To become a professional engineer in the US, acquiring a PE certification is necessary. It is the exam that succeeds the Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE).
There
are many reasons why you should take the PE exam. The most obvious
reason is that it will help you further your career and open up new
opportunities for you. But there are other reasons as well, such as:
1. It will give you a sense of accomplishment
2. It will show your employers that you are committed to your profession
3. It will give you a chance to network with other engineers
4. It will give you a chance to learn more about your field
5. And last but not least, it will look great on your resume!
So if you are an engineer who is looking to further your career, the PE exam is definitely something you should consider.
Short on Time? | How to Register for the PE Exam
If you’re interested in taking the PE Exam
to become a licensed professional engineer, you’ll need to follow a few
steps to ensure that you’re eligible and prepared. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to register for the PE Exam:
You
must have an NCEES® account. If you have not created one, now’s the
time. Simply enter your primary email to create an account.
Next, navigate to the “Register for an exam” option. It should be located under the “Common Tasks” option.
Choose
the test you are going for. Agricultural and Biological Engineering,
Architectural Engineering, Chemical. Civil for example.
Choose the state in which you’ll take the test.
Read and agree to the acknowledgment terms.
Next, acknowledge the NCEES® attestation, which covers policies and regulations.
Specify if you are looking for accommodation.
Take a final look at your info before conforming.
Provide billing information, agree, and submit.
After you’re done, it is advised that you attempt practice exams as much as possible. You can check out our free PE exam
to get a feel for the actual exam. Creating a PE study schedule will
also help you maximize your preparation efforts before the exam day.
Steps To Register for PE Exam
Step 1: Sign up/into your NCEES® account
Create
an NCEES® account if you haven’t already. The email address you use
here will be associated with your account permanently, so make use of a
workable and suitable email profile.
It’s also best if you can avoid work email addresses because, in the case of changing jobs, you might lose access to that email.
Step 2: Register for the exam
You will see the option of registering for an exam under the “Common Tasks” option.
Step 3: Choose your exam
In
the left panel, you will have options like Dashboard, Exams, Exam Prep,
and more. It will stay there all through the registration process, and
the option “Exam Registration” is where you can select the kind of test
you’re undertaking. Here’s an overview of each option you will see:
- FE: The
Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the key to becoming an Engineer in
Training. Before you can take the PE exam, you must pass FE.
- PE: This is the option you are looking for here.
- SE: The Structural Engineering test is for engineers who have acquired a PE license and want some additional qualifications.
- As a final option, you will find Fundamentals of Surveying and Principles and Practice of Surveying.
You
will also find a series of disciplines under each option. However,
there will be cases where their exam details are not available. This is
because the period of registration would be closed, and you would need
to wait around sometime. So, keep an eye on the registration dates so
that you know exactly when to go for it.
Step 4: Exam board and requirements
After
selecting your board, you will see a page where there will be a set of
requirements detailed about the exam prompted by your state. In the case
of Texas, there are certain rules to abide by. It largely depends on
the state regulations, and you must acknowledge these terms before
proceeding further.
It
is highly recommended that you do not skip past this page and blindly
acknowledge all terms because understanding them would be crucial going
forward.
Step 5: Attestation of documents
So
far, so good. This is one crucial step that you must not skip before
proceeding further. Here’s a roundup of what you will need to do in the
following steps further:
- Be sure about the correct spelling of your name. Make sure your legal name is fully written there. No nicknames, please.
- Acknowledge the electronic mode of payment.
- Agree that the information you are entering is true and validated.
- Confirm
if you have read and fully understood the NCEES® Examinee Guidelines,
which will be stated at the end of the line. If you have not opened
those guidelines, it’s time to do so.
- Make sure that you acknowledge all policies associated with the NCEES® Examinee Guide and agree to your state’s regulations.
- Further,
agree to the dispute-resolution policies in the same guide. It means
that in case you encounter a problem on any step, it will be dealt with
by a specific course of action that you must agree to.
- Finally,
acknowledge that clearing this particular test would not ensure that
you are a state-licensed Professional Engineer because you will still
need to receive your license. To actually acquire that, you will need to
fill out an application with your state. We have a guide on how to get a PE license. Maybe consider checking that out.
Again,
it is really important that you carefully go through all the detailed
NCEES® Examinee Guide. It will prepare you for what to expect on the day
of the test and what you are not entitled to do. If you fail to follow
the rules in the guidelines, you may unfortunately not be able to appear
in the test.
For
example, there are instances where examinees show up with expired IDs.
NCEES® would strictly go against it because that is a fundamental
requirement and would ask anyone to leave.
Step 6: Inform if you need accommodation
If
you do not require any help with accommodation, you can proceed with
the option: “I do not need any accommodations.” It is located at the
top.
In
case you are differently abled, you can seek accommodations as per the
Americans with Disabilities Act. It should be noted that NCEES® highly
encourages differently-abled candidates to seek accommodations. NCEES®
is keen on building an inclusive community, which is why they highly
stress it.
Then
there is a section on examinees currently serving in the military. This
is important for people who need to appear in the exam but are based
internationally serving their military term. For example, a military
candidate based in Europe and registered in a US state can still take
the test in their current location.
The
final section is the “religious section,” where you can request
accommodation terms according to your religious requirements. For
example, if a sacred holiday clashes with your exam date, you can sort
it out with them. NCEES® is also moving all exams to an electronic basis
to ensure no candidate faces a problem.
Step 7: Double-check your information to avoid any hassle
This
is a fairly simple process, where you ought to review the information
you have filled in. Make sure you choose the right exam to appear in as
well as the correct board and, if necessary, accommodation arrangements.
Step 8: Check your address, cart, financial options, checking out
Not
many complicated steps involved here. It is a simple and
straightforward checkout page, but for your information, we will break
down each step so that your registration is successful.
Let’s start with the right side of the page:
- On
the top, you will find the cart, which will detail the exam you are
undertaking as well as the cost. PE exams are currently priced at
$375.
- Next,
you will find a box to enter a promo code. If you have any promo code
for the NCEES® pe exam available, you can check its validity and avail a
discount.
- Now you will find Order Information on the top which would contain billing address and credit card details.
The
next thing here to check are Financial Policies that are applicable to
computer-based tests. The PE test in 2022 will be computer-based, so
this information is all the more relevant to you than ever before.
Here’s what you need to know:
When
it comes to fee disputes, this is the standard “you’ll be penalized if
your check bounces or there’s not enough money in your account”
scenario. NCEES® may cancel your exam as a result of this, so be warned.
In
the event that your exam is computer-based, you have the option of
canceling up to 48 hours in advance and receiving a refund, minus $50 in
administrative fees.
Since
the computer-based examination for April 5 at 8 a.m. is already
scheduled, you can cancel it for a partial refund at any time before 8
a.m. on April 3. Afterward, you will not be entitled to a refund.
CBT
exam registration costs forfeiture – merely repeats the information
above so that you don’t lose your money if you cancel within the 48-hour
timeframe or don’t show up for your exam.
For
CBT tests, rescheduling fees are only applicable if you reschedule less
than 48 hours in advance. Therefore be aware of this information.
In
states where taking the PE exam necessitates an authorization period of
12 months, this information is only relevant to individuals who live
there. It simply states that you will not be refunded your money if you
do not take the test within that time period.
Your
registration is complete once you’ve submitted your payment information
and agreed to our financial conditions, and clicked “Complete Order.”
