Application and Licensing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Engineer-in-Training (EIT), Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT), Professional Engineer (PE) and Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) Applicants

General Questions

A: Yes. Disclosure of your SSN or ITIN is mandatory. Your application will not be processed without it. Additional information is located on the Information Collection, Access, and Disclosure page.
A: Neither U.S. Citizenship nor California residency is required.
Yes. View the Fingerprinting FAQs for all fingerprinting questions.
A: No, you will not receive an email regarding the receipt of your fingerprint cards.
A: The process varies by applicant type:

• Engineer-in-Training (EIT)/Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT)

• Geologist-in-Training (GIT)

• Professional Engineer (Including the following disciplines: Agricultural, Chemical, Civil, Control Systems, Electrical, Fire Protection, Industrial, Mechanical, Metallurgical, Nuclear, Petroleum, Traffic)

• Geotechnical Engineer

• Structural Engineer

• Professional Land Surveyor

• Professional Geologist

• Certified Engineering Geologist or Certified Hydrogeologist

• Professional Geophysicist
A: View the Fee Schedule.
A: View the Exam Schedule.

Engineer-in-Training (EIT) and Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT) Application/Certification Questions

A:

Certification Type

Laws and Regulations

Flowchart

Information and Application Page

Engineer-in-Training (EIT)

B&P Code section 6751(a)

EIT Flowchart

EIT Information

Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT)

B&P Code section 8741(a)

LSIT Flowchart

LSIT Information
A: No. The education must be from an engineering education program. Some engineering course work alone does not meet the requirement.
A: No. The education must be from a land surveying education program. Some land surveying course work alone does not meet the requirement.
A: No. Register for the exam by creating a MyNCEES account.
A: Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements explained on the EIT/LSIT Information and Application page.
A: Yes. The process is explained on the EIT/LSIT Information and Application page.
A: No.
A: Visit the NCEES website regarding the FE exam or FS exam.
A: Once you submit your application for an EIT or LSIT certificate through BPELSG Connect, you will be able to monitor the status of the application review and address any deficiencies by logging into your account. You must allow the Board a minimum of 60 days to process your application. Upon certification, you will receive your wall certificate via mail in 6-8 weeks.
A: If you have questions regarding the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) or Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exams, visit the NCEES website or contact NCEES directly. Questions about EIT or LSIT certification can be directed to BPELSG.EIT.LSIT@dca.ca.gov.

Professional Engineer (PE) and Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) Application/Licensure Questions

A: There are three categories of Professional Engineer (PE) licensure available in California: (1) practice act, (2) title act, and (3) title authority. The practice acts are Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. Practice act means that only a person appropriately licensed with the Board may practice or offer to practice these branches of engineering. The title acts are Agricultural, Chemical, Control Systems, Fire Protection, Industrial, Metallurgical, Nuclear, Petroleum, and Traffic Engineering. Title act means that only a person licensed by the Board in that branch of engineering may use the title in any manner. The title authorities exist for two sub-branches of Civil Engineering: Structural Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering. A title authority indicates a proficiency in that field greater than what is required for Civil Engineering licensure. Applicants who meet all licensure requirements, including passing the required exam(s), will be issued a license in the branch of engineering for which they applied.
A: Applicants are not required to have an EIT certificate, but they must have passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam or qualify for a FE waiver.

The requirements for a FE waiver are outlined in Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 438(a) and on the FE Waiver Flowchart.
A: Applicants are not required to have a LSIT certificate, but they must have passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam, be a licensed California Civil Engineer, or qualify for a FS waiver.

The requirements for a FS waiver are outlined in Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 438(b) and on the FS Waiver Flowchart.
A: No.
A: No.
A: No, you must wait until you have passed the PE exam before applying.
A: No, you must wait until you have passed the PS exam before applying.
A: Passing exam results do not expire, so there is no deadline or timeframe for when you must apply after passing the exam, but you cannot apply until you meet the qualifying experience requirements.
A: No, you must meet the qualifying experience requirements before you file your application for licensure with the Board.
A: No. Experience credit can be counted to the date you file your application with the Board.
A: If you are licensed in another state or country, and want to obtain California licensure, you must meet all the same California requirements as other applicants, including submittal of a complete application for licensure, and passing all required exams. If you passed a NCEES exam in another state, it is valid in California. To submit exam and license verification for your application, you must use the verification system available through NCEES. Login to your MyNCEES account and request that the exam verification(s) and license verification(s) be sent to the Board.
A: No. You must submit an application for licensure, including all required supporting documentation, and the application fee, to receive a determination of your eligibility. View the applicable laws and regulations, and applicable flowchart to determine if you are qualified for licensure.
A:

License Type

Application and Information Page

Application Instructions

Professional Engineer (PE)

PE Information

PE Application Instructions

Professional Land Surveyor (PLS)

PLS Information

PLS Application Instructions

Geotechnical Engineer (GE)

GE Information

GE Application Instructions

Structural Engineer (SE)

SE Information

SE Application Instructions

 

