P.E. Application Process

Online Application Are You Qualified? Criminal History Record Check Application Flowchart Application Process NCEES Record Paper Forms Military Service Members (Military Veteran & Spouses)

Are You Qualified?

The first step to applying is to make sure you are qualified. The following is a list of steps you must complete (in their chronological order) prior to applying for PE licensure:

  1. Evaluate your education and determine the category under which you qualify for licensure. If you believe that you may have any deficiencies, you should contact the Board for clarification, as the application fee is non-refundable.
  2. Take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or request a waiver. The FE examination is offered by NCEES. You should refer to their website for information and registration at https://ncees.org/exams/.
  3. Evaluate your engineering experience. Again, if you believe that you have any deficiencies, you should contact the Board for clarification. DO NOT ANTICIPATE EXPERIENCE. The minimum experience must be earned prior to application submittal. Applications submitted when claimed experience prior to the date of submittal is less than the minimum requirements shall be automatically non-approved with no opportunity for reconsideration or return of fees.

For more information about qualifications, visit our Basic Requirements for Licensure or Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages.

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Criminal History Record Check

Applicants must submit a set of fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information from TXDPS and the FBI. See more information at CHRC Instructions.

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Application Flowchart

There are several steps your application will pass through. These are listed below, but we have also created this handy flowchart so you know where your application is in the process.

Application Flowchart
  1. Make sure you are qualified.
  2. Submit the information required (see next section)
  3. Administrative Review: After all the parts are received at the Board office, they will be checked for completeness. If anything is missing, has not been received, or there are obvious errors, you will be notified of the deficiency. Please submit the required information as soon as possible, as your applicant cannot proceed if it is not complete.
  4. Technical Review: After everything is complete, the application will move to the Director of Licensing, who will review and evaluate the content of the application (exams, experience, education, references, etc.) If there are any problems, you will be contacted and requested to address the issue.
  5. Decision: If everything checks out, the Director of Licensing will approve your application. NOTE: If there are issues that cannot be resolved by the Director, the application may be circulated for Board review, or you may be requested to appear before the Board. You will be notified if this is the case.
  6. Exam Registration: If you were approved to take the PE exam, you will need to register for the exam online. Click here to go to the NCEES website for exam registration. Note that this is a separate step that you must complete; you are NOT automatically registered to take the next PE examination.
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Application Process

The process of applying for licensure is rather time-consuming and you should give yourself plenty of lead-time. Average processing time is two months (or eight weeks), depending on the adequacy of your submittal. If the Board permits you to take the PE exam, you will be allowed to pay the fee at NCEES and schedule the exam.

Note, the process described below is the STANDARD process used to apply to take the PE exam or if you already have taken the PE exam and are licensed in another state. There are different processes for Engineering Educators and for International Licensure.

For more information about licensure, visit the Licensing Information page.

To apply for a license an applicant must complete and submit the items listed below. This list is also available in a handy checklist format.

All applicants must submit a set of fingerprints for criminal history record information. CHRC Instructions.

1. Application & Fee

PE applications can be submitted online (with online payment) or via mail (with a check).

Online PE Application (Pay Online) PE Application Forms (Pay with check)

2. Supplementary Experience Record (SER)

Either original signed by applicant (provide copies to reference providers to co-sign) or NCEES record*.

Supplementary Experience Record (SER)

3. Ethics Exam

The Ethics Exam can be taken online or submitted via mail.

Online Ethics Exam Paper Ethics Exam Answer Sheet & Questions

4. College/University transcripts

Applicants must have the educational institution send transcripts directly to the board. Request from university or NCEES record*.

5. Reference Statement Form

This form should be sent to the reference provider by the applicant. After completion, reference materials may be sent directly to the board by the reference providers, or the applicants.

Reference Statement Form

*NCEES record may also be used to verify reference information.

6. Co-Signed SER

Copy of item #2 above. Must be signed by both applicant and reference provider. Once all the signature are present, the co-signed SER may be sent directly to the board by the reference provider, or the applicant.

Supplementary Experience Record (SER)

Additional Items

Include the following items if applicable:

  • Statement and copies of information related to Criminal Convictions
  • Either Verification of Prior Passage of Examinations if taken outside of Texas (Directly from state board where you took the exam ) or NCEES record*. Note - you do not need this form if you took the exams in Texas.
  • Either Verification of Current License in another jurisdiction or NCEES record*.
  • Verification of Legal Name Change (due to marriage, immigration, etc.)
  • Commercial Evaluation of Foreign / Non-Accredited Degree (Click here for more information)
  • Translation of Foreign Degree
  • Proof of TOEFL/TSE or signed statement of proficiency in written and spoken English.
  • Written request for waiver of one or more exams.

How to Apply for Licensure as a Professional Engineer in Texas (Video Series)

Staff produced a series of new instructional videos to assist applicants.

Youtube Playlist
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The NCEES Record

The NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying) record may be accepted as verification of an original transcript from a U.S. school if the record copy is legible. It can also be used to verify licenses and examinations from other states, work experience and reference information. Note - It is still necessary for applicants to complete the application form in its entirety along with the completed Ethics Examination.

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Forms/Instructions for applying for Licensure as a Professional Engineer

The forms are in several different formats.

Online Application

We have a new Online PE Application System for the first initial part of the application process. This system allows submittal of the application form, application payment, Supplementary Experience Record (SER), and the Ethics Exam. We are working to add the remaining items to this online system. Until the system is complete, the remaining items must be submitted through the standard paper process. Refer to the checklist for a complete list of all items to be submitted. Go to our downloads page for the other forms you will need to complete the process.

Online Forms

These forms are available in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. They can be completed on-line, printed, then mailed to the board. Instructions for the forms, the Ethics Exam, and the Law & Board Rules can be downloaded and printed for your use when completing the forms. Please read and follow all instructions carefully.

All the required forms are available in an easy to use Application Packet. The packet can be downloaded. The forms can then be filled out, printed and mailed to the Board. As an alternative to the large packet, each form is available on the Downloads Page.

An applicant may also contact the board to receive paper copies of the application forms via regular mail. Please note, the Board does not accept handwritten applications. All applications must be typewritten.

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