# PE License for non-residents



## jackie chan (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi there, i have passed bothe FE and PE with new york state. Unfortunately, New York state does not give out license to non residents. Does anybody have idea which states accept non reisdent applicants??? i am considering connecticut and NJ as they are near by. All i need is a license from any state to put in my resume!!!! Please let me know.


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## Dexman PE (Jan 12, 2010)

trying to understand why having a PE for the sake of having a PE is worth your time.

The use of a PE is state specific, in that a NY PE can only stamp plans for work to be constructed in NY. Once you get a PE in one state, you can then apply for reciprocity in other states, but you still have to meet the criteria for the new state. With that being said, getting any random PE may not be the path that works for you.

Just need a little more info as to why you want any random PE.


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## Mutha PE PS (Jan 12, 2010)

jackie chan said:


> Hi there, i have passed bothe FE and PE with new york state. Unfortunately, New York state does not give out license to non residents. Does anybody have idea which states accept non reisdent applicants??? i am considering connecticut and NJ as they are near by. All i need is a license from any state to put in my resume!!!! Please let me know.


Not sure what you're talking about. If you look at this link http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/pels/pecounts.htm

You will see there are over 10,000 out of state licensed PE's. I know that NC has a requirement that if you are applying for initial licensure you must be a resident of NC, but once you have a PE in you home state, most all states will issue out of state license provided you meet all requirements.


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## Dexman PE (Jan 12, 2010)

unless he is talking about non-US residents


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## Dexman PE (Jan 12, 2010)

I should also add that I do not know the rules for Colorado concerning non-US residents, but here's a link to the website:

http://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/index.htm


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## IlPadrino (Jan 12, 2010)

I assume he's referring to a "nonresident alien" and he wants to be able to put PE on his resume to help him become a guest worker.

If so, I'm not sure how I feel about that...


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## sac_engineer (Jan 12, 2010)

I think the non-US resident criteria applies for all states (i.e. they cannot be granted a license unless they are a US resident). In CA, the rules state that neither US citizenship nor CA residency is required for licensure, but nothing explicit for non-US residents. One would think that if they allowed a person to take the exam, regardless of residency status, they would grant that person a PE license after passing the exam(s). At least let those who are not US residents be aware in advance before taking the exam.


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## jackie chan (Jan 13, 2010)

sac_engineer said:


> I think the non-US resident criteria applies for all states (i.e. they cannot be granted a license unless they are a US resident). In CA, the rules state that neither US citizenship nor CA residency is required for licensure, but nothing explicit for non-US residents. One would think that if they allowed a person to take the exam, regardless of residency status, they would grant that person a PE license after passing the exam(s). At least let those who are not US residents be aware in advance before taking the exam.


Hi, I am in the US for the last seven years and I am on a work visa. because of my immigration status i cannot get NY PE license as NY require candidate to be either US citizen or permanent resident (greeen card). other than that i meet all the requirements. i have been working in a MEP engineering firm in New York City. Having PE license is a plus when you are looking for job and u can demand more. and it really does not matter which state??? so i m looking from that perspective....please let me know if anybody is aware of state specific requiremetns.Thanks everybody fro their responses....


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## mce01 (Jan 13, 2010)

jackie chan said:


> sac_engineer said:
> 
> 
> > I think the non-US resident criteria applies for all states (i.e. they cannot be granted a license unless they are a US resident). In CA, the rules state that neither US citizenship nor CA residency is required for licensure, but nothing explicit for non-US residents. One would think that if they allowed a person to take the exam, regardless of residency status, they would grant that person a PE license after passing the exam(s). At least let those who are not US residents be aware in advance before taking the exam.
> ...


Yes, you can get ur license in NJ or CT.

Correct NY doesn't let you get a license if ur not a citizen or permanent resident, but CT and NJ don't have such requirements (in fact most states don't require you to be a citizen, but NY, probably the state with the most foreign-born engineers, does).


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## Dexman PE (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm still trying to understand why you need a PE. If you work in NY, the work you perform is for NY, IMO, having a NJ or CT PE isn't going to do much good for you. Yes it will be a resume boost, but only if the company you apply to work for performs work in NJ or CT.

It would be like being a certified public accountant if you are applying for job as a bank teller. Yes, it shows you are good with money, but it doesn't really provide anything to the bank.

Another thing you need to consider too are possible mis-representation laws. for example, it is illegal to advertise yourself or your company as an engineer if you are not a CO PE. Even if you get a NJ or CT PE, you would have to be careful with how you present yourself to clients for work in NY.


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## _Gambit_ (Jan 14, 2010)

Dexman PE said:


> I'm still trying to understand why you need a PE. If you work in NY, the work you perform is for NY, IMO, having a NJ or CT PE isn't going to do much good for you. Yes it will be a resume boost, but only if the company you apply to work for performs work in NJ or CT.
> It would be like being a certified public accountant if you are applying for job as a bank teller. Yes, it shows you are good with money, but it doesn't really provide anything to the bank.
> 
> Another thing you need to consider too are possible mis-representation laws. for example, it is illegal to advertise yourself or your company as an engineer if you are not a CO PE. Even if you get a NJ or CT PE, you would have to be careful with how you present yourself to clients for work in NY.


I can see where he is going with this. I think if two people applied for the same job...both having the same credentials and experience...the person who had a P.E. would definetely get picked over the other.