A: If the university/college provides electronic transcripts, they must be sent directly from the university/college via email to BPELSG.Transcripts@dca.ca.gov. If the university/college provides paper transcripts they must be mailed to the Board. Unsealed transcripts are not accepted. Foreign transcripts that are not in English do not need to be sealed, but applicants must submit the original transcripts along with a notarized English translation. Foreign transcripts are sent back to applicants after they are scanned and uploaded to the application. Degree evaluations are not accepted. It is recommended that applicants submit the request for transcripts to each relevant university/college at least two (2) weeks before the anticipated date of application submittal to the Board.
A: No. If you would like to claim education credit, you must submit the original transcripts along with a notarized English translation (if the transcripts are not in English).
A: Submit the original transcripts to the Board along with a notarized English translation.
A: No, you will not receive an email regarding the receipt of your transcripts because the Board receives a large volume of transcripts.

Once transcripts are received by the Board (via mail or email), they are uploaded to your application.

If the transcripts were sent via email, the transcript delivery service will notify you if the receiver (the Board) has not downloaded the transcripts before the link expires.
A: Search for your degree program on the ABET website. If the BS degree program is/was accredited at the time of graduation, it is considered an approved engineering curriculum. If the BS degree program is listed as accredited, the MS or PhD for the equivalent program is considered an approved post-graduate engineering curriculum.
A:

License Type

Number of References Required

Work Experience Engagement/Reference Instructions

Professional Engineer (PE)

A minimum of four (4) references

PE Instructions

Professional Land Surveyor (PLS)

A minimum of four (4) references

PLS Instructions

Geotechnical Engineer (GE)

A minimum of four (4) references

GE Instructions

Structural Engineer (SE)

A minimum of three (3) references

SE Instructions
A: Yes, only comity applicants have the option to submit a NCEES Record, but it is not required. In the case that the NCEES Record does not provide the information the Board needs to determine if an applicant meets the requirements for licensure in California, the applicant will be asked to provide additional information. The Board does not accept NCEES Records for Geotechnical or Traffic Engineer applicants.
A: If you are applying for a waiver of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam [also known as an Engineering-in-Training (EIT) waiver] you need to submit a complete application for a Professional Engineer license in BPELSG Connect. You will use the same application as all other applicants; however, you must answer the questions accurately on the Qualifications Tab of the application so that you are indicating you are seeking a FE Exam waiver. It is recommended that you review the following: Application filing process for requesting a waiver of the FE exam, Business and Professionals Code section 6755(b), Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 438(a), FE waiver flowchart.
A: If you are applying for a waiver of the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam [also known as a Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT) waiver] you need to submit a complete application for a Professional Land Surveyor license in BPELSG Connect. You will use the same application as all other applicants; however, you must answer the questions accurately on the Qualifications Tab of the application so that you are indicating you are seeking a FS Exam waiver. It is recommended that you review the following: Application filing process for requesting a waiver of the FS exam, Business and Professionals Code section 8741.1(c), Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 438(b), FS waiver flowchart.
A: If you submitted your application through BPELSG Connect, you will be able to monitor the status of your application and address any deficiencies by logging into your BPELSG Connect account.

If you submitted a paper application, you must allow a minimum of 60 days after submittal before you contact the Board for a status update.
A: Yes. Login to your MyNCEES account to verify that your exam results are visible on your profile. If they aren’t, through your MyNCEES account, request exam verification(s) from the state board(s) where you passed the exam(s).
A: Do not submit your application for licensure until you are ready to take the state-specific exam(s). Postponements are only granted for unforeseen emergencies and urgent reasons. You will forfeit your exam fees if you do not show up for a scheduled exam and you are not granted a postponement.
A: The Board does not provide the seal or stamp; licensees are responsible for obtaining a seal or stamp.

In accordance with Business and Professions Code section 6764, each Professional Engineer shall, upon licensure, obtain a seal or stamp. In accordance with Business and Professions Code section 8750, each Professional Land Surveyor shall, upon licensure, obtain a seal or stamp. Please refer to Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 411 for specific information about the requirements.
A: Visit the Contact Us page on the Board’s website for the appropriate contact information.

