Professional Licensure

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The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing professional licensure for engineers and surveyors. In the United States, engineers and surveyors are licensed at the state and territory level. Since its founding in 1920, NCEES has focused on providing services to advance licensure and facilitate mobility among the licensing jurisdictions. These services include engineering exams, surveying exams, exam prep materials, records programs, credentials evaluations, CPC tracking, and more.

Benefits of Becoming A Professional Engineer

In a stack of resumes, yours will stand out. Employers are often impressed with engineers who have their professional license. If a company is choosing between two qualified applicants, a P.E. license could be the deciding factor to whether or not you get the job. Having more qualifications never hurts your chances of landing a job and moving up the ladder, especially when it is a qualification such as a P.E. that is recognized everywhere.

Belong to a licensed profession. As a P.E., you are a member of a profession. As a member of a profession, you will have resources and networking opportunities that will aid with your career development. Becoming a P.E. will also provide you an unspoken bond with other P.E.s from around the world because you understand firsthand the rigors they went through to get their professional license.

Serve the public. Professional licensure protects the public by enforcing standards that restrict practice to qualified individuals who have met specific qualifications in education, work experience, and exams.

“Professional engineering and surveying licensure is rigorous for a reason. Through education, experience, and exams, professional licensure establishes an important verification of qualifications that is critical in safeguarding the public. As a licensed professional engineer and a licensed professional surveyor, public protection is top of mind for me every day.”
-Kelly Fedele, P.E., P.S.
Director, DTE Energy

Typically earn more money with a professional license. Having a professional engineering license is an asset in the career field. And since it is an asset, P.E.s, on average, earn a higher salary than their unlicensed counterparts.

Steps to Becoming A Professional Engineer

While each state licensing board has its own laws regarding engineering licensure, there is a general three-step process for licensure candidates.

Education. Generally, engineering licensing boards require P.E. candidates to have an EAC/ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree. Check the requirements of your state licensing board. Each state licensing board has varying educational requirements.

Exams. Licensure candidates typically must take and pass both the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam.

Experience. Most states require four years of acceptable, progressive, and verifiable work experience in the industry.

“I am convinced that my designation as a licensed P.E. (professional engineer) has directly contributed to my professional advancement and several technical promotions I have received by setting me apart technically from other candidates who were not similarly licensed.”
-Robert M. Koch, Ph.D., P.E.
Federal Chief Research Scientist
Adjunct Professor of Engineering

NCEES Records Program

The NCEES Records program is designed for currently licensed engineers and surveyors who are looking for an easier and faster way to complete the licensure process in multiple jurisdictions, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. An established NCEES Record will include most—if not all—of the materials you need to apply for comity licensure in additional states and territories.

Eliminate having to resubmit your college transcripts, exam results, employment verifications, and professional references. If you are already licensed and want to apply for licensure in an additional U.S. state or territory, apply for an NCEES Record. NCEES will review your materials and, after your record is established, electronically submit them directly to the licensing board on your behalf. This saves time and simplifies the application process when you need to practice in multiple states and territories.

In the United States, licensure for the engineering professions is regulated by state. Candidates interested in pursuing licensure are encouraged to check the requirements in the state or territory where they plan to practice, as the requirements vary.

For more on professional licensure, the PE and FE exams, and the NCEES Records program, please visit www.ncees.org.

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