Structural II Exam

[woodengineer]

I am a PE licensed in 31 states. I passed the Structural I exam in 2001 and am planning to take the Structual II exam. Here are my questions:

1. If you pass the Structural II exam, does this make you a SE?
2. Do you still have to pass the civil exam in the western states?
3. Are there any good study materials or courses (offered on the east coast)?
4. Does the exam cover only UBC seismic provisions or can you follow the IBC?

Thank you in advance. This exam will especially difficult for me as my concentration in wood frame construction specifically metal-plate connected wood trusses.

woodengineer

 

[271828]

1. No, but after passing the Strl II, you can apply for a SE license in Illinois and a few other states.
2. I think this is the case in California. I don't think it's the case in most western states.
3. No clue. When I took it, I found studying to be pointless.
4. I think it's IBC nowadays.

 

[SperlingPE]

1. In states with laws recognizing the SE, you will have to apply for this license.
2. There is a part three exam in California along with other requirements (working under a California SE). Other higher seismic states have additional requirements. Generally, passing the SE II is a good step towards meeting them.
3. There are study courses out there. Check the NCEES web site for what will be on the test and do your own studying.
4. Check the NCEES web site for what is covered on the test. The required reference material should be listed. I believe IBC will be the governing building code.

 

[Qshake]

You can only be an official SE in a state that recognizes that designation either by title act or actual licensure. CA is only a title act and not a licensure. Illinois is one of the few states that have seperate licensure. So far only six or so states actually recognize the practice of SE as separate from general civil engineering. But again, the varying degrees of recognition is the problem with reciprocity between those states (along with parochial issues, i.e., keeping the revenue inside states lines).

In addition to just meeting the exam requirements there are experience and in-state reference requirements that must be met.

Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[BRGENG]

Another thing to watch out for is using S.E. after your name in states where S.E. licenses are not available. Read case studies in CE News or Structural Engineering magazine about states fining engineers for using the term P.E. or S.E. in states where they are not licensed. Not for practicing engineering there but for possible misleading a client to think that they are a licensed engineer in that state.

Our legal team has suggested that we prohibit our engineers from using P.E. or S.E. in any state in which they are not licensed unless they clearly note John Smith, P.E. in the state of…. Some even argue that if you speak at a conference in state that you are not licensed in that you could be considered practicing engineering without a license. Oklahoma made A.I.S.C. get a C.A. permit for responding to Engineers questions over the phone or internet and I bet they are not the only state to do so.

Sounds extreme but do you want your competitor to say, “They were fined in (insert state here) for practicing without a license.” That and you don’t want you name in the monthly State Board newsletter. Sounds ridiculous and it is but that is the world we live in now.

Meanwhile, your trash guy is still a Sanitary Engineer, maybe you can use S.E. after your name and if questioned just say you take out the trash.

 

[ARLORD]

I took the Str I and Str II exam in 2002. Passed the StrI and failed Str II. It's too expensive to take it again. I don't work in a state that requires me to have it. FYI-States that do not require a SE license do offer the Str II exam like CT and DE. I drove to CT from NJ to take the STR II, If I passed I would have applied to Illinois for reciprocity to get the SE license.
To answer your questions:

1)Passing the Str I & Str II exams are a step toward becoming a SE. Just like passing the PE exam is a step in becoming a PE. Depending on the state, they have requirements to becoming a SE like(Illinois) filling out an application, showing work history, references, schooling, fee, etc.

2) Calif. does not recognize the Str I exam. You have to take their Civil PE exam first. They may accept the STR II if you make a request but I doubt it. They also have other requirements such as SE references, and you have to work under an SE, and/or be sponsored by a SE, something like that....

3) There is an example book with 246 solved str engr problems, but it doesn't prepare you for the STR II exam. There is a review course in Chicago. There may be a web course available originating from Calif.

4) See the following link for PE & SE, exam format, reference materials, grading procedures, etc:

http://www.ncees.org/

FYI- Washington State has a Str III license.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

BRGENG -

You bring up a good point but sometimes I think a very dumb, stupid, wierd (choose your own) question.

What about the journalists in CE or SE magazine. They all have P.E. behind their names and I am sure they are not registered in all 50 states.

What about the doctor in your local newspapaer giving medical advice. Same w/ the laywer or real estate column. They cannot possibly be licensed in all states.

Oh well - everybody just be careful when and where you use it...

MiketheEngineer ---- registered in 40 states BUT maybe NOT yours

 

[woodengineer]

Thank you all for your thoughts on the matter. Indeed, my motivation for taking the Structural II exam is to gain licensure to practice in Illinois. My company would also like me to gain licensure in California and Nevada. Both of these state do require me to also pass the civil exam.

On a more interesting note, Oregon had a similar requirement, but granted me licensure after a lengthy letter explaining the complexities of the Structural I exam. My arguement was that structural is a part of civil engineering. Because of the seismic activity in that area, I understood the reasoning for making the distinction through examination, but that the structal I exam should at least entitle me the opportunity to practice as a civil engineering designing any type of structure that a licensed civil engineer could design. The structural I exam is more robust. The bottom line was that we as professionals should only be practicing within our areas of expertise.

woodengineer

 

[daysinn]

Forget about what the "legal team" said. Any documents WITHOUT PE STAMP cannot be construed as practicing. Isn't it common sense?

 

[DonPhillips]

When I sign on a out of state report that is sealed by a licensee but I am not licensed in, I typically list the states that I am licensed to clarify things. In Texas, I specifically write "not licensed in Texas" since their board must think listing the states but not excluding Texas is misleading.

Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com