10.2: The Engineering Licensure Process
- Page ID
- 142892
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)To apply for a Professional Engineer (PE) license in most U.S. jurisdictions, candidates must satisfy four core requirements:
- Earn a 4-year Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Engineering (typically from an ABET accredited program).
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam to earn Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Engineer Intern (EI) status.
- Complete four years of progressive work experience supervised by a licensed professional engineer.
- Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam.
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam
- Timing: Generally, engineering students sit for the FE exam during the final year of their undergraduate degree while foundational concepts are fresh, though it can be taken at any time.
- Exam Length: The FE is a computer-based exam consisting of 110 questions. The total appointment time is 6 hours (which includes 5 hours and 20 minutes of testing time, a brief tutorial, and a scheduled 25-minute break).
- Are exams the same for all engineers? No. While all FE exams cover common core subjects (such as mathematics, engineering economics, and professional ethics), NCEES offers 7 discipline-specific versions:
- Chemical
- Civil
- Electrical and Computer
- Environmental
- Industrial and Systems
- Mechanical
- Other Disciplines (designed for general or specialized engineering majors)
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam
- Timing: The PE exam is typically taken near or after completing the four years of required professional work experience. (Note: Some states permit "decoupling," allowing candidates to sit for the PE exam prior to completing the four-year experience requirement).
- Exam Length: Most standard PE exams consist of 80 questions. The total appointment time is 9 hours (which includes 8 hours of testing time, a tutorial, and a scheduled 50-minute break).
- Are exams the same for all engineers? No. The PE exam is highly specialized to measure practical application and competence in specific disciplines. NCEES offers PE exams across 16 major disciplines (e.g., Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer, Chemical, Agricultural). Furthermore, larger disciplines are broken down into specific depth modules. For example, the Civil PE exam requires candidates to select one of five specialized sub-tracks:
- Construction
- Geotechnical
- Structural
- Transportation
- Water Resources and Environmental
Think Ahead
It is typically much easier to pass the FE exam while you are in the final year or your undergraduate degree than after you have been away from studying for years. Do not wait to take the FE exam.