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Once you pass your P.E. exam, the first thing you are going to want to do is to obtain your license - now you are more valuable to your company and likely have earned several rewards (salary bump, bonuses, increased respect, membership into professional groups, etc.) for your accomplishment! A good way to become even more valuable and seek out additional rewards is to become licensed in more states. A good place to start is to check in with your supervisor; typically surrounding states are first on the priority list, but depending on the size of your company, you may be heading from coast to coast. Don't worry, you won't have to buy a last-minute plane ticket! Outlined below are some of the ways to transfer your P.E. license between states.
The blog highlights:
1. Comity Versus Reciprocity
Most states and U.S. Territories will allow you to transfer your current license via comity or reciprocity. These two terms are often confused or used interchangeably, but they are different - reciprocity is easier than comity. Reciprocity is essentially automatic: if you have a license in one state, the new state will issue one without additional work. However, this is less common, and comity is the most typical route for obtaining multiple state licensures. Comity consists of submitting an application and meeting any requirements. Requirements such as work experience, professional references, and degree verification are common; however, some states may require additional testing, residency, or other unique conditions. For those states that only require the more common criteria, you're going to want to get your paperwork in order; luckily, NCEES is here to help.
2. NCEES Record
Applying for a P.E. license in other states is made easy with the use of an NCEES record. The first step is creating an NCEES account (which most P.E.s will have already done from preparing for their first test and license). Your NCEES account is where all your information will be stored electronically. There is no need to make copies of your references, work experience with signatures, sealed college transcripts, and more! Additionally, NCEES will send all your criteria to the state you are seeking licensure. This eliminates the need for envelopes and stamps! So, how do you get started on your NCEES record?
Once logged onto your NCEES account, you want to select "Start an NCEES Record" or click the "Multi-State Licensure" button. Once there, you will be prompted with several requirements each with different colors assigned to them. Green means you are good-to-go, yellow means you still have work to do, and the white areas are the ones you have not yet begun yet. Making all these sections green can take some time - therefore, I would recommend starting with the easy ones!
2.1 NCEES Record: The Easy Stuff
Contact information, personal information, and questions for the applicant are the easiest sections to fill out (all you have to know are the things you already know). Simply click the section and fill out basic contact information, basic personal information, and some common license/criminal questions. Getting these sections green will get you started and keep the ball rolling! Next, it is time to start with the slightly more difficult sections: education information and exam and license verification.
2.2 NCEES Record: The Not So Hard Stuff
The education information isn't as hard as requesting sealed envelopes and resending out those same envelopes to a state board (which is what you'd have to do without an NCEES record). Fill out what degree was obtained, from where, and when you graduated. Then, wait for the information to be verified, and you're done! Much easier than requesting transcripts and sealed envelopes. Moving on to exam and license verification is quite similar; request verification from the state where you passed your exam / obtained your licensure, and wait for verification. These two tasks are only slightly more difficult because there is a brief waiting period. But while you are waiting, you can get started on the last sections: work experience and professional references.
2.3 NCEES Record: The Most Difficult Stuff
These last two sections are not that difficult, as the whole process is relatively easy, but they do require more concentration, time, and persistence. I'd start with professional references so that while you are waiting for your references to respond, you can finish up the remaining tasks of your record. You'll need five total references, three of which must be licensed engineers. You should personally ask these individuals, send an email, or make a call before listing them on NCEES. Once they agree, let them know they will be getting an email that will direct them to fill out their recommendation online. Easy, right? Yes, if everyone fills them out completely and semi-promptly. I asked a few extra people just to cover my bases - I'd recommend five P.E.s and two non-licensed individuals. That way, you'll never have too many non-licensed references, and if some of the licensed people lose the email or can't find the time, you will not have to bug them. The first five to fill out the form win, so be sure not to include more than two non-licensed references. Then, just keep these references updated every 12 months, and you'll be set!
Now that your references are sent off, you can get started on the work experience. This, by far, took the longest for me and actually required me to edit and resubmit my form. NCEES breaks this down into two sections: (1) tasks and duties and (2) projects. Both are similar, but the first is a more general description, and the second is a deeper dive into the specifics. Once these are completed, they will be sent to the representative of your choice and verified. How you complete these sections will be critical.
Starting with tasks and duties is recommended since this is a broader category. Describe what engineering work you perform, the number of team members you instruct or manage, and how responsible you are for each task and the team you lead. Breaking down your tasks and duties chronologically will help your writing flow and keep you from forgetting something. For example, if you design buildings, you may start with coordination with other trades, building calculations, checking drafters' work, assigning team members to different tasks, and coordination with construction and erection, then finish with designing repair details and performing inspections. Be sure to meet the minimum word count requirement (approximately 150 when I completed mine), and then move on to projects.
The project section is the portion that I was rejected on with my first NCEES record attempt. After a few quick changes, I was able to get it accepted and obtain licenses in various other states. Depending on how many years you have been working, you will need to include anywhere from 2-12 projects. Don't worry, 12 is only required if you have been working twenty or more years! 4 projects will do the job if you've been working less than 10 years, but be sure the projects span your entire career duration. You'll need to include the name, date(s), and location of each project. Additionally, include the work that you personally performed and use strong language suggesting such. For example, you may write, "I worked on this project and ensured requirements were met." This is an example of a submission that will likely get rejected. Instead, write more specifically like, "I designed the connections for this project by calculating applied loads and connection capacity. I selected the appropriate connections to meet all requirements." It may feel weird writing "I, I, I"at the start of every sentence, but this is what NCEES is looking for.
2.4 NCEES Record: Review and Transmit
You are nearly ready to send your record off to the state of your choosing. First, someone will review your record (this has to happen every 30 days), then you can transmit it for a fee. The fees vary from $175 to $75 depending on if it is your first transmittal or subsequent transmittals. Now that this is completed, you will want to see what other requirements the state you are seeking licensure in requests.
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3. Additional Requirements
You've sent your NCEES record to a state, and you're wondering what to do next. Well, typically this step would proceed the NCEES record, but it is not required to apply for licensure. Locate the state department that handles engineering licenses, and apply for comity or reciprocity. There is typically a fee that varies between states (ballpark of $100 typically). Scan the website for any other requirements such as additional testing, residency, certifications, further paperwork that NCEES provided, or any other item that may be listed. I always email the board I am applying to something similar to below to double check that I am meeting all the specifications they ask:
Hello, I applied for an engineering license through comity on your website and paid the fees required. I also sent over my NCEES record this afternoon. Please let me know if there is anything further you require to keep the process in motion. Thank you.
Now you are well on your way to transferring your license to another state! In most cases, the NCEES record will suffice for all the requirements. But it is always best to be sure and browse the board's website and send a follow-up email. Good luck!
4. Recap
1. Research state board
a. Comity or reciprocity
b. Requirements beyond NCEES record
2. Apply for a license on the state board's website
a. Fill out general information and pay fees
3. NCEES record
a. Contact information, personal information, and questions
b. Education information and exam/license verification
c. Work experience and professional references
4. Send NCEES record
a. Select state and pay fees
5. Send a follow-up email
a. Send an email to the state board to make sure you gave them everything they need
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