10.4: History of Engineering Licensure
- Page ID
- 142894
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History of Engineering Licensure
U.S. Beginnings
- U.S. Constitutional Basis: Under the Tenth Amendment, individual states hold the authority to regulate professions to protect public welfare.
- The First Licensure Law (1907): In response to property disputes caused by unqualified individuals mapping water rights, Wyoming State Engineer Clarence Johnston drafted the first U.S. engineering registration law in 1907. The law established a state board of examiners to regulate who could legally use the title "engineer" or "land surveyor." Other states quickly followed.
Interstate Uniformity and NCEES
- Reciprocity Challenges: Early state licensing laws lacked standardized requirements and did not recognize out-of-state credentials, creating barriers for engineers working across state lines.
- Formation of NCEES (1920): State boards formed what is now the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) to align registration procedures and coordinate interstate comity.
- The Model Law (1932): NCEES ratified the Model Law, establishing standardized guidelines for state licensing qualifications and record-keeping procedures to streamline cross-jurisdictional practice.
- Founding of the NSPE (1932): Structural engineer David Steinman founded the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) to represent the professional, ethical, and legislative interests of licensed engineers.
- Core Contributions: NSPE developed the Canons of Ethics for Engineers, established the Board of Ethical Review, launched National Engineers Week, and established early benchmarks for professional practice and public protection.
- Evolution of the FE and PE Examinations: By 1950, every state had enacted engineering licensure laws, but testing methods varied widely ranging from informal oral exams to simple memorization tests. To establish consistent competency standards, NCEES developed a unified two-part examination system:
- Fundamentals of Engineering (FE): First administered nationally in 1965, this exam covers core principles (mathematics, science, engineering economics) and serves as the credentialing step for Engineers-in-Training (EITs).
- Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE): Introduced nationally in 1966, this exam tests practical application within specialized engineering disciplines.
- Full Adoption (1984): By 1984, all U.S. state licensing boards adopted uniform FE and PE exams.
- Modern Testing: Today, NCEES offers computer-based testing across 16 major engineering disciplines, with exam specifications regularly updated through industry-wide practice surveys.
- Current Impact on the Profession: Approximately 28% of the 1.8 million engineers in the United States hold a Professional Engineer (PE) license (over 500,000 active practitioners).
- Modern PE License: A PE license grants legal authority to sign and seal engineering documents, taking direct legal and ethical responsibility for public safety in the built environment.
*Source: National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)