# 16 Hour SE Exam for PE Licensure



## tictac (Nov 26, 2013)

Just wondering if anyone else has come across a similar situation:

After getting my 4 years experience, I took the SE exam but I haven't taken the PE exam. With this test I was able to get my Texas PE as well as the Model Law Engineer designation (MLE/NCEES Record). Using the NCEES Record, I then got my Louisiana PE.

However, California does not accept the new SE exam for PE. I know under the previous SE I and SE II format, the SE I could be used to get a PE in California. The 16 Hour SE exam was supposed to eliminate confusion, but it seems its creating new confusion with only certain states accepting it for PE licensure. Does anyone know if there are other states that won't accept the SE exam for PE licensure?

Trying to decide if I really need to sit for the PE exam after struggling to get the SE.


----------



## JDstruc (Nov 27, 2013)

All i know is regarding California, and you are correct: To become a licensed SE in California, you must first become a California Civil Engineer, which requires the NCEES Civil Exam, and then the 2 supplemental California exams: Surveying &amp; Seismic. After becoming a California Civil Engineer, you wait 3 years, and then are eligible to become a California SE. Other states, I do not know...

_"I know under the previous SE I and SE II format, the SE I could be used to get a PE in California."_

You have always had to become a CA Civil Engineer first, which has required the supplemental Surveying &amp; Seismic exams. This hasn't changed. What has changed, is that the NCEES SE I was a part of the California SE "package" of exams, in the past. That has gone away, and now the NCEES 16-Hr structural is the exam to become a California SE...but as I've said, you first must become a CA Civil.

My gut is that California is the most annoying with their CA Civil requirement prior to SE, including the (2) supplemental exams :3


----------



## snickerd3 (Nov 27, 2013)

Illinois. they are separate animals here


----------



## nateluke (Nov 27, 2013)

Question on a similar topic:

After using the 16-hour exam to get you PE in Texas will you be able to apply for SE reciprocity in a state such as IL?

i.e. can 16 hours of testing get you both the Texas PE and the Illinois SE ?


----------



## snickerd3 (Nov 27, 2013)

for SE in IL is having to pass the 16 hr structures test and passing the FE at some point


----------



## tictac (Nov 27, 2013)

nateluke said:


> Question on a similar topic:
> 
> After using the 16-hour exam to get you PE in Texas will you be able to apply for SE reciprocity in a state such as IL?
> 
> i.e. can 16 hours of testing get you both the Texas PE and the Illinois SE ?


Yes. You can get an SE in IL without being a PE there first. I don't know if IL will accept the 16 hour SE for PE licensure though.

My problem there is Illinois requires 18 semester hours of structural analysis (9 of which have to be design) to become licensed as an SE. I haven't talked to any Civils that I work with that can meet this requirement as they don't count statics, dynamics, mechanics, soils, etc. This is also true for the NCEES Model Law SE designation.

Most qualifying classes that undergrads take are Structural analysis I, Concrete, Steel, and then maybe one more such as foundations or Steel II in my case. This gets you 9-12 credits, well short of the 18. I'm still waiting to hear if they might count senior design/capstone classes but I highly doubt they do. Is there anyone out there that can come up with these 18 hours in an undergrad curriculum?

So ironically, the 16 hour SE is currently more limiting for me than the PE as it only gets me PE in some states, and an SE in no states (unless there are others that don't have this 18 hr requirement)


----------



## blybrook PE (Nov 27, 2013)

It'll get you your SE in Alaska. Don't believe it'll get you your PE though.

Might also get you SE's in Hawaii, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Would need to check with those boards to be sure though.


----------



## kevo_55 (Nov 28, 2013)

The 16 hour SE exam will get you a license almost anywhere you want.

You won't be able to get an SE in WA, OR, CA, NV, and maybe a few others though. In CA, WA, OR, and NV the SE license is considered an "add on" license to the PE Civil license.

In many years past, one could simply take the SE 1 exam and take the additional two CA Civil exams in order to get a CA Civil license. In order to get the CA SE license one then just had to take what they had called the "national structural exam" (Just the Structural 2 exam) and their state written 8 hour California Structural exam. Or so I remember. ld-025:

These days in order to get a CA SE, you'll need to take the NCEES Civil, the two "bonus" exams, as well as the 16 hour Structural exam. On top of that, you'll still need to get three CA or Western Zone SE's (WA/OR) to say that you're a good guy/gal.


