Consensus on calling ourselves PE prior to issuance of license #?

[Guest]

On the other extreme, do we HAVE to use PE after our name? Alot of people from my work do not know the significance of being a PE. So using PE in my email signature would not really have much bearing.

As long as you are not representing yourself in some manner as practicing professional engineering as defined by your state board's rules then you are not required to include that title in your correspondence. In fact, some state boards (and companies) expressly prohibit the use of the title if you are conducting business in a state you are not licensed in but hold a license in your home state.

JR

 

[IlPadrino]

As long as you are not representing yourself in some manner as practicing professional engineering as defined by your state board's rules then you are not required to include that title in your correspondence. In fact, some state boards (and companies) expressly prohibit the use of the title if you are conducting business in a state you are not licensed in but hold a license in your home state.
JR

Being a federal employee I've often wondered about that... my work doesn't fall under any State's jurisdiction. I consider myself exempt from this prohibition. Maybe I've got it backwards.

 

[engr_tam]

Being a federal employee I've often wondered about that... my work doesn't fall under any State's jurisdiction. I consider myself exempt from this prohibition. Maybe I've got it backwards.

So based upon the couple previous posts, because I work in Pennsylvania and earned my PE license in Delaware, I cannot use P.E. on my business cards until I get reciprocity/comity in Pennsylvania? Does that also mean I cannot use the PE designation in my email signatures since I do work for clients in Pennsylvania and South Carolina?

I agree with the idea that the PE isn't meant to be thrown around lightly like a beach ball at a concert. I do have my license number, but Delaware only awards the certificate after you submit your license fee and get your embosser seal. However, Delaware addressed my last letter with the P.E. designation at the end of my name. (yes, it was exiting to see it in print for the first time!) But I'm reluctant to use it now given the situation I'm in.

 

[kevo_55]

Many states allow you to call yourself a PE on business cards and on email signatures if you are licensed in the state on that card or signature.

Not all of them do though.....

 

[TXengrChickPE]

Not sure how it works for fed employees... as far as the state thing goes, if you have a business card that has an address in PA, and has PE after your name, I would assume that you are a PE licensed in PA... as I think most people would. I would have no qualms distributing that card to anyone, no matter what state they are in. If you are licensed in a state other than the address on your card, I'd say you would have to disclose that somehow... for instance:

John P. Smith, P.E. (licensed in Delaware)

ABC Engineering

15 P Street

Philadelphia, PA

That way, you are showing that you have passed the exam and gotten a state to recognize your proficiency as an Engineer... but you're not claiming to be an Engineer in PA.

The same kind of disclaimer may work for fed employees. You could simply list what state (or states) you are licensed in...

 

[engr_tam]

Not sure how it works for fed employees... as far as the state thing goes, if you have a business card that has an address in PA, and has PE after your name, I would assume that you are a PE licensed in PA... as I think most people would. I would have no qualms distributing that card to anyone, no matter what state they are in. If you are licensed in a state other than the address on your card, I'd say you would have to disclose that somehow... for instance:
John P. Smith, P.E. (licensed in Delaware)

ABC Engineering

15 P Street

Philadelphia, PA

That way, you are showing that you have passed the exam and gotten a state to recognize your proficiency as an Engineer... but you're not claiming to be an Engineer in PA.

The same kind of disclaimer may work for fed employees. You could simply list what state (or states) you are licensed in...

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

[DVINNY]

because I work in Pennsylvania and earned my PE license in Delaware, I cannot use P.E. on my business cards until I get reciprocity/comity in Pennsylvania?

See TXengrChickPE's response.

if you have a business card that has an address in PA, and has PE after your name, I would assume that you are a PE licensed in PA... as I think most people would.

This is correct ^^ from what I have always been told.

Our state board even distributes a piece of literature explaining when and what situations are proper to stamp or not to stamp.

http://www.wvpebd.org/pdf_word_files/Publi...ls_brochure.pdf

 

[DVINNY]

because I work in Pennsylvania and earned my PE license in Delaware, I cannot use P.E. on my business cards until I get reciprocity/comity in Pennsylvania?

See TXengrChickPE's response.

if you have a business card that has an address in PA, and has PE after your name, I would assume that you are a PE licensed in PA... as I think most people would.

This is correct ^^ from what I have always been told.

Our state board even distributes a piece of literature explaining when and what situations are proper to stamp or not to stamp.

http://www.wvpebd.org/pdf_word_files/Publi...ls_brochure.pdf

 

[IlPadrino]

John P. Smith, P.E. (licensed in Delaware)ABC Engineering

15 P Street

Philadelphia, PA

That way, you are showing that you have passed the exam and gotten a state to recognize your proficiency as an Engineer... but you're not claiming to be an Engineer in PA.

The same kind of disclaimer may work for fed employees. You could simply list what state (or states) you are licensed in...

Makes sense. I wonder, though, who you'd need to be more worried about: the State you're licensed in or the State listed on your business card? If it's the State listed on the business card, I'd think federal employees are OK (I just can't see a State going after an "unlicensed" Engineer doing federal work in their State). If it's the State you're licensed in, I'd think it only takes someone disgruntled (Tom, anyone?) to make a complaint.

 

[roadmonkey]

Wait for the registration number, its a couple of weeks.

 

[engr_tam]

It's official. I am a PE, but because PA still asks when you got your EIT certificate on the reciprocity application, I have to wait until Sept. 2009 to become a PE in my HOME STATE!!! Arrgh!

At least I got the test out of the way, and my shiny new embosser for DE will be arriving this week! :multiplespotting:

However, because of this, I can't call myself a PE in PA. So probably no pay raise or title changes for me! Whoo hoo!!

Doesn't life SUCK?

 

[cbchua78]

I'm not sure where I should post this but I just got my PE license number in FL (on the website) and I'm officially a Professional Engineer!!

 

[brick_27]

In Indiana we are supposed to wait until the board assigns numbers... from what I have been told. Basically, the board receives your test results and then sends a letter requesting $50 for them to issue a license number to you.

 

[ALBin517]

So, what was the outcome of that thread re: calling ourselves PE's prior to receiving our license #s?
Basically, I want to update my email autosignature to include "PE" after my name. Obviously I won't be stamping any drawings or calling myself a "PE" in any other way prior to receiving an actual stamp. Do you think this is OK? Does NCEES/any other authority address this issue anywhere?

I have been waiting so long for this I really want to do it!

My friend (longtime Professional Surveyor) owns a firm. He passed the PE exam and put PE next to his name on the company website. But after checking with his lawyer, he was advised to remove it until his # was issued. According to his counsel, competitors could cause problems for him and the company if they raised a fuss about (by complaining to the Board or whatever).

 

[Brianne]

I have no problem adding PE to my e-mail signature, etc.

Directly from my letter from the State of California:

"This letter will serve as temporary evidence that you now hold a valid license as a Professional Civil Engineer."

I think that sounds good enough to me.