When You Should Add PE After Your Name

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@RBHeadge PE why would my license say it expires 10/31/2019 when I just got it?  A co-worker of mine who has had their license for a year expires 10/31/2020.

 
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cvanwy02 said:
@RBHeadge PE why would my license say it expires 10/31/2019 when I just got it?  A co-worker of mine who has had their license for a year expires 10/31/2020.
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In WA the license expires every two years, but my first expiration date was my birthday following when I was immediately licensed. I guess they want to get their money’s worth out of you right away :p

 
Pros and Cons for each state i guess, took Georgia some extra time to allow the NCEES email to go out but i already had a license number before i even received the pass notification. Same day i was able to print my license from the state board site, order my wall license for framing. 

 
cvanwy02 said:
@RBHeadge PE why would my license say it expires 10/31/2019 when I just got it?  A co-worker of mine who has had their license for a year expires 10/31/2020.
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Mine also expires 10/31/2019 (in fact, punching in random numbers around mine, all of the recently-issued licenses do). Annoying. At least Michigan is one of the cheapest states to renew in!

 
NASATimp said:
Mine also expires 10/31/2019 (in fact, punching in random numbers around mine, all of the recently-issued licenses do). Annoying. At least Michigan is one of the cheapest states to renew in!
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Two of my other co workers who just got licensed also expires on 10/31/19... strange

 
I seem to recall that some boards have newly minted PE licenses expire ~6 months from initial issuing.  Honestly can't remember why or which ones though, so take it for a grain of salt.

 
cvanwy02 said:
That doesn't make sense because my coworkers expires in 2020.

View attachment 13237
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Hmmm, I may have messed up with the odd years thing, but believe that I am correct with the license expiring on October 31 on a biannual basis

What makes sense to me is if the first license Michigan issues expires the October 31 immediately following first issue and expiring every two years thereafter.

This would be consistent with what appears to be your coworkers initial license issue date (12/14/2017 - possibly expired 10/31 2018?) with subsequent expiration on 10/31/2020 and with my own Michigan license issue and expiration dates: issued 03/22/2019, expires 10/31/2019 and then subsequent expirations 10/31/2021, 10/31/2023 ...

image.png

I'm speculating that this is to simplify administration of their professional development requirements (https://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/LARA_PE_CE_Brochure_August2017_598766_7.pdf), where you appear to be exempt from professional development requirements if you hold a license for less than 12 months.
 

 
Ky_Su said:
I don't think just having a PE after your name on a document carries any authority.  It will, maybe, carry more weight, but probably not authority.  "PE" is a form of regulated advertisement.  Just like not any company can have some form of "engineering" in its name without being registered to protect the "health, safety and welfare" of the public.  Most, if not all, Boards require a seal and signature on an official document with professional opinions.  Now that will carry authority.  One may even get in trouble for placing PE after the name and not sealing a document with opinions that are considered "professional".
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I don’t know about anywhere else, but at the very least, the state of CA disagrees with you.  In CA only mechanical, civil, and electrical PEs actually have any authority to perform services that any other person couldn’t perform.  On the other hand, all branches of engineering with PE designation have protected “Title Authority” which is simply the legal right to call yourself a PE or <branch name> engineer.

I know of at least one person getting fined in CA for having a resume with the words “Mechanical Engineer” on it when he was not licensed.  Even if you are licensed in a different state, you have no legal authority to call yourself a PE in California.

With the internet now the way it is, it is impossible to expect information you post anywhere to stay in state boarders, so most states have interpreted their laws to mean that it is ok to call yourself a PE in their own state if you are actually a PE in another state, so long as you clarify somewhere in whatever Statement/Document that you are referring to a different state.

Whether you have any “Authority” added to a statement because you put “PE” after your name doesn’t matter if it is simply illegal.  There is maybe a legal argument that selling engineering services is a form of commerce and that ignoring your license from another state is either a violation of the full faith and credit, or the interstate commerce clause depending on which way the state argues it’s case.  You may certainly put PE after your name without regard to state laws and try to go down that path in federal court, I would advise against doing so.

 
DKS said:
Hmmm, I may have messed up with the odd years thing, but believe that I am correct with the license expiring on October 31 on a biannual basis

What makes sense to me is if the first license Michigan issues expires the October 31 immediately following first issue and expiring every two years thereafter.

This would be consistent with what appears to be your coworkers initial license issue date (12/14/2017 - possibly expired 10/31 2018?) with subsequent expiration on 10/31/2020 and with my own Michigan license issue and expiration dates: issued 03/22/2019, expires 10/31/2019 and then subsequent expirations 10/31/2021, 10/31/2023 ...

View attachment 13239

I'm speculating that this is to simplify administration of their professional development requirements (https://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/LARA_PE_CE_Brochure_August2017_598766_7.pdf), where you appear to be exempt from professional development requirements if you hold a license for less than 12 months.
 
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This makes sense! Thanks!

 
RBHeadge PE, the Tennessee license lookup page shows a license number for me but it still says "application pending". My application had to be approved by the state board prior to taking the exam. Do you know much about Tennessee's process? Can I add P.E. after my name yet or do I have to wait until the "application pending" line changes?

 
Ninjaneer13 said:
RBHeadge PE, the Tennessee license lookup page shows a license number for me but it still says "application pending". My application had to be approved by the state board prior to taking the exam. Do you know much about Tennessee's process? Can I add P.E. after my name yet or do I have to wait until the "application pending" line changes?
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You are considered licensed when your status reads " Active - Fully Licensed "

 
eeMark said:
I don’t know about anywhere else, but at the very least, the state of CA disagrees with you.  In CA only mechanical, civil, and electrical PEs actually have any authority to perform services that any other person couldn’t perform.  On the other hand, all branches of engineering with PE designation have protected “Title Authority” which is simply the legal right to call yourself a PE or <branch name> engineer.

I know of at least one person getting fined in CA for having a resume with the words “Mechanical Engineer” on it when he was not licensed.  Even if you are licensed in a different state, you have no legal authority to call yourself a PE in California.
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Believe you further demonstrate my points.  Some States further regulate the use of "Mechanical Engineer" or even "Engineer" but at minimum, the use of "PE" is regulated.   You have to follow the laws of the State that you advertised yourself in.  

 
Is there a "survey" on the board that captures how much it costs to renew a PE license in each state/territory?  If not, may I suggest one is created for informational purposes?

 
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