----------



## tictac (Nov 28, 2013)

kevo_55 said:


> The 16 hour SE exam will get you a license almost anywhere you want.
> 
> You won't be able to get an SE in WA, OR, CA, NV, and maybe a few others though. In CA, WA, OR, and NV the SE license is considered an "add on" license to the PE Civil license.
> 
> ...




I still find it silly that CA accepted the old SE I for PE licensure but do not accept the new 16-hour SE for PE licensure. Oh well, it is what it is.


----------



## dakota_79 (Nov 29, 2013)

tictac said:


> I still find it silly that CA accepted the old SE I for PE licensure but do not accept the new 16-hour SE for PE licensure.






Why? It's been made easier.

Old: Surveying, Seismic, SE1, SE2, Western Zone "SE3"

New: Surveying, Seismic, Civil PE, 16-hr SE

They've effectively swapped the old SE3 for the civil PE and an SE1+2 that are slightly harder than what they used to be. Additionally, the surveying and seismic are now CBT available throughout the country, so you don't have to actually fly to CA to take them.

Some people will always find reasons to complain about things, though.


----------



## captaincaution (Dec 3, 2013)

tictac said:


> nateluke said:
> 
> 
> > Question on a similar topic:
> ...






I don't know where you got your degree, but the civil engineering program at IIT in Chicago requires 21 credits in structural, only 6 of which are in analysis.

2 courses in steel design (6 credits total)

2 courses in concrete design (6 credits total)

1 course in foundation design (3 credits)

2 courses in structural analysis (6 credits total)

Most ABET accredited programs probably have similar requirements.

Most engineers who plan on becoming licensed in structural end up taking many more courses in structural design and analysis.


----------



## captaincaution (Dec 3, 2013)

tictac said:


> nateluke said:
> 
> 
> > Question on a similar topic:
> ...




Illinois will not accept the 16 hour SE for PE licensure, as Illinois licenses structural and professional engineers separately. If your area of expertise is in structural engineering, as shown by passing the 16 hour structural exam, a PE license won't do you any good in Illinois anyway, as you can't design structures with that license.


----------



## CAPLS (Dec 20, 2013)

California has NEVER accepted the SE 1 towards structural engineer licensing and ONLY accepted it in lieu of the NCEES PE-Civil exam towards the civil engineer license.


----------



## Lungshen (Jan 15, 2014)

JDstruc said:


> All i know is regarding California, and you are correct: To become a licensed SE in California, you must first become a California Civil Engineer, which requires the NCEES Civil Exam, and then the 2 supplemental California exams: Surveying &amp; Seismic. After becoming a California Civil Engineer, you wait 3 years, and then are eligible to become a California SE. Other states, I do not know...
> 
> _"I know under the previous SE I and SE II format, the SE I could be used to get a PE in California."_
> 
> ...


I passed SE I back in 2005. I have been practicing building structural since '05. I recently took and passed the 16 hour New SE in 2012 because company requires me to license in west coast states. I am now licensed in WA OR AZ NV except CA because CA requires me to become a CA Civil PE first. They accepted my SE 1 back in 2005 as a NCEES 8 hr PE. I took and passed the special seismic with ease and failed the special survey with dignity the first time taking it. I am now prepare for the special survey again.

My question is, after I pass the survey and become a CA PE. Do I still need to wait for 3 years to upgrade the civil PE to SE or I will be eligible to upgrade to CA SE right away. I mean I have been practicing building structural since '05. I know that you can sign structural drawings in CA as a civil PE as long as it's not school and hospital, but I want to distinguish myself from other CA PE's.


----------



## captaincaution (Jan 27, 2014)

Lungshen said:


> JDstruc said:
> 
> 
> > All i know is regarding California, and you are correct: To become a licensed SE in California, you must first become a California Civil Engineer, which requires the NCEES Civil Exam, and then the 2 supplemental California exams: Surveying &amp; Seismic. After becoming a California Civil Engineer, you wait 3 years, and then are eligible to become a California SE. Other states, I do not know...
> ...


I believe you still have to wait the 3 years. I have a colleague going through the same.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, though.


----------

