FOUR STEPS FOR YOUR ENGINEERING LICENSE

Follow these four directives, and you can earn your professional engineer license.

Each state and territory varies slightly, but in general, there is a four-step process required to obtain engineering license and become a professional engineer.

Step 1: Graduate from an ABET-accredited engineering program.

Step 2: Take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam which earns you the Engineering Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) credential.

Step 3: Gain engineering work experience. Many jurisdictions have specific requirements about the type of experience you need to gain. Most require that you gain experience under the supervision of someone who is already a licensed engineer, and that your experience involve increasing levels of responsibility.

Step 4: Once you have gained the appropriate engineering experience, you can take the second exam in the licensure process, the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE). This exam is given in a variety of engineering disciplines. Once you are granted licensure, you may use the distinguished designation "professional engineer," or P.E.