CA Board Approval for Spring 2017 Exam

[wiliki]

Hey everyone, I know CA has the new board approval process where applicants for the PE can just go directly to NCEES if they passed the FE (http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/application_process_changes_091216.pdf). 

Well, this update wasn't valid until after submitting my board approval application (Oct 2016). I haven't heard back from the board yet. I called them, and they said they will notify all applicants via email. I'm an out-of-state applicant, so I had to submit fingerprints to be processed. It's not been 3 months, and I still haven't heard back. Whenever I call, I am always told to keep checking my email. 

Anyone in the same boat, or have gotten any word back from the board? Any thoughts? 

Oh also, I'm registered for the PE on NCEES and it says approved. I chatted with someone on NCEES, and she said it indicates board approval. But why wasn't I directly notified by the board yet?!! Confused...

 

[knight1fox3]

Perhaps @CAPLS can provide some input on this for you.

 

[leggo PE]

Hi wiliki!

I can only say from personal experience, but I would think you should be hearing back some time soon. My coworker and I applied to the board last winter for April 2016, and she didn't hear anything at all until around now, and I did not get approval until the beginning of February. Granted, there was something that was up with my application and I needed to send in additional information, and for that, I did have to bug the CA BPELSG a BUNCH to find that out and then submit the additional information.

All that to say, with the new board approval process now in place, you do not need CA Board approval to take the national PE exam. Pretty much anyone who has passed the FE exam can now take the PE exam in CA without having applied to the CA Board and been approved first.

You do, however, still need CA Board approval to take the CA state seismic and surveying exams, and you also need it to become licensed as a CA civil engineer once you have passed all three of the exams (plus the take-home ethics exam).

I hope I didn't confuse use! And I agree with knight1fox3, in that @CAPLS is probably of help here.

 

[wiliki]

Hi wiliki!

I can only say from personal experience, but I would think you should be hearing back some time soon. My coworker and I applied to the board last winter for April 2016, and she didn't hear anything at all until around now, and I did not get approval until the beginning of February. Granted, there was something that was up with my application and I needed to send in additional information, and for that, I did have to bug the CA BPELSG a BUNCH to find that out and then submit the additional information.

All that to say, with the new board approval process now in place, you do not need CA Board approval to take the national PE exam. Pretty much anyone who has passed the FE exam can now take the PE exam in CA without having applied to the CA Board and been approved first.

You do, however, still need CA Board approval to take the CA state seismic and surveying exams, and you also need it to become licensed as a CA civil engineer once you have passed all three of the exams (plus the take-home ethics exam).

I hope I didn't confuse use! And I agree with knight1fox3, in that @CAPLS is probably of help here.

Thank you @leggo ! 

I'm just concerned that, well my check for the application and fingerprints have already been processed a long time ago. It would be nice to have a response of some sort. With the new board approval process, does this mean that if and when the PE exam is passed, no references need to be submitted.... the only requirement to be officially licensed is to pass both the FE and PE (electrical discipline)? I assume that references would still need to be submitted at some point? Or has this part been completely removed from the requirements? 

@CAPLS please advise when you can

 

[leggo PE]

With the new board approval process, does this mean that if and when the PE exam is passed, no references need to be submitted.... the only requirement to be officially licensed is to pass both the FE and PE (electrical discipline)? I assume that references would still need to be submitted at some point? Or has this part been completely removed from the requirements? 

Oh no, you definitely still need Board approval to become officially licensed. And ah, I apologize -- I didn't realize you were electrical! So ignore what I said about the CA state seismic and surveying exams. Those only apply to Civil PE's.

Now, the CA Board is asking that you submit an additional form to them after you pass the PE exam (the form is located here: http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/board_notification_form.pdf) to let them know that you passed the National PE Exam. I would imagine you would get approval before this all comes into play. Other than making the Board aware that you passed the National Exam, it is a little bit of a mystery to me as far as what the Board is going to do once they have received this form.

This pdf was also posted onto the Board's website on January 3rd, which confirms that you do not need Board Approval before registering and taking the National PE Exam.

 

[wiliki]

Oh no, you definitely still need Board approval to become officially licensed. And ah, I apologize -- I didn't realize you were electrical! So ignore what I said about the CA state seismic and surveying exams. Those only apply to Civil PE's.

