Need advice, Moved from CA to TN

[Ayerforce35]

So I passed the Civil PE in April 2015 in California.  I also passed the CA specific Surveying exam.  However, I have yet to pass the CA specific seismic exam so I am not yet a licensed CE in any state.  I recently moved to Tennessee where I would like to obtain my license.  There are 2 ways to obtain a license in TN, by exam or by comity.  I don't want to apply by exam since I don't want to retake an exam I already passed,  but cant apply by comity because they require you to be licensed in another state first.  The rep from the TN engineering board said that they are not allowed to accept scores from tests taken in another state.  Isn't the NCEES test the same in every state?  So I am stuck in this gray area of having passed the PE exam but not being able to get licensed.  I see my options as follows:  

1. Retake the PE in TN.

2. Pass the seismic exam in CA, get my CA license, then apply by comity to TN. (retaking the seismic exam is something I planned on anyways but wont be able to retake until October)

3. Find another state that will allow me to get my license based on a passing NCEES test score, then apply by comity to TN. (If anyone knows a state that would offer a license based off test score from another state?)

Any advice or input would be appreciated!  Thanks!

 

[ptatohed]

Ouch, that's a tough predicament.  I thought passing the 8hr in CA would be transferable to other states.  I'd pursue that a little harder.  If that doesn't work out, my vote would be to study for and pass the CA-Seismic.  You can do it from a testing center in TN so you wouldn't need to fly out here.  Good luck. 

 

[knight1fox3]

@CAPLS may be able to shed some additional light on the subject.  Or perhaps point you in the right direction.

 

[Road Guy]

There was an individual here that claimed to pass the CA pe and then got licensed in another state before CA. I cant recall who it was but maybe do some searches?

TN has some picky laws (im originally from GA). - i would check Alabama process also..

 

[knight1fox3]

I think I found the thread that RG was referring to.  There @CAPLS makes some potentially helpful responses.  Have a look:  

 

[Ayerforce35]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

[CAPLS]

Sorry, haven't had time to be on the forum lately.  Generally speaking, when you pass the national FE or PE exam in one state, it is honored by all states.  In situations where an individual passed an exam prior to obtaining the 4 years of experience required by most jurisdictions (California and 8-10 other states that allow this), the board will require you to obtain the required experience before applying for licensure but with few exceptions, can verify that you previously passed the FE and PE exams.  There are a couple that have laws which state clearly that the individual cannot sit for an exam until after obtaining the required experience, but that thinking is falling by the wayside rather quickly.

I would advise you to contact the other state and ask someone there.  If you apply be sure to inform them that you had previously passed the exam(s). Each state has a verification process which will check with California.  If you have passed the FE and PE since 2010, the board can simply look in the NCEES registration system to verify.

 

[Ayerforce35]

Thank you @CAPLS.  This was the response I got from the TN Board. 

[SIZE=11pt]At[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] the February engineer committee meeting, effective immediately, we were advised by our legal department that we will no longer be able to accept exam scores from applicants that passed the PE exam in another jurisdiction and were never registered in that jurisdiction, because there is no provision to do so in our laws and rules. Applicants must complete the registration process where they passed the exam and apply for registration in TN by comity. [/SIZE]

 

[CAPLS]

Thank you @CAPLS.  This was the response I got from the TN Board. 

At the February engineer committee meeting, effective immediately, we were advised by our legal department that we will no longer be able to accept exam scores from applicants that passed the PE exam in another jurisdiction and were never registered in that jurisdiction, because there is no provision to do so in our laws and rules. Applicants must complete the registration process where they passed the exam and apply for registration in TN by comity.

I checked with my counterpart at the Tennessee PE board and this appears to be a recent decision based on advice from their attorney.  In the past, they have automatically honored passing the NCEES exam in another jurisdiction as long as the applicant met the education/experience requirements.  They hope to change legislation next year to allow this again, but until it happens If it happens) they will need to follow their attorney's advice.  Sounds like the board understands your pain.  I'm not sure if their board allows for an appeal, but you may want to consider that by having to adjudicate your appeal, this may provide additional support for their legislature to revise the laws.  I'm definitely not saying you will or will not prevail in an appeal.  I'm just saying that the Tennessee legislature may consider this as why the revision needs to be made, especially in cases such as yours where you are know a resident of that state and not just seeking comity licensure.  Talk with the Board to see what actions are available to you.

 

[Ayerforce35]

@CAPLS Thank you for reaching out for me and for the advice!  Much appreciated!