7 replies to this topic

[clayjackson]

I am new to the site as I just made a full 4 years of experience last September. I have registered to take the PE exam this April, and I have applied to the Illinois department of financial and professional regulations in an effort to officially get licensed assuming I pass the test. My concern is that I received a letter back from IDFPR stating that my 4 years of experience was not acceptable because the PE who filled out my verification of employment is only registered in California, not Illinois.

I discussed this with Mr. David Brim today, who had sent me my letter, and he was adamant that for my 4 years of experience to qualify I had to have been supervised by a PE licensed in the state I was working.

I have not seen this stated in any of the IL acts, rules, regulations, or anywhere on the application. None of the Professional engineers I work with, registered in other states, have ever heard of such a thing.

Anyone have any insight?

[snickerd3]

its there, just not in the quoted section

from the eng rules

Experience shall be under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer or a person legally practicing engineering pursuant to Section 3 of the Act who verifies the number of years during which the applicant was doing work at a professional level, and the manner in which the work prepares the applicant for licensure as a professional engineer.

From the Eng Act sect 4(m) "Professional engineer" means a person licensed under the laws of the State of Illinois to practice professional engineering.

[willsee]

You and your boss both work in Illinois and your boss is only licensed in California?

[TrussGuy85]

Yep, sounds about fitting for IL's usual BS.

[clayjackson]

Snickerd3 thanks, I can understand at least now how they can claim such requirements. I had read thru the professional engineers act and the rules and regulations several times and hadn't put that together.

Is it an unusual requirement to have to gain your 4 years of experience by working under a PE licensed in the state you are working? None of the PEs I work with had heard of such a thing. I know a colleague of mine recently got licensed in KY with the same experience situation I am in.

I do have a PE licensed in Missouri that I have been working for over the last 4 years as well.

My next thought will be if I sit for the test in IL seeing that I am already approved to do so, assuming I pass, would other state boards accept that or would I have to re-take the test in that state?

[snickerd3]

That will vary by the state. IL is one of the few that lets you take the exam before the board has approved experience.

[willsee]

I got my Kentucky license through reciprocity after getting licensed in Illinois after taking my exam prior to meeting the experience requirement.

If you test in Illinois I would imagine you would have to get your Illinois license first.

[snickerd3]

wow...and i really thought IL was one of the easier states to get approved for the test. I only had to submit one reference since I only had one job since graduation, not 5 references some for work others for just references like other states. I guess I just got lucky that everythng worked out so nicely and my that boss was also a PE in IL...it never occured to me at the time that there woucld be issues.