CA PE which exams needed if already PE

[fbaxley]

I have an opportunity to move to California due to my wife getting relocated. I am licensed in SC, NC, VA, FL by taking Structural I exam in NC and comity for other states. In my job search of course everyone is requiring CA-PE. What is the quickest and most feasible way for me to obtain a PE license in CA if I want to practice structural engineering on high-end custom homes and light commercial structures?

Other threads mention surveying exam and seismic exam. Are there others that I would need to take?

I also looked up the application for a CA Structural Engineer and there was a question that asked for 3 CA-PE references which I don't have and the certification no. of my CA civil engineering license which I don't have.

Thanks for the help!

 

[whyun]

California PE Exam for Civil Engineering consists of the General Civil portion as well as Seismic and Surveying. You must pass all three to be a licensed Civil Engineer in California.

If you've already taken and passed the NCEES Civil exam from another state, you may receive a "credit" and be waived from the General Civil portion. You still have to take and pass Seismic and Surveying.

Civil license is a prerequisite to obtaining your California SE license. You need three more years of experience and three California SE as references to confirm your qualifying months of experience.

For out-of-state engineers it may not be realistic to have three "California SE's" as references, but you may contact the Board for alternate means of qualification.

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/

 

[fbaxley]

whyun,

so if I never took the general Civil exam I would have to take this exam first or would they allow comity with my passing the Structural I exam?

thanks for the info.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

This editorial in the current issue of Structure Magazine has some interesting info on Structural Engineering PE requirments in CA

http://www.structuremag.org/archives/2005/May 2005/Editorial-May-05.pdf

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[crossframe]

fbaxley,

You should receive comity for the 8-hour Civil exam. When you pass the seismic and surveying portions, you will receive a CA Civil PE license.

After three more years under a CA SE, and with the appropriate references, etc., you may sit for the 16-hour CA Structural Exam.

The more important thing to note is that it does not appear that you need anything beyond a Civil PE to do the work you've described. A SE license is required for hospitals, schools, buildings over 160 feet tall in Los Angeles County, etc. For homes and light commercial buildings, the PE is sufficient.

 

[whyun]

fbaxley, now I see your situation... You are a PE by SE-I exam... Honestly, I do not know whether NCEES SE-I is equivalent to NCEES Civil in the view of the California Board. My feeling is yes, but in any case, you should contact the board to find out.

 

[fbaxley]

crossframe,
thank you so much for clarifying which degree of licensing I will need. My only other problem is that I am a PE by taking the Structural I exam in NC (I did not take the civil exam). By the requirements I've found on the CA Board website it does not appear that they would allow me to obtain a Civil PE by comity. It seems as though I would need to sit for the Civil PE exam for CA. Do you have any thoughts on this?

whyun,
thanks for your input as well...I will need to call the board to get a complete understanding of what is required.

 

[whyun]

There has been some changes to the California Structural Exams starting 2003 or 2004 (please confirm from the Board). Try various links in this site:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/a_seappintro.htm

The traditional 16 hour exam is now divided into the national NCEES SE-II portion (8 hours) and the California specific portion (8 hours). Older exam was either a pass or fail for the 16 hour exam but now you can pass one at a time. Hopefully that's a relief for you. Good luck.

 

[crossframe]

fbaxley,

Although I cannot speak for the board, I don't see why comity wouldn't be granted (for the 8-hour portion - you'll have to take and pass the surveying and seismic exam regardless). My knowledge of the PE exam requirements may be a little outdated (by about 10 years), but certain things should still hold true.

Granting comity for the 8-hour exam should be based on the fact that you successfully passed a NCEES 8-hour exam in an appropriate dicipline, and your experience. It appears that both were exactly what was required and expected to do that kind of work. To do the same work in CA, the Civil PE license is sufficient. Had you taken your exam in CA, you could have passed without doing a single structural problem, then gone on with your career of residential and light commercial design.

Like me, you have passed the correct exam for the type of work you do for your original state of registration. Your experience shows you have successfully practiced your "area of expertise" for a number of years. With the exception of the seismic and surveying exams, the licensure requirements are substantially similar.

So with all this, I would be surprised if you were required to sit for an exam. In a brief glance at the board website, I didn't see anything to contradict any of my points above. See

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/e_plppe.pdf

I think 2:Q17 addresses your situation.

Good luck.