Now, the CA Board is asking that you submit an additional form to them after you pass the PE exam (the form is located here: http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/board_notification_form.pdf) to let them know that you passed the National PE Exam. I would imagine you would get approval before this all comes into play. Other than making the Board aware that you passed the National Exam, it is a little bit of a mystery to me as far as what the Board is going to do once they have received this form.

This pdf was also posted onto the Board's website on January 3rd, which confirms that you do not need Board Approval before registering and taking the National PE Exam.

Thanks for the response and links!! @leggo

It really is unclear what the new process in getting licensed will be. I just hope that whatever I paid and submit for the board approval will still somehow apply.... it will be a huge hassle to obtain my references all over again  :wacko:

 

[leggo PE]

Thanks for the response and links!! @leggo

It really is unclear what the new process in getting licensed will be. I just hope that whatever I paid and submit for the board approval will still somehow apply.... it will be a huge hassle to obtain my references all over again  :wacko:

I agree! It's so confusing, especially for people in this round who applied before but are taking the PE exam after this all went into effect. I think it will all clear itself up with time, but it certainly seems more complicated right now. In the end, I think it will be simpler. But not for us right now!

And you're welcome!

 

[CAPLS]

I agree! It's so confusing, especially for people in this round who applied before but are taking the PE exam after this all went into effect. I think it will all clear itself up with time, but it certainly seems more complicated right now. In the end, I think it will be simpler. But not for us right now!

And you're welcome!

When you applied to the CA Board, you applied for licensure.  The CA Board has chosen, and notified NCEES, that anyone registering under the CA Board for the PE exam is approved as long as it can be verified that the FE exam was previously passed.  That FE verification can be very quick if the results are currently in the NCEES registration database.  If the FE exam was passed prior to 2010, you will need to request a verification from the board in which you registered for at that time.  For the most part, boards now provide those verifications through the same NCEES system so it is quicker now.  If someone had not previously passed the FE exam, that person would need to apply to the CA Board first requesting an FE Waiver before the CA Board will approve in the NCEES system.

So, in effect the CA Board is STILL approving you registration for the national PE exam, the process has simply changed.  Your application for licensure may still be pending technical review and once it is approved, you will be notified.  This has no impact on the registration or administration of the national PE exam or vice versa.

 

[leggo PE]

So, in effect the CA Board is STILL approving you registration for the national PE exam, the process has simply changed.  Your application for licensure may still be pending technical review and once it is approved, you will be notified.  This has no impact on the registration or administration of the national PE exam or vice versa.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[wiliki]

So, in effect the CA Board is STILL approving you registration for the national PE exam, the process has simply changed.  Your application for licensure may still be pending technical review and once it is approved, you will be notified.  This has no impact on the registration or administration of the national PE exam or vice versa.

Thank you for your response @CAPLS

Question - Will the board get back to me on my application status before the exam date? Not that it matters, but I'm just curious if you'd happen to have an idea on the time frames. 

 

[NHPE]

It's interesting seeing which jurisdictions are the least customer friendly, inefficient, and bureaucratic with this process. It more or less follows what I thought it would be, with some exceptions. It should be simple and straight forward but some of what people describe on here is maddening! 

NH goes just as you would imagine, no drama, efficient, response to the customer within 24 hours that actually resolved any issues (customer service), and exam results on the first day they were released by NCEES. It's amazing how agonizing some jurisdictions make the whole process. I suppose they have to justify their jobs and one way is showing a constantly busy 'workload'. (while other states manage with an administrative staff of 1).

I am working on becoming a Chartered Engineer in Ireland at the moment in as a means to obtain the EUR ING title and Ireland is how you would expect it: simple and efficient. Although the EUR ING will be submitted through Ireland I know it will take time once it hits the continent (FEANI is a EU wide organization and is a French acronym...).

But in the end I'll be Eur Ing NHPE PE CEng.

 

[CAPLS]

Thank you for your response @CAPLS

Question - Will the board get back to me on my application status before the exam date? Not that it matters, but I'm just curious if you'd happen to have an idea on the time frames. 

Sorry, didn't see this question until just now.  The only date I can accurately give you is that all candidates approved for the California state exams will be notified in early March by email that they can now schedule with Prometric for those exams.  You will be notified before then if your application is approved or not...I just cannot say exactly when.

 

[CAPLS]

...But in the end I'll be Eur Ing NHPE PE CEng.

That title will require wrapping onto the other side of your business card :B

Good luck