Kentucky Initial PE Licensure/Tennessee Licensure By Comity

[MemphisENG]

Has anyone gone through either or both of these processes recently and have a rough estimation on the timeline? I work in TN, but sat for the exam in KY due to not having to satisfy the experience requirement prior to sitting for the exam - thus I'm now past the exam and have fulfilled my experience about 4 months before I could sit for the exam in TN. I'm finishing up my NCEES record now, and have all my references lined up. Fortunately (or unfortunately, occasionally) I've been employed 100% of the time in consulting doing structural engineering design, so I don't forsee any complications with the application process at this time. There's no rush, obviously it'll be quite some time before the stamp is even needed, but I was just wondering what the approval times were recently? Pretty much how long is it going to be before I can change my email signature and allow my mom to tell her friends her kid is a legit engineer?

 

[jbrown784]

I just joined here or I would've commented on your post sooner.

Now I COULD be wrong ... but I don't know that comity applies in your situation. You said you passed the PE in Kentucky, but you didn't mention that you got LICENSURE in Kentucky. For comity to apply, you would need to be fully licensed, not just pass the test. In my understanding, you will need to apply in Tennessee as a new applicant. If they will not accept it because you took the exam early, then I think you will need to go through and get your Kentucky Licensure first. You still would use the "multi-state licensure" tab because Kentucky fully accepts all of the NCEES record for licensure application. That process could take a few weeks possibly. Given the date of your post, you should be well past that stage.

Then you would have to apply to Tennessee for comity. They do NOT accept all of the NCEES record. I think they will accept the confirmation of out of state licensure in KY, and accept your transcript via NCEES. But at least 2 years ago they still required a separate paper application for work experience, and references had to be done individually.

That process took about another month.

 

[jbrown784]

Also ... since I've not known anyone to do this before ... it wouldn't surprise me if Tennessee declined to consider that comity still since you don't have any experience working as a PE in Kentucky. I don't think they have a minimum number of years requirement like some states do for comity, but I could see them having issues of someone exploiting a loophole to get around their requirement.

Good luck, let me know how it all worked out for you.

 

[MemphisENG]

Was waiting for my Tennessee application to complete prior to updating this for posterity.

Took until 6/15 for my final reference to complete their form on NCEES. Submitted my state application and NCEES record to KYBOELS on 6/16 and my license was issued 7/7. Took another week for my paper certificate to be delivered.

Submitted my state application and NCEES record to TN Board of Engineers & Architects on 7/9. TN does not require a NCEES record, but they will accept it which spares you from chasing down your references again and rewriting your work experience. On 7/12 the board acknowledged receipt of both my application and NCEES record and I'm currently awaiting their completion of that review. TN processes applications in the order they are received, and there's been no further guidance on how soon that review will be complete.

I don't expect there to be a comity issue, as far as I know TN has no practice length requirements. I do know of other people that have gone this same route, through KY and other states.

TL;DR: Application to license in KY was 3 weeks, jury still out on TN but hopefully soon.

 

[WingNut]

One issue you may run into here is that Tennessee may require you to retake the PE exam if the standards under which you earned your KY license are materially different than the Tennessee standards. This normally occurs when someone takes the PE exam prior to the 4 years of experience requirement required by some states. All states require 4 years of experience, however, some states allow you to take the PE exam PRIOR to achieving the 4 years of experience-- then allowing you to earn the 4 years of experience and then you get the license without doing anything else. I do not know the rules in Tennessee or KY. Just something to be cognizant of that may occur.

 

[MemphisENG]

Updating for posterity for anyone in the future that goes this route for licensure.

There were no issues with my comity application. Not sure how COVID impacted this timeline, I imagine it impacted it a bit. TN seemed to be slower processing the comity application than anyone expected based on previous experience. It's possible this was exacerbated by an uptick in applications to test (TN is a coupled state) for the final round of pen and paper PE Civil exams in October.

Took about 2 weeks for my references/work history verification to get completed on my NCEES record

Kentucky - 3 weeks for initial licensure application review and license issued
Tennessee - 7 weeks for comity application review and license issued

 

[whatwhat]

I have a question regarding TN comity application. @MemphisENG perhaps you can help since you went through this not sop long ago. I submitted PE comity application to TN via their online system and turned in my NCEES record. In their online system I see some deficiencies as shown below when I view the details of my application. Did you also see this too? I think this has been showing since day one and there is not way to fix it. Also this shouldn't show since I am submitting NCEES record. I turned in my application on 12/24 and there is not response. Also no one picks up the phone.

 

[MemphisENG]

I have a question regarding TN comity application. @MemphisENG perhaps you can help since you went through this not sop long ago. I submitted PE comity application to TN via their online system and turned in my NCEES record. In their online system I see some deficiencies as shown below when I view the details of my application. Did you also see this too? I think this has been showing since day one and there is not way to fix it. Also this shouldn't show since I am submitting NCEES record. I turned in my application on 12/24 and there is not response. Also no one picks up the phone.
View attachment 26785

Sorry, I don't get alerts and haven't perused this site for a while. If you haven't gotten an update yes, the following may apply.

Yes, for QUITE some time I was showing the same deficiencies. I found emailing them to be the best course to get a response. I contacted Cynthia Toombs with the state board, who informed me that the system will continue to show the deficiencies "until she entered information in my record". I assume she has to manually enter information from the original licensure state (license state, number, etc.) to clear the system. At the time she informed me that she was currently processing applications from July 2 and mine was received July 9. This was a few weeks or so after my application, and it was another 3 or so before it was approved. I want to say the first 2 deficiencies cleared a week or so after that contact with her and it was still several more before my license was issued.

TN seems to be the slowest state for approval that me or any of my colleagues have dealt with, including other states which require a background check.