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Professional Engineer — License Requirements by State
Signs off on engineering plans and public works. Requires an ABET-accredited degree, the FE then the PE exam (NCEES), plus state experience rules.
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Professional Engineer license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Professional Engineer license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | · 70% · $400 | — | — | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record | Arizona State Board of Technical Registration (BTR) ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $175 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record; CA requires additional state-specific exams for civil engineers (Seismic Principles + Surveying) | California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $230 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record / Model Law Engineer | Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) ↗ |
| GA | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $100 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record; Mutual Recognition Agreement (UK) available | Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board (PELS) ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $175 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — endorsement/reciprocity evaluated individually by IDFPR | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | · 70% · $400 | — | — | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Bureau of Professional Licensing ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $135 · Lic $242 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — endorsement by evaluation of substantially equivalent requirements | New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions ↗ |
| NC | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $75 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record / Model Law Engineer | North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCBELS) ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | · 70% · $400 | — | · Lic $40 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record | Ohio Board of Professional Engineers and Surveyors ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | · 70% · $400 | — | · Lic $50 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record / Act 41 endorsement | Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | · 70% · $400 | — | — | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record / Model Law Engineer | Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS) ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | · 70% · $400 | — | App $65 | Up to 3 attempts per 12-month period (NCEES) | Yes — comity via NCEES Record | Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BRPELS) ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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