How to get your professional engineer license by exam

Licensing requirements

To get your license, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Pass the EIT (Engineer-in-Training exam).
• Pass the PE (Principles and Practices of Engineering exam).
• Have 8 years of professional-level experience under the direct supervision of a licensed engineer. (Education in an ABET-accredited program may count for up to 4 years of this experience.)
• If you have a non-ABET accredited engineering degree from a foreign country, you must also have your degree evaluated by NCEES Credentials Evaluations. This evaluation will be performed at your expense, and you’re responsible for submitting the all necessary information to the evaluation service.

How to apply

1. Complete a Professional Engineer Registration Application:
   • Send pages 1–3 with a check or money order for the $65 fee (payable to the Department of Licensing) to:
     
     Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
     Department of Licensing
     PO Box 35001
     Seattle, WA 98124-3401
   • Send pages 4–6 (Experience Description and Verification) to the people who are verifying your work experience. They will send the finished form directly to us when they’re done.
2. If you took the Fundamentals of Engineering exam (EIT) in another state, go to the NCEES License/Exam Verification website at https://verify.ncees.org and follow the instructions.
3. If you want education considered toward requirements, ask your school to send an official transcript (not a photocopy) to us at:
   
   Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
   Department of Licensing
   PO Box 9025
   Olympia, WA 98507

Frequently asked questions

What happens after I submit my application?

We evaluate your application and documentation, and send you an email telling you:

• Your application is complete.
• You’ve been approved for the exam. (You must complete the law and ethics exam before getting approval for the licensing exam.)
• or
• We need additional information to process your application.

If you’re approved for the exam, the letter will include the information you need to schedule your exam with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

Do I have to take an exam to get a license?

Yes, all applicants must take and pass the approved written examinations and a Law and Ethics exam before receiving a license. Once we receive your application and fee, we’ll send you an email with instructions on how to access the online Law and Ethics exam. For more information, see Exams.

How will my name appear on my license and wall certificate?

Your name will appear exactly the way you entered it on your application.