensure of their responsible engineers because of the rise in the
number of product design, product performance, and environmental damage lawsuits.
As an added incentive, many companies give a monetary bonus when an engineer
becomes licensed.
The exact qualifications required
by each state are different, but there is a marked degree of similarity. Most
states are reasonably flexible and permit a certain amount of substitution of
valid experience for education, and vice versa. The basic requirements are:
- Completing a four-year educational program in an approved branch of engineering
leading to a bachelor's degree, conferred by an institution approved by the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). (Some states permit
engineers without degrees to become licensed.)
- Passing the FE examination.
- Performing a given number of years (usually four, but fewer in some states)
of increasingly responsible engineering work at satisfactory professional
levels.
- Passing the PE examination.
For more detailed information, see FAQs
about Qualifying.
Becoming licensed usually
means taking at least two eight-hour engineering examinations administered by
your state. The first is known as the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam.
It was formerly (and often still is) called the Engineer-in-Training or EIT
exam. This exam is given in one day and is divided into two four-hour sections.
The morning section covers general engineering topics. In the afternoon, you
have the choice of taking one of six different exams: chemical, civil, electrical,
industrial, mechanical, or general.
The second eight-hour licensing exam is known as the Principles and Practice
of Engineering, or PE, exam. This exam is administered by discipline. Some states
require PE candidates in certain disciplines to pass other exams, in addition
to the standard national tests written by the NCEES. (For example, California
requires civil PE candidates to pass a four-hour test on seismic principles
and a four-hour test on engineering surveying, as well as the civil PE exam.)
All US states and territories
currently use the FE and PE examinations prepared by the National Council of
Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Exam dates are standardized
in all states. All states accept and use the NCEES-recommended minimum passing
scores (although they are free to establish their own passing scores if they
so choose).
All states do not offer every PE exam, and some states have different or extra
components for some PE exams. For example, the civil PE exam in California includes
extra, mandatory sections on seismic and surveying principles. It's necessary
to check
with your state board for state-specific exam information.
Engineering Licensing FAQ File
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