# California PE Questions



## fyrfytr310 (Sep 8, 2018)

I plan to call the CA board next week to be certain but I'd still like to to see if anyone on here can confirm a couple things while I can't get them off my mind this weekend.

I live in OH and have passed the FE.  I plan to get licensed in CA for a﻿ number of reasons.  I intend to take the PE in April.  ﻿

Question 1:  I should know this but don't...  Do I need to physically sit in CA for the PE exam?

Question 2:  The person I talked to in CA last week said I don't actually _need_ to become a CA EIT prior to taking the PE.  Nor do I need to apply for approval to take﻿ the PE ahead of time.  They said I just need to submit proof of FE exam, PE exam and qualifying experience/refere﻿nces with the PE app and all should be good.  Did I hear h﻿﻿er wrong or can someone confirm this?﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

Thanks for the help!


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## Brancity (Sep 9, 2018)

Hey fyrfytr310,

I was on the same boat and I can answer your questions:

1. Yes you need to physically sit in CA for the PE exam.

2. All you need is to pass the CBT FE exam. Transferred the pass result to CA board, then you good to go with the application. Pass your 8-hr PE exam, submit your application, after getting the approval from CA board, take the CA seismic and surveying exams, which can be taken at any State.

Hope that helps,

Bran


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## fyrfytr310 (Sep 9, 2018)

Thank you!  I am an EE so no need for the state specific tests.  Looks like a trip to Cali is in my future.  Where did you go?


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## Brancity (Sep 9, 2018)

fyrfytr310 said:


> Thank you!  I am an EE so no need for the state specific tests.  Looks like a trip to Cali is in my future.  Where did you go?


Oh I see. If that's the case, I can only speak for Civil PE exam. I went to San Francisco.


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## StandardPractice (Sep 21, 2018)

fyrfytr310 said:


> Thank you!  I am an EE so no need for the state specific tests.  Looks like a trip to Cali is in my future.  Where did you go?






Brancity said:


> Hey fyrfytr310,
> 
> I was on the same boat and I can answer your questions:
> 
> ...


You don't need to physically take PE exam in CA to be licensed in CA as PE. I live in NC and was just licensed. Never step foot in CA besides for vacation. And I took all three (PE, Seismic, and Survey) right here in good ol' NC for the civil engineering PE.


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## Brancity (Sep 21, 2018)

StandardPractice said:


> You don't need to physically take PE exam in CA to be licensed in CA as PE. I live in NC and was just licensed. Never step foot in CA besides for vacation. And I took all three (PE, Seismic, and Survey) right here in good ol' NC for the civil engineering PE.


Here is my guess, and correct me if I am wrong:

Your CA PE is not your first PE; Your took your PE exam in the first state you become PE.  Then you transferred your PE exam passing score from that state to CA, and took the other two state exams which can be taken in any state.


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## StandardPractice (Sep 24, 2018)

Brancity said:


> Here is my guess, and correct me if I am wrong:
> 
> Your CA PE is not your first PE; Your took your PE exam in the first state you become PE.  Then you transferred your PE exam passing score from that state to CA, and took the other two state exams which can be taken in any state.


Yup that's how it happened. If there is a barrier for 1st PE applicants, I would advise OP to get licensed in his home state then apply for comity to CA and take other two state specific exams. Will have to pay a record transfer fee, but will save on flight, hotel, gas, etc.


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## Brancity (Sep 28, 2018)

StandardPractice said:


> Yup that's how it happened. If there is a barrier for 1st PE applicants, I would advise OP to get licensed in his home state then apply for comity to CA and take other two state specific exams. Will have to pay a record transfer fee, but will save on flight, hotel, gas, etc.


I totally agree with your opinion. The only exclusion is that you want to become a PE but you are not qualified in other states but CA (CA PE requires 2 years experience with BS degree, or 1 year experience with MS and up)


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## CAPLS (Sep 28, 2018)

Brancity said:


> I totally agree with your opinion. The only exclusion is that you want to become a PE but you are not qualified in other states but CA (CA PE requires 2 years experience with BS degree, or 1 year experience with MS and up)


Brancity, the California Board does *NOT *require you to physically take the NCEES PE Exam at a site in California.  However, when you register on NCEES to sit for the PE exam, *IF *you choose the California Board as your intended licensing state, you *WILL *have to travel to California to sit.  My advice would be for you to check with your current state board or other surrounding state boards to see if they will allow you to sit for the PE exam without first applying for licensure.  There are other states that have a similar model as California.


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## Brancity (Oct 1, 2018)

CAPLS said:


> Brancity, the California Board does *NOT *require you to physically take the NCEES PE Exam at a site in California.  However, when you register on NCEES to sit for the PE exam, *IF *you choose the California Board as your intended licensing state, you *WILL *have to travel to California to sit.  My advice would be for you to ﻿check with your current state board or other surrounding state boards to see if they will allow you to sit for the PE exam without first applying for licensure.  There are other states that have a similar model as California.


You are correct. You can take your first PE exam in any state that allows you to sit for the exam without first applying for licensure, then transfer that to CA board.

To me, fyrfytr310 is taking his/her first PE in CA.

If you are looking for CA PE as your first PE, you most likely ended up going to CA to take the exam. Sure there are some work-around you can argue with such as going to your neighbor state who does not require an application before sitting in the exam... BTW other than CA which states can you sit for PE exam without applying first?  Very  curious and it will be very helpful if you share this information for other people in similar situation. 

I believe most of the time you will choose your own state for first PE. When looking around to other state for first PE, it usually means you are not qualified in your own state and you need that PE credential.

Try to sit for the PE exam in your own state first. If you don't meet your own state's requirement, then I will recommend check out CA. CA is very friendly to people who don't have an ABET BS degree but an ABET MS/PhD degree.


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2018)

Brancity said:


> BTW other than CA which states can you sit for PE exam without applying first?  Very  curious and it will be very helpful if you share this information for other people in similar situation.


I know Texas decoupled the P.E. exam from the license application process. Not sure who else has...


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## new_at_this (Oct 2, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> I know Texas decoupled the P.E. exam from the license application process. Not sure who else has...﻿


Michigan and South Carolina in my experience. Could be a lot of other states as well.


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## Brancity (Oct 3, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> I know Texas decoupled the P.E. exam from the license application process. Not sure who else has...






new_at_this said:


> Michigan and South Carolina in my experience. Could be a lot of other states as well.


Thanks! Those are very helpful for future exam takers!


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