International Applicants

Overview

Texas Professional Engineering applicants from outside of the United States fall into three categories:

  • Those who meet the requirements of Board Rule 133.26 (b): hold a current engineering licensure credential in a country that is a signatory to a mobility agreement with the Board, as follows: Chartered Engineer through the Engineering Council UK; is on the international registry of their home jurisdiction; and has a current International NCEES Record;
  • Those who meet the requirements of Board Rule 133.27 - Applicants wishing to apply for a temporary engineering license under a Mutual Recognition Agreement through Canada, Mexico, or South Korea; or
  • All other international applicants applying for a standard license in Texas meet the same requirements as Texas engineers, but there are a few extra process steps that must be addressed.

Law and Rules

This document refers to several TBPELS rules.

Law & Rules

Application Forms

Foreign applicants applying for a standard license use the application forms found on our downloads page.

Application Forms & Downloads

Foreign Regions

United Kingdom (UK)

Applicants from the United Kingdom (UK) via the NCEES / Engineering Council UK Agreement

According to Texas Board Rule 133.26(b):
This section only applies to an applicant that:

  • Holds a current engineering licensure credential in a country that is a signatory to a mobility agreement with the Board, as follows: Chartered Engineer through the Engineering Council UK;
  • Is on the international registry of their home jurisdiction; and
  • Has a current International NCEES Record. An applicant that meets the above conditions shall submit an application package that consists of the following:
  • A standard application form. The form is available at: Application Forms & Downloads
  • A current copy of the applicant's international NCEES Record. The International NCEES record shall be accepted as verification of documentation of education, licenses held, examinations or assessments taken, experience record, and reference documentation. This information is available via the NCEES Website: NCEES Records Program NCEES International Registry
  • A completed Texas Engineering Professional Conduct and Ethics Examination as required under §133.63 of this chapter (relating to Professional Conduct and Ethics Examination). This online exam is available at: Application Forms & Downloads
  • Documentation of submittal of fingerprints for criminal history record check as required by §1001.272 of the Act. Information and links about this process are available at Criminal History Record Check (CHRC).
  • A current application fee as established by the board (US $75). This can be paid as part of the online application or via check.
  • Proof of English language proficiency (per §133.21(c) of this chapter (relating to Application for Standard License)), if applicable; and
  • Information regarding any judgments of convictions, deferred judgments or pre-trial diversions for a misdemeanor or felony provided in a form prescribed by the board together with copies of any court orders or other legal documentation concerning the criminal charges and the resolution of those charges.

Australia, Canada, South Korea, Mexico

Applicants for a Temporary International License – Australia, Canada, South Korea, or Mexico

Engineers visiting Texas for a limited amount of time from Australia, Canada, South Korea, or Mexico can apply for a Temporary License. More information can be found here: Temporary International Licensure.

Other Countries

Applicants from All Other Countries

Texas accepts applications from individuals from any country. All applications must meet the same standards as an applicant from the US. For general standard license requirements go to this page: Basic Licensure Requirements.

Requirements

Education

Any applicant for a PE license or an EIT certificate must demonstrate that they meet the education requirements set in the Board rules. All non-US degrees which do not meet the requirements of 133.31(a)(1) must be evaluated to determine equivalence with a US degree. Evaluations must be done by one of the Board approved companies.

Non-Accredited & Foreign Degrees

Experience

Foreign engineers must meet the requirements for experience as specified in section 133.27(a)(4). The Board uses the criteria set out in rule 133.43 for analyzing the experience. Experience obtained outside the US may be claimed, but foreign engineers should pay special attention to section 133.43 (a)(3)(D), which requires that at least two years of the experience being claimed is obtained in the US or working with US design codes and standards. The amount of experience that is required is set in rule 133.41(C)(5). In many cases, the results of the degree evaluation will determine the amount of experience that will be required.

References

Foreign engineers must meet the same requirements for Reference statements as US engineers, which are set in rule 133.51. Please note that references must be from licensed PEs. References from non-US engineers do not meet this requirement in many cases. Engineers who are claiming foreign engineering experience may find section 133.51(b) useful. It states that an applicant may obtain references from PEs who did not personally witness their work.

Examinations

Foreign engineers must meet the same requirements for examinations as US engineers. If you have a degree that meets the education requirements of 133.31 and are a resident of Texas, you may take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. The degree evaluation and transcript are not required prior to taking the FE exam. All applicants must apply and receive approval before registering for or taking the PE exam in Texas.

Criminal History Record Check

Effective January 1, 2014, an applicant for professional engineer licensure in Texas must submit a legible set of fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information from the TXDPS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. See more information via the link below.

Criminal History Record Check (CHRC)