Examinations - All applicants for licensure must take and pass three examinations
1.
The FE Exam - The National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES), Fundamentals
of Engineering (FE) Examination
2. THE PE Exam - The NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering
(PE) examination and the Texas Ethics of Engineering examination.
3.
The Texas Ethics
of Engineering Exam is an open book examination concerning the Texas Engineering
Practice Act and the Board Rules. You may either take the exam online or download
the Ethics Exam from this website and complete it at your convenience. Click here to go to Ethics Exam Links.
Exam Information
Note: Exams are subject to change. For the most up to date information, refer to the TBPE News Page for Press Releases or the NCEES website.
The FE and PE examinations are both 8-hour tests and are given twice a year at four locations in Texas (certain PE tests are given only once per year). The testing dates are scheduled for April and October. Texas residents and non-residents who are otherwise eligible for licensure may take the FE examination.
Both PE and FE NCEES Exams are administered by NCEES Exam Administration Services staff for non-students at the following locations: Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso.
FE Exams may
be administered by these universities for their engineering students: Texas Tech University, University of TX @ Pan American, University of
TX @ El Paso, LeTourneau University, Texas A&M @ Kingsville,Texas A&M University
and University of TX @ San Antonio.
Exam Locations
Non Student Sites - Please refer to the NCEES page for the latest information regarding specific locations in the cities listed below.
- FORT WORTH
- AUSTIN
- EL PASO
- HOUSTON
Student Sites
- Texas Tech University -Lubbock
- Texas A&M University – College Station
- West Texas A&M – Lubbock (Texas Tech)
- University of Texas El Paso – El Paso
- Texas A&M Kingsville
- University of Texas San Antonio
- University of Texas Pan AM- (includes students from UT PAN AM and UT Brownsville)
- LeTourneau- (includes students from LeTourneau and UT Tyler)
(the Houston, Austin, Ft. Worth, and El Paso Locations are COMBO Sites for students and non students)
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering examination is a supplied reference examination consisting of 120 one-point questions in the morning session and 60 two-point questions in the afternoon session. The morning session is common to all disciplines. The afternoon session is administered in five disciplines with a general engineering section for all remaining disciplines. Candidates will work all questions in the morning session as well as in the afternoon section they have chosen.
Principles and Practice of Engineering
The Principles and Practice of Engineering examination is a test offered in a specific discipline of engineering that is given at the end of your experience period. You will be granted permission to take the PE exam only after your application for licensure has been approved. You may test in any of the following disciplines:
Group I Exams (Fall and Spring Exams)
- Chemical
- Civil
- Electrical & Computer
- Environmental
- Mechanical
- Structural
- Structural (16 hour)
Group II (Fall Only Exams)
- Agricultural
- Control Systems
- Fire Protection
- Industrial (will be Spring only starting April 2013)
- Metallurgical
- Mining/Mineral
- Nuclear
- Petroleum
Group II (Spring Only Exams)
- Software Engineering
- Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
The examination formats and specifications may be viewed/printed from the NCEES web site at: http://www.ncees.org or telephone NCEES at 1-800-250-3196.
The board does not endorse any particular study courses or study materials for the FE or PE exams. Many Universities or Professional Societies or Associations have study information for the exams. (See our Links Page for more information.) Information concerning the examinations is also available from NCEES. (www.ncees.org)
NCEES Exam Administration Services Contact Information:
Website: https://www.ncees.org/exams
Address: P.O. Box 1686 (280 Seneca Creek Road)
Clemson, SC 29633-1686 U.S.A.
Phone: (800) 250-3196, (864) 654-6824
Special Accommodations
If you have a disability and require special accommodations in taking the examination, please contact NCEES.
Exam Waivers
The board has provisions for waivers of the FE and the PE exam. See the Exam Waivers page for more information.
Veterans Assistance
The Texas Board of Professional Engineers has been approved by the VA under the GI Bill for reimbursement of examination fees for the FE and PE exams. This approval allows veterans and other eligible persons to receive reimbursement for the cost of license examinations/tests from the VA. The effective date of approval is March 1, 2003.
This reimbursement is not from the state of Texas or the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. Please do not contact the board for information or reimbursement. The reimbursement information is available at http://www.gibill.va.gov/pamphlets/lcweb.htm under "Licensing and Certification".
1917 S Interstate 35, Austin, TX 78741