Mis-representation is an issue, but a resume can easily be marked up with an askerisk (P.E.*) to indicate *Registered in XX.

Having a P.E. in ANY state is better than not having a P.E. at all.


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## Dexman PE (Jan 14, 2010)

_Gambit_ said:


> I can see where he is going with this. I think if two people applied for the same job...both having the same credentials and experience...the person who had a P.E. would definetely get picked over the other.


True, but most employers in Colorado (if they are looking for a PE) will include the disclaimer that the applicant should have a CO PE or be able to attain one within x months (usually 6). They're not looking for ANY PE. Technically, he would have a PE, but he would have to tell his employer that he is unable to obtain a NY PE until he obtains his US residency.



_Gambit_ said:


> Having a P.E. in ANY state is better than not having a P.E. at all.


Agreed


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## megavar (Jan 15, 2010)

Any one know if working under a professional engineer in an overseas country will count as acceptable experience when applying to your State Board for the PE license? I live in PA and passed the FE in Oct 09 after 22 yrs out of school.


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## tim1981 (Oct 11, 2011)

Dexman PE said:


> trying to understand why having a PE for the sake of having a PE is worth your time.
> 
> The use of a PE is state specific, in that a NY PE can only stamp plans for work to be constructed in NY. Once you get a PE in one state, you can then apply for reciprocity in other states, but you still have to meet the criteria for the new state. With that being said, getting any random PE may not be the path that works for you.
> 
> Just need a little more info as to why you want any random PE.


This guy is wrong. I've heard this "logic" written on a lot of these forums "Why would you get a PE in a state you don't work in if you're not going to stamp drawings?." It's just argumentative drivel, don't listen to it. You're not going to be in a position to stamp drawings UNTIL you have your PE. Saying you shouldn't try to get it before you're in a position to use it is like saying you shouldn't go to college until you have a job offer that requires a B.S. degree.

Furthermore, with regards to stamping drawings, the state you need to be registered in is the state where the project is located, not the state where you live or the state where you work. Does your firm, or other firms in your area do work in Connecticut? If so, being a registered PE in that state would absolutely be valuable. Even if you're not doing work in the neighboring state, your employer knows you could go to another firm that does and make more money. Therefore, he is likely to do things to try to get you to stick around.


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## darius (Oct 11, 2011)

Agree with tim1981. Most of the companies we are working for are not requiring us to stamp drawings. But having PE on your name makes you more valuable, no metter where that PE is from. So, just go ahead and get registered in any other state which allow you to do that.


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## willsee (Oct 11, 2011)

darius said:


> Agree with tim1981. Most of the companies we are working for are not requiring us to stamp drawings. But having PE on your name makes you more valuable, no metter where that PE is from. So, just go ahead and get registered in any other state which allow you to do that.


Not necessarily.

I am not billed as a PE in the projects we perform in the state of Kentucky since my license is in Illinois, nor am I put on the RFQ as a PE for projects we try to get work on in the state of Kentucky since I am not licensed in Kentucky. So basically my PE is worthless to my company except when we get projects in Illinois (rarely)


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## tim1981 (Oct 13, 2011)

willsee said:


> darius said:
> 
> 
> > Agree with tim1981. Most of the companies we are working for are not requiring us to stamp drawings. But having PE on your name makes you more valuable, no metter where that PE is from. So, just go ahead and get registered in any other state which allow you to do that.
> ...


That's a good point. It isn't valuable to your company, it's valuable to you, since you have the option of going to a different company that does work in that state. Having that option available can help your case at your current company as well, since you have potential job offers where you'd be using your PE to use as leverage.


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## Mutha PE PS (Oct 14, 2011)

tim1981 said:


> Dexman PE said:
> 
> 
> > trying to understand why having a PE for the sake of having a PE is worth your time.
> ...


WHEN WORKING ON FEDERAL PROJECTS, A PE/PLS IN ANY STATE IS GOOD ENOUGH. IT DOESNT MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE YOUR PE/PLS IS FROM


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## chaocl (Oct 14, 2011)

Mutha PE PS said:


> tim1981 said:
> 
> 
> > Dexman PE said:
> ...


Additional thing. If you work for city goverment. You need that city's PE license. For example, if you already have PE license in CA and your PE license is not work in NY(No promotion, no raise). Only you do reciprocity to NY. And NY is aiming for design engineer only.

Also Federal, State, or city work need another exam after you obtain your PE license to get promotion into superviser(also the experience need).


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## theLion (Dec 12, 2015)

@jackie chan..  May I know the update on your situation. As I might have to face the same issue now.


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## iwire (Dec 14, 2015)

wow..didn't know that you cant be granted pe license if you are non-resident or PR status


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## miloc (Sep 19, 2016)

Should all biz cards show an (*) and the state where one has a license? Someone mentioned that for Federal contracts the state where the PE is from doesn't really matter. Is that really true?

Also, in another topic: as a PE (Civil Engineering) what state can give me (with the less headache) a PLS?


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## RBHeadge PE (Sep 22, 2016)

miloc said:


> Should all biz cards show an (*) and the state where one has a license?


The address on your business card should match the jurisdiction of the license. Otherwise you could get in trouble for misrepresentation with one or more license boards.

If the address is different, then it should be noted clearly on the card the jurisdiction(s) of the license.


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