Individual Applicants

Professional Engineer

Applicant apply directly to NCEES to take the PE exam. Visit the NCEES web site for exam information including scheduling. Only those applicants that have met the education requirements and have passed the FE exam may sit for the PE exam prior to having gained the required experience. Then, upon gaining the required experience, apply for the PE license.

To be eligible to take the PE exam in NC an applicant must first possess one of the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree in engineering from an EAC/ABET accredited program. With this degree an applicant is eligible for PE licensure with four years of progressive engineering experience from the date of graduation.
  • A bachelor’s degree in engineering from an ETAC/ABET accredited program, or related science curriculum. With this degree an applicant is eligible for PE licensure with eight years of progressive engineering experience from the date of graduation.
  • A master’s degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET accredited undergraduate programs in the same discipline. With this degree an applicant is eligible for PE licensure with four years of progressive engineering experience from the date of graduation.
  • An earned doctoral degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET accredited programs. With this degree an applicant is eligible for PE licensure with two years of progressive engineering experience.
  • Upon passing the PE exam AND meeting the experience requirements, the applicant will then apply to the North Carolina Board for the PE license.

To be eligible for the PE license in NC, the applicant must present evidence satisfactory to the Board of a specific record of progressive engineering experience that is of a grade and character that indicates to the Board that the applicant is competent to practice engineering. The required amount of progressive engineering experience depends on the applicant’s education, which is outlined in the aforementioned PE exam eligibility requirements.

Military Applicants

All military applicants are required to comply with the licensing requirements of G. S. 89C-13 (G. S. 89C) and Board Rule 21 NCAC 56.0501.

The Department of Veteran Affairs has approved NCEES (The National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors) per Section 21.4268 of Title 38 of the US Code of Federal Regulations, which allows the reimbursement of exam fees for surveyors (and engineers) who are military veterans.  A veteran who takes any of the surveying (or engineering) exams offered by NCEES no matter where they took the exam or their state of residence should complete VA Form 22-0810 Application for Reimbursement of National Exam Fee  and submit to the appropriate VA Regional Processing Office listed on page 2 of Form 22-0810.  Help contact information for VA is also included in the instructions of the form.

Effective April 27, 2021, Professional Engineers who are actively serving in the military, and their spouses, will be eligible to transmit their NCEES Record to a member board at no charge when military orders require them to move to a new state. These transmittals will include a military designation in the existing remarks section on the first page to alert member boards as to their military status.

This new option for military families will help them complete the comity application process faster.

Military-related applicants can start the process by emailing military@ncees.org. Information is also available on the NCEES website at ncees.org/records.