Mandatory Use of PE 1

[llamallama]

I am registered in the state of Pennsylvania. I was recently informed that it is mandatory to sign with a PE after my name and it must be on my business cards. I had some old cards and was using them up, as I had never heard this before. I couldn't find this in a search, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. Could someone please reference the code of ethics that requires this?

Much Appreciated

 

[JAE]

Who informed you that you had to use P.E. after your name? I've never heard that before and I'm licensed in that state.

Now having said that I always have "P.E., S.E." after my name anyway. But never have I seen wording to that effect in any of the 24 state's engineering laws in which I'm licensed.



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[llamallama]

I was meeting with a process PE on an industrial project, and let him know I was licensed as well. I then handed him a card sans the PE suffix and he said, "Hey you have to list the PE, you can't go incognito." He said it was required (but didn't cite anything). I do make a point of letting people know in a professional setting that I am licensed, as a professional courtesy. I don't intend to ambush other professionals, but I don't tout it around on the shop floor all the time either.

 

[KENAT]

I thought most of the concern was the other way round, don't "practice Engineering"/offer to practice Engineering without PE?

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[msquared48]

Call the state Board and ask.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[MintJulep]

Relevant PA laws all available here:

http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalL.../Board-Laws-and-Regulations.aspx#.VVuLuflVhBd

I didn't see this requirement on quick search.

 

[llamallama]

Thanks for the replies. I looked at the PA-DOS site and didn't see anything. I guess I'll call the board to verify. Thought maybe this was an unwritten interpretation and so I asked here first.

Thanks All.

 

[drawoh]

llamallama,

One more thought.

I am not a PE, but I am a certified engineering technologist, CET. I put CET on my business cards. I attach CET to my name when I prepare formal communications with technical opinions I am qualified to provide. I don't attach it to anything else. My CET makes me no more qualified to have opinions on sports, history, TV, culture and gardening than anyone else here, or out there, for that matter.

--
JHG

 

[IRstuff]

The only reason to have it on your business card is to lessen any possible confusion on whether you are, or are not, a PE, since that would be the only thing in a stack of business cards that would distinguish you from the unwashed masses, or exempt people, like me ;-)

TTFN
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[JStephen]

I was thinking I had seen that requirement in the past, but don't find in the first couple of state rulebooks I scanned through.

I think the purpose would be to promote engineering licensing, not to distinguish yourself specifically. Like saying "Hey, I'm licensed, why aren't you?" when you sign something.

I've never heard of a disciplinary action related to that, though. The closest that I've seen is when you're licensed in one state and writing letters in another state, do you include the PE or not?

 

[bridgebuster]

llamallama,

I'm also licensed in Pennsylvania and never heard of this requirement. It may stem from some confusion that arose about 15 years ago: It was "illegal" in the Commonwealth to use "PE" after one's name if they weren't licensed here. The Board was convinced that handing simply out a card that said "PE" or publicly stating one was an engineer was akin to offering services, while not being licensed in PA. To further compound the absurdity, suppose someone living here but not licensed here wrote a letter to the editor expressing an engineering opinion about something; guess what? They were breaking the law.

Finally common sense prevailed. In your case, use some simple logic: Is it anyone's business that you're an engineer? What if you don't have a business card, are you breaking the law? Don't wait for the Board to answer you; I've been waiting three + years for a response regarding the legality of an engineer -based in PA - who posted on E-T an offering for on-line structural engineering services

http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalL...ents/Board Documents/Board Document - Law.pdf

 

[darthsoilsguy2]

Hey... Eng-tips.com is based out of Michigan... So, it could just be a matter of time before the Non-MI-PE's get busted.

 

[IRstuff]

;-) Good luck with that; there are engineers posting here from lots of difficult to prosecute corners of the world.

TTFN
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[arbreen]

Bridgebuster, I was browsing through this old thread and took a look at the document you posted.

The title text of that official document is totally written in one of the fonts from Star Trek! I was tickled.

 

[dicksewerrat]

If I wrote a letter to someone in PA, would I have to put in the lic. number from the state I reside in plus the state PA lic number and the state lic. number for the state the work was in?

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.

http://WWW.amlinereast.com

 

[IRstuff]

Why would you even risk trying anything other than both?

TTFN
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[darthsoilsguy2]

this topic has gone on way too long without someone making the case for a true National PE licensing board. The most common disciplinary action is from practicing in another state.... I have to self-report to other states if i get in trouble in another one (fox guards the chicken coop reference)... The original system worked in a non-globalized pre-information age economy..... Many businesses are including less experienced or remote-from-office engineers into projects who carry the appropriate jurisdictional stamp (ethically bad, bad for business too.... but speaking only from the public safety standpoint). All the states are converging into the same requirements anyway.... The US Constitution would support a system where the resident State gives you your first license which would need to be maintained, and then regulates the other licensures under interstate commerce. state licensure requirement have been converging over the years to almost identical requirements. This could be done without removing seismic specialties for those regions.

 

[JAE]

darth - I agree that it would be much easier. The challenge always seems to be that the 10th amendment constrains the fed. gov't from imposing a cross-state requirement for accepting licenses from other states.
I would agree with this that a "federal PE license" is not in the books.

However, the states have done very well in accepting other states licenses for driving, concealed carry, etc. - although sometimes limited to a degree.

If the process is indeed flowing towards unified/similar credentials for licensure then I think it is only a matter of time where states will simplify the reciprocity process.
(but don't forget they get money when they have you get a license in their state).




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