Comity in Massachusetts & NCEES record

[emo4488]

I took the exam in CT because MA's application is horrific. Now that I passed, I want comity in MA and it looks like I still have to jump through their hurdles. The MA application says that I need a NCEES record. NCEES says I don't have a record until I'm a registered PE.

My questions are:

1. Has anyone had to deal with MA and this already? Any advice?

2. Do I have to get my license in CT before I can do anything? I heard CT takes months to process and I was hoping to get the ball rolling in MA now.

3. What the heck is a NCEES record? Why can't passing be enough??

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

Passing is not enough for Mass. From what I have heard from co-workers in Mass, you will have to jump through hoops.

Good luck

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

I took the exam in CT because MA's application is horrific. Now that I passed, I want comity in MA and it looks like I still have to jump through their hurdles. The MA application says that I need a NCEES record. NCEES says I don't have a record until I'm a registered PE.

My questions are:

1. Has anyone had to deal with MA and this already? Any advice?

2. Do I have to get my license in CT before I can do anything? I heard CT takes months to process and I was hoping to get the ball rolling in MA now.

3. What the heck is a NCEES record? Why can't passing be enough??

Licensure by comity means that you are licensed somewhere else and would like a different state to grant you a license without having to take the exam again, etc.

A) You have to already be licensed somewhere else for this to happen.

B) You have to fill out paperwork in the second state with references, transcripts, etc.

If you are planning to be licensed in multiple states in the future, it's easier to compile all of the paperwork one time with NCEES creating a record. Then, in the future, you just have to notify NCEES to transmit your record to another state and fill out minimal paperwork. NCEES does charge for this and you need to keep it up to date over the years with your work experience.

http://ncees.org/records/

I think some states require you to go through the record process in order to obtain a license via comity. IOW, they're having NCEES do all the verifications rather than doing it themselves.

 

[Kolso1PE]

Thanks for your post emo. I'm exactly in the same boat as you. Anyone who passed the CT PE exam last October care to share how many days it took between being notified you passed the PE exam and actually getting your wall certificate and license number?

 

[ptatohed]

What is so horrific about MA's application process that made you think taking the exam in another state and then applying for MA comity would be easier than just applying for and taking the exam in MA? Do you need licensure in CT too or did you do this just to avoid the MA application process?

 

[snickerd3]

What is so horrific about MA's application process that made you think taking the exam in another state and then applying for MA comity would be easier than just applying for and taking the exam in MA? Do you need licensure in CT too or did you do this just to avoid the MA application process?

this

good luck with your process though

 

[emo4488]

What is so horrific about MA's application process that made you think taking the exam in another state and then applying for MA comity would be easier than just applying for and taking the exam in MA? Do you need licensure in CT too or did you do this just to avoid the MA application process?

https://www.pcshq.com/?page=Assembled%20PE%20Application%20012813.pdf

Not only does the application take forever because it's in some ridiculous code that you need a law degree to understand, they require all sorts of separate references to be completed and mailed separately, and if you happen to be a repeat test taker you have to take time off and demonstrate you took a class and then reapply. so between the time you studied you then have to wait for the application to be processed and approved and then you have to study again. CT made it easy in comparison. Plus their testing site was far superior.

 

[Kolso1PE]

2 Main Reasons:

1) If you fail the MA PE exam twice - you won't be allowed to take it again until you can show the board that you have taken additional continuing education credits, etc

2) You have to submit a pound of engineering calculations, etc to the board for them to review. They then call you in for an interview where they will grill you on your projects/experience etc. before they let you apply to take the PE exam. (I personally know this girl who fainted during the interview because she got so stressed out.) I did not want the aggravation.

If instead you take the exam in CT which does not have any of the above rules and pass, you can then apply for an NCEES (model engineer) record - you then can get reciprocity in Massachusetts without the interview or submitting any work for review.

 

[ptatohed]

I see, thanks for the answers. Good luck guys.

 

[BosStr27]

2 Main Reasons:

1) If you fail the MA PE exam twice - you won't be allowed to take it again until you can show the board that you have taken additional continuing education credits, etc

2) You have to submit a pound of engineering calculations, etc to the board for them to review. They then call you in for an interview where they will grill you on your projects/experience etc. before they let you apply to take the PE exam. (I personally know this girl who fainted during the interview because she got so stressed out.) I did not want the aggravation.

If instead you take the exam in CT which does not have any of the above rules and pass, you can then apply for an NCEES (model engineer) record - you then can get reciprocity in Massachusetts without the interview or submitting any work for review.

