PE Certification and Freelancing 3

[RANorrisPE]

Hi all,

I'm a mechanical engineer about 4 years out of school. I had no problem with the FE and am looking into taking the PE. I've had a couple jobs so far and have learned a good ammount but have decided that working for myself is my preffered career trajectory in the long term.

My question is two-fold. I know that long term I want to consult/freelance as a product design and development capacity as well as cost and quality improvements and project management. Seeing a number of freelance websites with "Mechanical Engineers" taking bids and contracts has me curious if this type of engineering requires a PE license? I have been assuming so, but am now seeing conflicting information and if it is required how are these popular websites skirting this requirement?

My second question is regarding the recommendations required for the PE. I have not worked directly under any PE's as it seems they are harder and harder to find in mechanical engineering. I have worked in the same organization as at most two, but never directly for any. How does one go about getting the required recomendations when it is getting harder and harder to find someone with a license?

Thank you for your help!

Ryan

 

[weldstan]

Ask the State Licensing Bureau regarding work experience requirements directly under a P.E.
A P.E. may not be and often are not required for performing design work, depending on the State requirements. If a particular design is required to be stamped by a P.E., you can hire a P.E.to review and stamp it.

 

[jpankask]

You need to check with the state licensing board in your state. However, I suspect you will find, and every state I am familiar with requires, that in order to register a business where you advertise yourself as an Engineer to be hired by "the public" (which loosely translates to anyone that hires you), will require you to have a Professional Engineer license. Private businesses get around the law in most states through the "industrial exemption" where a business is not required to have a PE for work that is done solely for the individual company. In the states that have this exemption, if you do not work directly for the company (NOT as a subcontractor), you are outside the state laws...and subject to prosecution if the state board finds out. Also note that it is illegal for a PE to just review and stamp a design that he/she did not provide professional oversight for. If you start your business and decide to hire a PE to stamp work that required a PE stamp, you need to hire them before you start the design, so that they can check and correct as the design progresses.

As to obtaining the PE without working directly under a PE...again check with your state board. When I took my license exam, my company did not employ any PE's either. They were a private manufacturing company and never needed any (under the industrial exemption). My state required 3 licensed PE's, which I was able to find through an employer I had worked with during a COOP. Most of my work experience was not performed under a PE, and I had to fill out an additional form explaining why my work was not under direct supervision of a PE. Look to any of your college professors who could serve as a PE reference, even though your experience might not be under them. In particular your professor for your senior design project. If you can get at least a couple PE's who would be willing to serve as a reference, the board may be more likely to approve your application. Good luck.

 

[RANorrisPE]

Thank you jpankask! That was a great response and thoroughly answered my questions! I was pretty worried about the PE recomendations but that seems less of a hurdle now that you explained it. Now to just pass the exam...

 

[Ron]

ranorris87....keep in mind that a PE is not a certification....it is a license. There's a BIG difference.

 

[RANorrisPE]

Thank you for your comment, Ron. Can you please elaborate on what you mean? (I did a quick scan of the thread and didn't see anything mentioning certification buy licensing).

 

[Ingenuity]

I did a quick scan of the thread and didn't see anything mentioning certification buy licensing

Check out the title of your thread: "PE Certification and Freelancing"

 

[RANorrisPE]

Ah so I did, pre coffee brain for the win. I was referring to licensure (as I stated throughout the question itself. I am genuinely interested/curious what could have been taken by certification. Is there some type of engineering certification that would enable/ prohibit freelancing?

As an aside, it would appear that the ones who attempted to be helpful and answer my question were able to read through the vernacular, as opposed to one liners without an additional explanation that seem to be more directed at either making one person look foolish or to make themselves seem more intelligent. But thank you for justifying why I have only been a lurker on these forums for over 7 years as opposed to participating.

 

[Ingenuity]

I provided the "one liner" in response to your query - nothing more, nothing less. I provided no further information because I had none to add.

I too "am genuinely interested/curious what could have been taken by certification" - maybe Ron will reply.

Go grab another coffee!

 

[Ron]

A "certification" can be given by any organization as it wishes. There are numerous "certifications" that one can receive, often only by joining and providing some information. A license, such as the Professional Engineering license, is a statutorily invoked privilege that requires specific education and a demonstration of competence through testing.

Certifications carry little or no responsibility...violation of the provisions of a certification might cause you to lose that certification; however, it carries no legal penalty except for the possibility of civil lawsuits that would likely be the same with or without the certification.

Licensure as a professional engineer obligates one to numerous legal requirements, the violation of which could land one in jail, depending on its severity. At the least one could lose the capability to have an income based on the premise of being a licensed professional as opposed to being a certificate holder in some obscure subject area.