Engineering Licensure in the US: The FE and PE Exams Explained

What it means to be a licensed Professional Engineer

In the United States, a Professional Engineer (PE) is someone licensed by a state board to take legal responsibility for engineering work — for example, signing and sealing engineering designs and reports. Not every engineer is licensed, but in certain fields and roles a PE license is essential.

Licensure is granted at the state level, so the precise requirements are set by each state's licensing board, not by a single national authority. The national exams, however, are developed and administered by NCEES, which standardizes the FE and PE exams used across states.

The path generally has four stages: earn a qualifying degree, pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, gain qualifying work experience, and pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. Always confirm the exact steps with the official board where you intend to be licensed.

Step 1: The FE exam

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is generally the first step toward becoming a PE. It is a broad, computer-based exam covering engineering fundamentals, and many students take it near the end of their undergraduate studies or shortly after graduating.

Most state boards expect FE candidates to be graduating from or have graduated from an engineering program — commonly an ABET-accredited one. Passing the FE typically lets you be recognized as an Engineer Intern or Engineer-in-Training, a stepping stone toward full licensure.

Exam content, formats, scheduling, fees and eligibility are set by NCEES and the state boards and can change. Verify the current FE details on the official NCEES site rather than older summaries.

Step 2: Work experience, then the PE exam

After passing the FE, candidates generally need to gain a period of qualifying engineering experience, often under the supervision of a licensed PE. The required amount and what counts are defined by each state board, so check your board's current rule.

With the experience requirement met, you take the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, which tests deeper competency in a specific discipline. Passing the PE, along with meeting all your board's requirements, leads to full PE licensure.

Licenses must also be maintained over time, often with continuing-education requirements that vary by state.

• Earn a qualifying engineering degree (commonly ABET-accredited).
• Pass the FE exam (often near graduation).
• Gain qualifying engineering experience defined by your state board.
• Pass the discipline-specific PE exam.
• Meet all state-board requirements and maintain the license over time.

Which disciplines rely on licensure most

Licensure matters more in some disciplines than others. It is most central in civil and structural engineering, where engineers routinely sign and seal designs for buildings, bridges and public infrastructure, and is also common in mechanical and electrical engineering for roles involving public safety, consulting or signing off on designs.

In fields like software, aerospace and many research or product-development roles, formal PE licensure is less common, because the work may not legally require a sealed engineering document. Many engineers in these areas never pursue a PE.

Licensure is a career tool, not a measure of skill. If you may work in public-facing infrastructure, consulting, or roles that require sealing designs, plan early — choose an ABET-accredited degree and take the FE near graduation. If your field rarely requires it, you can still pursue it later. Verify all current requirements with the official state board and NCEES.