Professional Engineers in Private Practice

Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers

National Council of Engineering Exam Services

Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists

License Verification

Paul Dugan, P.E., PEPP Southeast Region Vice President and President of Millennium Engineering, recognizes the importance of reaching students first hand. See p. 11 of the May/June PE Reporter for the full story.
For complete story, click here.

100 Years of Engineering Licensure
A century ago, anyone could work as an engineer without proof of competency. In order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the first engineering licensure law was enacted in 1907 in Wyoming. Now every state regulates the practice of engineering to ensure public safety by granting only Professional Engineers (PEs) the authority to sign and seal engineering plans, and offer their services to the public.

What is a PE?
To use the PE Seal, engineers must complete several steps to ensure their competency.

Earn a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited university
Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
Complete four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE
Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam

PEs must also continuously demonstrate their competency and maintain and improve their skills by fulfilling continuing education requirements depending on the state in which they are licensed.

What makes a PE different from an engineer?

Only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients.
PEs shoulder the responsibility for not only their work, but for the lives affected by that work and must hold themselves to high ethical standards of practice.
Licensure for a consulting engineer or a private practitioner is not something that is merely desirable; it is a legal requirement for those who are in responsible charge of work, be they principals or employees.
Licensure for engineers in government has become increasingly significant. Many federal, state, and municipal agencies require that certain governmental engineering positions, particularly those considered higher level and respons ible positions, be filled only by licensed professional engineers.
Many states have increasingly required that those individuals teaching engineering must also be licensed. Exemptions to state laws are under attack, and in the future, those in education, as well as industry and government, may need to be licensed to practice. Also, licensure helps educators prepare students for their future in engineering.