Deciding to take the NCEES Principles and Practices of Engineering (PE) Exam is an important step in an engineer's career. Registration for the computer-based PE exams is open all year-round. The first step before you apply for the PE exam is to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements to be licensed. States regulate professional engineering licenses in the US. The eligibility criteria may differ state-wise, but the application process is usually the same. This article presents a brief overview of the qualifications required to apply for the PE exam.
Minimum Qualifications Required to Apply for the PE Exam
The minimum qualifications required
to become a licensed professional engineer are as follows:
1.
Education
There are many educational routes
in which people can become licensed. Most states require people to graduate
from an ABET-accredited 4-year engineering program. States differ on how they
handle degrees that are not ABET-accredited Bachelor's degrees. Some states
allow people with a degree from a foreign country,
non-accredited engineering programs, engineering technology, related science
degree, or in some rare cases, no degree at all.
1.1. What if I do not have
an ABET-accredited degree?
In some states, candidates without
an ABET-accredited degree are required to gain more than the usual 4-years of
qualified work experience to become eligible for the PE licensure.
1.2. What if I do not have
a Bachelor's degree?
A few states allow those without a
degree to apply for the PE exam, provided they have 12 or more years of
qualified work experience. Others prohibit them from becoming licensed.
1.3. What if I have a
foreign degree?
Some states accept foreign degrees
with an additional review, and some treat these degrees as non-accredited
degrees. Other states prohibit people with a foreign degree from becoming
licensed engineers.
2.
Experience
Each state has different experience
requirements to apply for the PE exam. You should gain acceptable, progressive,
and verifiable work experience as declared by your state. This is typically four
years for a candidate with an ABET-accredited Bachelor's degree.
The experience may vary according
to the candidate's educational qualifications. With advanced degrees, the
experience requirements can be less. Similarly, for people without a degree,
the experience requirements will be the highest (say upwards of 10 years).
Some states may allow you to appear
for the PE exam before you meet the experience requirements. You might pass the
test early, but you have to wait till to gain the required experience to apply
for the PE license.
3.
Examination
There are two exams a candidate
should pass to become a licensed professional engineer. The first of the two
qualifying exams is the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. The NCEES
administers the 6-hour-long FE exam. People usually take the FE exam before
graduating from college or soon after. Candidates must pass the FE exam before
applying for the PE exam.
Sometimes candidates can get a
waiver for the FE exam if they possess additional work experience or
educational qualifications. In such cases, candidates should provide supporting
documents such as references, certificates, etc., to qualify for the FE exam
waiver.
After passing the FE exam,
candidates should pass the 8-hour Principles and Practices of Engineering (PE)
exam to secure a PE license. NCEES organizes the PE exam, and often the
applications are reviewed and pre-approved by authorities.
4.
Additional Requirements
In addition to the above-stated
requirements, you must satisfy the following conditions (some or all) depending
on your state board's requirements:
· Maintain the appropriate immigration status (citizen or
legal permanent resident)
· Not have committed any crimes that would be on the grounds
for denial of licensure
· Must be the appropriate age
· Must have a good moral character as determined by the
state board
· Should not be behind in student loan payments
· Should not be behind in child support payments
Concluding Thoughts
The conditions mentioned in this
article are some commonly accepted requirements. Each state board has its own
set of requirements, so interested candidates are advised to check their state board's requirements before applying for the PE exam.
The PE license brings a lot of
advantages, so consider applying for the PE exam early in your career to reap
the benefits of the PE licensure. Join PE exam review courses on well-known
platforms like School of PE to improve your chances of
passing the PE exam.
Good luck!