# SE I and SE II in CA



## alpine (Jun 24, 2009)

Hi guys,

I am currently a PE and need to get my SE for Utah. I do not live or practice in California but I would like to keep my SE options open. I was told by a friend that an SE in other states is not recognized in CA, WA, IL. I looked and I see that those states require an SEIII exam in addtion to the SEI and SEII. Can I not take the SEI and SEII and then if I need to get licensed in CA or WA at some point take their SEIII? I am being told that CA or WA will not recognize the SEI and SEII if I pass them in another state and I would have to retake them in CA or WA. Aren't the SEI and SEII standardized no matter what the state? This just doesn't seem right that I would have to retake the SEI and SEII. I can't seem to find much on the CA website.

Does any body know the facts on this?

Thanks in advance


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## McEngr (Jun 24, 2009)

alpine said:


> Hi guys,I am currently a PE and need to get my SE for Utah. I do not live or practice in California but I would like to keep my SE options open. I was told by a friend that an SE in other states is not recognized in CA, WA, IL. I looked and I see that those states require an SEIII exam in addtion to the SEI and SEII. Can I not take the SEI and SEII and then if I need to get licensed in CA or WA at some point take their SEIII? I am being told that CA or WA will not recognize the SEI and SEII if I pass them in another state and I would have to retake them in CA or WA. Aren't the SEI and SEII standardized no matter what the state? This just doesn't seem right that I would have to retake the SEI and SEII. I can't seem to find much on the CA website.
> 
> Does any body know the facts on this?
> 
> Thanks in advance


alpine,

The SE I is not recognized on the west coast. You would have to take the California Civil Engineering Exam, which is comprised of two days: the first day is the NCEES Civil PE. The second day is the California specific seismic and survey exam. You would have to attend this exam on that weekend in April/October and then take the California SE III after that. At least in Washington, you have to have your civil PE for at least two years before being eligible in their state. It's in their by-laws. I'm not sure exactly about California. Living in Oregon, I have the luxury of taking the SE II and III consecutively without the hangup of waiting. I started with studying for the SE I, but realized after moving to Oregon that it was obsolete to do so. I hope this helps.

BTW, the California SE III is harder than a SOB, so I've been told.


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## jta (Jun 25, 2009)

McEngr said:


> alpine,
> The SE I is not recognized on the west coast. You would have to take the California Civil Engineering Exam, which is comprised of two days: the first day is the NCEES Civil PE. The second day is the California specific seismic and survey exam. You would have to attend this exam on that weekend in April/October and then take the California SE III after that. At least in Washington, you have to have your civil PE for at least two years before being eligible in their state. It's in their by-laws. I'm not sure exactly about California. Living in Oregon, I have the luxury of taking the SE II and III consecutively without the hangup of waiting. I started with studying for the SE I, but realized after moving to Oregon that it was obsolete to do so. I hope this helps.
> 
> BTW, the California SE III is harder than a SOB, so I've been told.


One also has to pass the SEII exam for CA. In order to be eligible to the CA SE you have to have been licensed and in responsible charge for at least 3 years and have references from 3 CA SEs. CA will accept the Washington SEIII exam in lieu of the CA SEIII.

I've passed the PE , CA Surv. and Seis., and SEII and have a PE in several states and an SE in HI. I was planning on taking the WA SEII in OR this fall to get SE license there...Sort of a backdoor for my CA SE (I live in CA) this will allow me some time to network to get the required CA references, but still get the testing over with. Now I think I might take the SEI due to the forth coming change in SE exam administration with single 16 hour exam instead of the SEI and SEII. This should lock me in for any state in the future. I would then take the WA or CA SEIII next fall before those exams changed as well. Some one posted some info from the WA board you might want to check out. I'm not sure what CA position is on the exam change but one thing I do know is CA takes the SE license very seriously and will end up with the tough requirements in the country no doubt. The funny thing is the only things you can do as a CA SE that CA PE can't is design the structural for a hospital or public school. As a CA Architect you can design any part of any building accept for the structure of a hospital...go figure.


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## McEngr (Jun 25, 2009)

jta said:


> One also has to pass the SEII exam for CA. In order to be eligible to the CA SE you have to have been licensed and in responsible charge for at least 3 years and have references from 3 CA SEs. CA will accept the Washington SEIII exam in lieu of the CA SEIII.
> I've passed the PE , CA Surv. and Seis., and SEII and have a PE in several states and an SE in HI. I was planning on taking the WA SEII in OR this fall to get SE license there...Sort of a backdoor for my CA SE (I live in CA) this will allow me some time to network to get the required CA references, but still get the testing over with. Now I think I might take the SEI due to the forth coming change in SE exam administration with single 16 hour exam instead of the SEI and SEII. This should lock me in for any state in the future. I would then take the WA or CA SEIII next fall before those exams changed as well. Some one posted some info from the WA board you might want to check out. I'm not sure what CA position is on the exam change but one thing I do know is CA takes the SE license very seriously and will end up with the tough requirements in the country no doubt. The funny thing is the only things you can do as a CA SE that CA PE can't is design the structural for a hospital or public school. As a CA Architect you can design any part of any building accept for the structure of a hospital...go figure.


jta is right. I made my comments based on the fact that you would have already taken the SE I and SE II. My bad.


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## bcy (Jul 3, 2009)

CA will accept the Washington SEIII exam in lieu of the CA SEIII.


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## Casey (Jul 6, 2009)

bcy said:


> CA will accept the Washington SEIII exam in lieu of the CA SEIII.
> 
> I've never thought of the WA route to get a CA SE license as I didn't know CA accepts the WA SE-III. Does anyone know the CA web link to further confirm this?
> 
> I have Civil PE, SE-I and just took the CA Seismic and Surveying this past April (long wait!). Now I am in a rush to take the SE-II&amp;III and also trying to maximize the number of times to take SE-III before the end of 2011. Does WA offer SE-III in both April and October? Do I have to be a WA PE for at least 2 years to take SE-III? Thank you.


The WA SEIII is held once a year in October. The deadline for this year's exam is July 31st, so you better get your application going if you hope to do it this year.

I haven't come across anything that says you must have X number of years experience prior to taking the SEIII. I believe as long as you have the required numbered years of structural experience you should be fine (minimum of 2 years as the engineer of record).


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## bcy (Jul 9, 2009)

Thanks Casey for your reply.

I won't be ready for SE-III this October but will give it a try next year &amp; 2011, hopefully can make it in these only 2 chances.


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