Questions Specific to Civil Engineer Applicants

A: It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide sufficient detail and information in Part A of the Work Experience Engagement/Reference for the registrar to determine if they meet the requirements for professional licensure. Only work experience that meets the definition of civil engineering in Professional Engineers Act section 6731, and requires that a licensed Civil Engineer be in responsible charge of the work, will qualify. The applicant must describe specific civil engineering tasks and decisions they were involved in, including what engineering judgement was used to evaluate and provide engineering recommendations in connection with a fixed work. Descriptions of work experience that are vague, general-in-nature, and do not adequately explain the applicant’s role in performing civil engineering work will not be accepted.
A: One of the questions on Part B of the Work Experience Engagement/Reference asks the reference what their relation is/was with the applicant. To receive credit for work experience, the applicant must have someone in responsible charge of their engineering work during the engagement. If the reference does not indicate that they were in responsible charge of the applicant’s engineering work during the engagement, the reference is still an acceptable reference, however the months claimed for the engagement will not be accepted. If the minimum months of work experience has not been satisfied, the registrar will issue a deficiency requesting that the applicant submit an additional Work Experience Engagement/Reference from a Civil Engineer in responsible charge of their engineering work. It is the professional reference’s responsibility to accurately respond to each question on Part B. Failure to respond accurately will result in deficiencies and delays in the review/approval process.
A: Civil Engineers play a vital role in the construction process, however not all tasks and decisions being made on a construction site require that a Civil Engineer be in responsible charge. Professional Engineers Act section 6730 requires that any person who practices, or offers to practice civil engineering, must be licensed as a Civil Engineer by the Board. If a task or decision can be made by an individual who is not a licensed Civil Engineer (e.g., construction supervision, project scheduling, construction design review, general administration), then it is not the practice of civil engineering.
A: Traffic engineering is a title act, meaning an individual does not need to be licensed to practice traffic engineering. Oftentimes, Civil Engineers perform traffic engineering tasks related to their civil engineering work. However, because California is discipline-specific and issues licenses for both civil engineering and traffic engineering, there is no overlap between the two and qualifying work experience for a civil engineering license needs to be civil engineering, not traffic engineering. The definition of civil engineering can be found in the Professional Engineers Act section 6731 and the definition of traffic engineering in Board Rules section 404(qq).
A: The current review time is approximately 5-6 months from the date of application submission, or longer if there are application deficiencies. Applications are reviewed in the order sent to technical review and applications with resolved deficiencies will not be given priority over new applications sent to technical review. You can view the status of your application by logging into BPELSG Connect and looking at the status on your dashboard. It will reflect the current status even if it has not changed recently.

Once your application is in an exam eligible status you will need to login to BPELSG Connect to pay for and request to take the state-specific exams. For additional information please view Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer.
A: Visit the Re-Examination Information page for instructions on how to submit an Exam Request.

You will have the choice to take the exam(s) in one of two quarters following the quarter in which you make the Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect; however, you will not be able to take the exam(s) in the same quarter that you make the Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect. For example, if you make your Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in Quarter 1, you will be able to schedule your state-specific exam(s) in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3, but not in Quarter 1. See the chart on Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer for details. Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter that you selected.

Exam scheduling questions should be directed to the Exam Unit at (916) 999-3644 or BOEXAM@dca.ca.gov.
A: Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter you selected. For example, if you selected Quarter 2 and scheduled a date in Quarter 2, but you cannot appear for that exam date, you only have the option to reschedule your exam within Quarter 2. You will need to contact Prometric, not the Board, to reschedule (a fee may apply). If you cancel or do not appear for the exam, you will forfeit your exam fee and will need to wait until the next quarter or later to submit an Exam Request in BPELSG Connect.

If you want to take the exam in the quarter following the quarter you originally selected (in this example, Quarter 3), you will have to receive an approved postponement through the Board. The Board grants postponements for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies only. If you believe you qualify for a postponement, you must submit a Request for Postponement of Exam Fee along with supporting documentation in accordance with the instructions on the form. If an approved postponement is not granted, and you cancel or do not appear for the exam, you will forfeit your exam fee and will need to wait until the next quarter or later to submit an Exam Request in BPELSG Connect.

Exam rescheduling or postponement questions should be directed to the Exam Unit at (916) 999-3644 or BOEXAM@dca.ca.gov.
A: Once your application is in an exam eligible status you will need to login to BPELSG Connect to pay for and request to take the state-specific exams. You will have the choice to take the exams in one of two quarters following the quarter in which you make the Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect; however, you will not be able to take the exams in the same quarter that you make the Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect. For example, if you make your Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in Quarter 1, you will be able to schedule your state-specific exams in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3, but not in Quarter 1. See the chart on Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer for details. Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter you selected.

Exam scheduling questions should be directed to the Exam Unit at (916) 999-3644 or BOEXAM@dca.ca.gov.

Exam Related Questions

A: Follow the instructions on the Re-Examination Information page.
A: The state-specific exams are administered at Prometric computer-based testing centers throughout North America. Approved candidates will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) notice from the Board via email with instructions on how and when to schedule the exam(s) with Prometric. At the time of registration, candidates will be able to choose the testing center location of their choice, based on availability.
A: The Board does not endorse or provide recommendations regarding study guides or study courses. Refer to the test plans and reference lists on the Examination Candidate Information page.
A: Refer to the appropriate Candidate Information Bulletin on the Prometric website.
A: The Board grants postponements for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies only. If you believe you qualify for a postponement, you must submit a Request for Postponement of Exam Fee along with supporting documentation in accordance with the instructions on the form.
A: Results are released via email. If you submitted your application through BPELSG Connect you can also view your exam results by logging into your account.
A: No, appeal or inspection of exam results is not supported by statute or regulation.
A: Exam results are only released as pass or fail.
A: Review the Diagnostic Report document.
A: Refer to the Special/Religious Accommodations page.
A: Visit the Contact Us page on the Board’s website for the appropriate contact information.

If you have questions regarding NCEES exams, visit the NCEES website, NCEES Examinee Guide, or contact NCEES directly.