My guess is that they only interview you if you submit some suspect calcs. I have taken the PE and SE in MA and know a few others who have done the same thing and I have never heard of someone being interviewed.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

2 Main Reasons:

1) If you fail the MA PE exam twice - you won't be allowed to take it again until you can show the board that you have taken additional continuing education credits, etc

2) You have to submit a pound of engineering calculations, etc to the board for them to review. They then call you in for an interview where they will grill you on your projects/experience etc. before they let you apply to take the PE exam. (I personally know this girl who fainted during the interview because she got so stressed out.) I did not want the aggravation.

If instead you take the exam in CT which does not have any of the above rules and pass, you can then apply for an NCEES (model engineer) record - you then can get reciprocity in Massachusetts without the interview or submitting any work for review.

So they treat people applying to take the exam there for their first license differently than someone who is licensed somewhere else and applies by comity? Does that even make sense? You would think if they have strict requirements they would apply to everyone.

Note to self - do not do work in MA that requires a PE license........

 

[Road Guy]

This reminds me i need to go upload a face palm

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

I took (unsuccessfully) the PE exam 3 times in MA, the process is as described above. I contemplated taking the exam in CT, but moved to OH before it got to that point. Good luck with getting licensed in MA!

 

[emo4488]

PCS said I need to submit an exam application. I already have an approved exam application in MA. So I just did it again. It only took a good 6+ hours to pull it all together.

Here's the kicker - PCS won't verify results in CT even though CT uses PCS and they could see my results on their end. (This should be tagged in that PCS sucks forum)

We'll see what happens but I highly suspect it will still not be good enough for MA! Trying to stay positive. Can't hurt to try. I will be very annoyed if they drag me in for an interview. But I'll do it. Whatever it takes at this point. Yay Taxachusetts!

 

[P-E]

If you have filed an NCEES Record:

For prior experience contacts, it is unclear if they looking for supervisor's current work address or home address, I'm assuming work address - as well as their current title. Do you agree?

 

[jglavin PE]

I just filled these out and I used home addresses for everyone. When you get to the next step (after payment) it gives you a bunch of forms to mail out, and the addresses you entered are filled out in those. They don't mail anything for you, you have to do it yourself. I figured that the address should match the one on file with the state board (when you lookup their license) which is their home address.

 

[P-E]

On the experience contact forms, does the text that you enter about your experience get put on the form; and after you make payment, can you go back and correct errors or change a contact?

I haven't talked to my first employment contact in at least 18 years and the company was purchased and disolved. This should be fun - good thing for LinkedIn and FB.

 

[Kolso1PE]

Just got my PE through comity in Massachusetts. Definitely a lot less painless than I thought. I praise Jesus for his grace!!!

It took me about 4 weeks to put together my NCEES record application (online process), then 4 weeks after that for all my professional references, to fill out and send in their NCEES forms. My university transcripts, CT PE verification and MA FE verification were sent to NCEES concurrently. It took two days for NCEES to process my record and give me Model Law Engineer status, and then forward my record to PCS. Two days for me to fill out the Massachusetts comity application (for 75% of it I just wrote, refer to my NCEES record). Then I mailed the comity application to PCS who verified everything in one week, and sent it to the Massachusetts PE board for final approval. Then Massachusetts gave me final approval a week later. Now I'm officially a PE in Massachusetts

I just have to say the people at NCEES Records are super nice, and were always helpful in answering all my questions. They even let me correct mistakes on my forms multiple times, even after I had submitted them electronically.

 

[P-E]

I had the same experience with the ncees online help/chat. They will unlock to allow edits after you submit the forms if you find an error.

 

[Jonhnny123]

2 Main Reasons:

1) If you fail the MA PE exam twice - you won't be allowed to take it again until you can show the board that you have taken additional continuing education credits, etc

2) You have to submit a pound of engineering calculations, etc to the board for them to review. They then call you in for an interview where they will grill you on your projects/experience etc. before they let you apply to take the PE exam. (I personally know this girl who fainted during the interview because she got so stressed out.) I did not want the aggravation.

If instead you take the exam in CT which does not have any of the above rules and pass, you can then apply for an NCEES (model engineer) record - you then can get reciprocity in Massachusetts without the interview or submitting any work for review.

My guess is that they only interview you if you submit some suspect calcs. I have taken the PE and SE in MA and know a few others who have done the same thing and I have never heard of someone being interviewed.

I'm in MA and have never heard of anyone having to interview with the board.

The application is a pain, but I had assumed it would be similar state to state. I guess I don't really see the benefit of having to renew two licenses continuously just to save a few hours on an application - unless you work in CT of course.