Pennsylvania PE Wall Certificate

[Nightcrawler]

Hello everyone!

I passed the PE exam in October of 2018 and was issued a license in Pennsylvania.  Unfortunately the state board sent my license to an address that I have not lived at in a few years, even though I updated my address prior to being issued my license.  I reached out to the state board and they issued me two licenses but no wall certificate.  I reached out to the state board about receiving two licenses but no wall certificate and was informed that they no longer issue wall certificates.  This seems abnormal to me, is that the case for others, that you are only issued a license now?

Thanks,

Curtis

 

[RBHeadge PE]

This is news to me. If it's true, that a really sh$%y thing for them to do. I would wonder if its just the BPELSG or if its for all licensed professions in the commonwealth?

I'm not aware of any other jurisdiction that doesn't have a wall certificate. The closest example might be Indiana, which IIRC gives licensees the option to purchase it from a third party.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing that it's pretty sh*ty to no longer issue professional wall certificates.  I got one for my EIT and feel that it's odd not to issue a professional certificate for the PE.  Everyone I know has their wall cert posted at work, and I just have the 5" by 8" license.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

Yeah the same 5x8 license they have barbers display...

Again, I'd be curious if the other professional licence boards have abandoned the wall cert? If this is purely BPELSG trying to save a few bucks then maybe a call to your assemblyman or state senator could get them to fire up the presses again.

You could probably make a wall cert. I don't know of the ethical implications of doing so and it may not pass muster. But since wall certs don't matter and you'd be displaying your official license anyway, it might be okay.

The Pennsylvania EIT and PE wall certificates weren't that different. The text, graphics, and printing were quite basic and could be reproduced with little skill. The embossed seal however was really high quality with lots of fine detail. Trying to reproduce the embossed seal and apply the various signatures would get you in trouble, and I'd recommend against attempting it. But a faked wall cert might still look okay from a distance if the signature lines were omitted and a super basic gold certificate seal were used.

:2cents:

 

[Nightcrawler]

Haha, yeah I don't have any plans in going into the forgery business, so I will deal without a wall certificate for the time being.  I reached back out to the BPELSG an was informed that the State no longer issues wall certificates, only licenses, but that there has been talk about coming up with a way to electronically get a certificate for those who want one, but that it has not been implemented at this time.  I was also added to the list of licensees that are interested in receiving a wall certificate, and will be informed if a way is developed.

So with that news... we need more people that have licenses in Pennsylvania to complain about not getting a wall certificate!