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1. Why Become Licensed in Other States?

You must be licensed in a state to do work there as a professional engineer.  You can’t legally practice engineering in a state in which you don’t hold a license.

If your firm does work in other states, or is a larger firm offering services nationwide, it may be advantageous or even mandatory that you become licensed in other states.

Also, if you ever relocate to another state, you’ll need to become registered in your new state in order to do business there as a professional engineer.

2. Applying in Other States

The good news is that the prerequisites to how to become a licensed professional engineer in other states are similar in all states in the US.  They all require a certain level of experience (measured in years) as well as successfully passing the NCEES PE exam (link to course).  So once registered in one state, it’s usually just a matter of paperwork to become licensed in other states.

2.1 Comity Vs. Reciprocity

This is called licensure by comity, also called endorsement. This just means that most states allows a currently licensed engineer in one state to become licensed in another state, not automatically, but by meeting all of their application requirements.  Most states do not grant engineers licensure simply because they have a license in another state.  

This is the difference between comity and reciprocity.  

Reciprocity means that another state will automatically recognize a license held in another state.  States do not typically grant a license by reciprocity.  They must meet the same requirements as those that initially apply in that state.  But instead of having to take the NCEES PE exam over again, the results, along with all other application components, will be accepted and processed to allow licensure in the state given that the information meets their state board requirements.  

In general, if a professional engineer has (1) an approved four-year engineering degree, (2) four years of qualifying engineering experience, and (3) successfully completes the eight-hour Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination and (4) the eight-hour Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Examination, the state in question will grant a license with virtually no difficulty.

If you received your license based on different standards, you may encounter difficulty in becoming licensed by comity in other states. The best way to find out is to visit the state board’s website, look around and call them with any questions you may have about your specific case.

2.2 NCEES Council Records Program

To assist in the process of becoming licensed in other states, NCEES has established the Council Records Program. The program helps engineers by compiling all licensure credentials in one place. This minimizes duplicate efforts and reduces the processing time at the board level.  A completed Council Record includes all the important information the state board needs, such as education, experience, professional references, exam results, and license status. Once an engineer has successfully obtained a Record, NCEES can transmit it electronically to other states as needed.   

Effectively NCEES has created a standard application template that has all of the important information that a state board would need to see, in a format they are used to seeing, which streamlines the application process.

If you plan on getting licensed in one state, you have the option to just want to apply directly to that state board.  But you may apply to more in the future or may relocate one day.  In these cases, it may be beneficial for you in the long run to join the NCEES Council Records Program.  That way you’ll be able to easily forward the information to the state when needed.  It can be a pain to come up with all of this information again after several years have passed since you used it to first apply.  

I recommend you go through the Records program.  Several states now require the Record to apply for comity licensure in their states. It’s likely that more will follow suit.  Also, it will store all of your PE-related information so that you will be able to access it years down the road.  There are no fees to complete the application and no continuing or annual renewal fees.  The program will charge $175 for the first transmittal to a state board and $75 for each subsequent transmittal.

NCEES also has a designation called Model Law Engineer (MLE) in conjunction with their Records program.  The MLE designation indicates that NCEES has vetted you.  It also means that you are considered a prime candidate for licensing in other states.  This designation means that the state will expedite your license application. To find out more about the Model Law Engineer program click here.

Given that you meet the state’s qualifications, you’ll also need to pay the state application fee and fill out some paperwork, but that’s about it.

After that, it’s just a matter of time before the state grants you your license.

Each state in which you hold a license requires that you keep up with their continuing education requirements.  Each continuing education hour applies to each state.  For instance, if Texas requires 13 continuing education hours per year, then you can apply the same 13 hours to other states that you are licensed.  Just keep in mind that other states may require a different number of hours.  You must meet their requirements as well.

It’s critical that you, as a professional engineer, stay informed of and always adhere to the laws of each state you are working in.  You are responsible for staying abreast of changes. Your work and actions must meet the standards of the states you are licensed in.

3: Temporary Engineering License

Some states allow licensed engineers from other states to obtain a temporary engineering license in their state. States typically grant these licenses for the duration of one project or over the course of one year.  The state board website will indicate whether this is an option for your state and what the rules are.  

A temporary license may not be an option for the state in question.  If not, you will need to follow the application process in that state to practice engineering.

4: How to Become a Licensed Professional Engineer in Other States – Bottom Line

You may find yourself needing to practice engineering in another state some day.  If so, you’ll now know how to become a licensed professional engineer in other states.  Look into whether a temporary license is an option for you depending on the scope of the work you will be doing and the time frame.