I think was discussed just very recently. No tests to pass assuming you are already a PE in that state. Just a bunch of money and and bunch of paperwork. And IMHO - it is not a COA - but a simple TAX.
Even Tennessee calls it a TAX
No, but I'm bothered by paying $bigbucks a year to keep my CAD current, and having to pay sales tax as well as personal property manufacturing tax, and business insurance, and payroll services, and real estate taxes, and software PLC service fees, and fire extinguisher inspection fees, and triple sewer service fees, and customer insurance riders, and well, the cost of doing business in general.
What about having to register with the Department of Commerce/Secretary of State as part of the COA requirements? The registration involves filing annual tax reports and locating, designating, and paying a registered agent residing in the state to receive mail from the Department of Commerce. Do other out-of-state engineers do this? And how do other engineers interpret the term "practicing" in a state? If you do not advertise or seek projects in a state, are you still classified as "practicing" if an existing client bring you a project in that state? Does practicing in a state mean that you have an office in that state?
wek99,
The common meaning of the word practicing would be doing an engineering project in a particular state. How you get a project has no bearing on whether or not you are practicing.
I wouldn't consider advertising or marketing to be practicing, but if you land a job and don't have a CA, the project will be late.
This is the problem, there is no universal body regulating PE licensing and all the states have their own rules and regulations. It is a tedious process trying to stay updated on which state require what registration and when you are licensed in multiple states, the process is quiet a headache!
I still do not understand the "benefit" of having to register with the Secretary of State, especially if an engineer do not hold an office in that state. As it stand, you may as well become incorporated in every state as most now require a COA and SOS registration.
On the other hand you have in the Professional Ethics in engineering forum “Unqualified 'project managers' directing technical detail on projects – thread 765-322776“ Which are I assume are mid to large companies that may or may not have a CoA covered. But if they did the Engineering Officer of the company because of the CoA would hopefully be held as the responsible party. The sad thing about the CoA is that they can (at least in California) fill in anybody name on the form. I found out ten years after I had left a company that they had placed my name down, without my knowledge, as the CoA engineer when I was only a hire at will employee. So what are you actually paying the state for?
Garth Dreger PE - AZ Phoenix area
As EOR's we should take the responsibility to design our structures to support the components we allow in our design per that industry standards.
