Licensing for engineers is growing in importance. Increasingly, employers are encouraging individuals to pursue engineering licensure. Progressive employers recognize that engineering licensing for their employees not only meets the state legal requirements, but also ensures that their employees are prepared to meet changing national and international regulations.
To help you understand the process and importance of licensing for the engineering profession, here are the most frequently asked questions and their answers.
What is licensing for engineers?
In all 50 states and U.S. territories, laws provide for the licensing of engineers in order to safeguard the health, welfare, and safety of the public. When you complete the licensing process, you are known as a professional engineer, designated by the initials “P.E.,” much as a medical doctor is designated by “M.D.”
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) provides the examinations that go with the licensing process, but each state has its own licensing board. This means that requirements for licensing vary from state to state.
Is licensing required?
The answer is both yes and no. Certain individuals, such as engineers working for consulting engineering firms, cannot call themselves engineers or sign and seal drawings until they complete the licensing process. In many industries, certain levels and titles are restricted to those who hold a P.E. license. Licensure for some engineering graduates working in industry, government, and education is not yet required.
Again, each state has its own laws that govern who must be licensed, and each has its own licensing criteria. You can check with your state board to learn about licensing in your state (a complete list, with contact information, is available at www.ncees.org).
Why should I bother with licensing?
There are several good reasons for becoming a P.E., and it’s important that you start now, while you’re still in school or a recent graduate.
Licensing provides you with many benefits, including:
Job opportunities. Employers want engineers who show a commitment to the future by becoming licensed.
Promotions. Many employers in industry and government require licensing for advancement to senior engineering positions.
Consulting. Only P.E.s can consult in private practice and serve as expert witnesses in court.
Respect. P.E.s gain the respect of peers within the engineering community, where the desire to excel runs high.
Ensuring the future. As laws change and international agreements concerning the requirement to be licensed are adopted, a P.E. license may be more of a necessity in the future.
Personal credentials. Most engineers do not spend an entire career with one employer. A P.E. license is a personal credential that you carry between jobs.
Why should I get started now? How long does it take to become a P.E.?
All in all, it normally takes about four years to obtain licensing. That’s one reason why you should start the process now.
What’s the first step to becoming licensed?
First, take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination as soon as your state will permit. This is usually in your senior year of college, but that can vary from state to state. Check with your state licensing board to learn when you can take the exam. Because you must make application several months in advance, obtain the proper form from your school or state board as soon as possible.
The FE examination, an eight-hour, multiple-choice test, covers mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering science. The multiple-choice afternoon portion tests junior/senior-level courses in the chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering disciplines. All other disciplines can work the general examination portion, which tests science, mathematics, and engineering science knowledge at a junior/senior level.
You’ll receive a copy of the Supplied-Reference Handbook when you actually take the exam, but can preview it on the NCEES web site (www.ncees.org). The only items you’ll be permitted to take into the exam are a pencil and a calculator. And check your calculator with your licensing board—there are some restrictions on the type of calculator allowed.
If you pass the exam, great! If you fail, you can retake the test at the next opportunity. The FE examination is offered each year in April and October.
How do I prepare for this examination?
There are a number of FE examination study books on the market, and NCEES has study materials available. In addition, it is wise to acquaint yourself with the contents of the Supplied-Reference Handbook, a booklet that contains formulas, graphs, and tables.
You can also check with your school: Some colleges and universities have review courses to help you prepare for the examination. Another way to prepare is to talk to people who have recently taken the exam and get their advice.
What happens next? How do I complete the licensing process?
There are two steps after graduating and passing the FE exam: First, if your engineering degree is from a program accredited by EAC/ABET, you must obtain four years of progressive engineering experience. If your program is not accredited or if you are a graduate of an engineering technology program, additional experience may be required; this varies from state to state. (In some states, engineering technology graduates are not permitted to obtain registration—whether or not their program is accredited.)
In addition, some states require that you obtain your experience under the direct supervision of a P.E.
After you’ve received the required experience, the second and last step is to take and pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) examination. You’ll be tested in your engineering discipline—electrical, civil, chemical, mechanical, etc.
If I move and/or take a job in another state, will I have to take either the FE or the PE examination again?
No. All states give the NCEES FE and PE exams, so the exams are the same in all states. Your exam results will transfer to your new state—however, you’ll have to meet that state’s other requirements for registration.
What are the trends concerning licensing?
Even though there has been a downward trend during the past few years in the number of students graduating with engineering degrees, the number of engineering students and graduates taking the FE examination is up considerably. So, increasingly your colleagues and co-workers—your competitors for job and advancement opportunities—are becoming P.E.s. In addition, some states are rewriting their licensing laws to remove the exemptions for engineers in utilities, government, and industry. Thus, licensing could become a requirement in those states.
How can I learn more?
NCEES has a pamphlet entitled P.E. Licensing. It gives more detail about the process and is an excellent reference. You can get a copy from your dean’s office or by writing to NCEES, Attn: Publications Department, P.O. Box 1686, Clemson, South Carolina 29633.
Any other recommendations?
Yes. Get started now. Find out when you are first permitted to take the FE exam, get the proper application form from your school or state board, and apply several months in advance.