Using Structural Engineering in Business name with Civil PE License 1

[Chootrain470]

I am thinking of starting a personal business in California offering structural engineering services. I have a civil engineering license, but I would like to use the term "Structural Engineering". Is this allowed or should I avoid this term since I am not a licensed SE? The California Engineers Act allows civil engineers to provide structural engineering services so I would imagine that I can use structural engineering in the name.

 

[Ron]

Call the state board and ask. Also, read your state law and rules....it might tell you and its something you need to be familiar with anyway.

 

[StrucPatholgst]

My advice is to maybe think about this a little. If you really are going to limit services strictly to structural engineering, then great. But down the road, you never know. You might get into consulting work, or due diligence work. Company I worked for had "environmental" in its name for a few decades after starting out with 5 employees, than had to go through the DBA paperwork because they grew to 500 and expanded services to the point it was confusing to clients when they saw "environmental" in their name, even though they were offering cell tower design and construction loan monitoring, among other things. Just food for thought.

 

[rb1957]

good advice above ... I'd guess that it's protected, but the board will set you straight.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[AaronMcD]

Ron, really though, how many licensed engineers memorized all that legal stuff? I mean, we all memorized as much as we could for the exam, and probably forgot most of the details.

I'm licensed in CA as a civil PE, not structural. I can't say for sure what the rules are on what you can and cannot call yourself because they are not intuitive. I am 99% sure I can say I provide structural engineering services, because I do say that and I most likely researched it before I started advertising the service. I also have vague recollection of certain phrases permitted to be used, and I believe "structural engineer" is one.

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[AaronMcD]

Took 5 seconds to type this into google and the first result is from the boards website.

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[fel3]

Edited because I directed some of my comments to Aaron instead of the OP.

Aaron...

The sentence you posted is ambiguous (it doesn't say which exam is required), so I'm not sure what your conclusion is. If you didn't read further down the page, I suggest reading the ELIGIBILITY section. A licensed Civil Engineer cannot use the title "Structural Engineer" until after passing the structural exam.

So, you the OP can (and should) call yourhimself a "Civil Engineer", but not a "Structural Engineer". However, your his business card, your website, your proposals, etc. can say that you he provides structural engineering services as well as any civil engineering services you are he is qualified to provide. Please note that in California, Civil Engineers cannot design schools and hospitals, but Structural Engineers can (see

https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/pubs/building_design_auth.pdf).

I am not aware of any other structural engineering limitations imposed on licensed Civil Engineers.

I am a California Civil Engineer and I mostly deal with municipal infrastructure design. But, from time-to-time, I design reinforced concrete non-building structures of modest size, such as canal structures, secondary containment pits, retaining walls, traffic and equipment slabs, a couple circular clarifiers at wastewater treatment plants, high mast light pole foundations, that sort of thing. Except for one reinforced masonry building for a small pumping station, I don't do buildings.

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"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[Chootrain470]

Update: I contacted the state board via email and they said that I may use “Structural Engineering” in my business name. The key is that I must use the “ing” at the end.

 

[AaronMcD]

fel3
You're right, I spoke too soon after seeing that snip was from the board's website. The page is talking about the SE exam. It isn't clear (as is typical for the board's literature) what the requirements are for using the title "Structural Engineer".

And come to think of it, I don't call myself a "Structural Engineer", except in normal conversation. It is silly that an actual structural engineer cannot legally call themselves a structural engineer.

So, I am licensed to provide structural engineering services, but am not a structural engineer, from the board's perspective. Lol.

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[AaronMcD]

So that brings the question:
When are we CEs allowed (according to the board) to say we are structural engineers? For instance, can I make that factual claim at any time unless I am offering paid services?

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[fel3]

Aaron...

In California, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering are Practice Act professions.* This means that the practice** of these professions is protected and thus limited to properly licensed professionals. For example, only licensed Civil Engineers can practice Civil Engineering. Unlicensed people doing civil engineering work must do it under the direct supervision of a licensed Civil Engineer. In addition, the titles of these professions are similarly protected: only a licensed Civil Engineer can call him/herself a Civil Engineer.

Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and several other engineering disciplines are Title Act professions. This means that the title is protected, but not the practice. So, a licensed Civil Engineer can practice structural engineering or geotechnical engineering, but cannot use the title Structural Engineer unless he/she is actually licensed as a Structural Engineer.

* Certain non-technical professions have their own practice act, such as medicine, nursing, law, accounting, etc.
** The term "practice" has a legal definition that is more detailed than just doing a type of work, but I won't get into that here.

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"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[AaronMcD]

Right... But for instance, I am a structural engineer by trade, practice, and the English language. Yet I cannot call myself one, despite it being an objective fact, because they took the two words and call it a "title". Which is ridiculous.

Oh, and also I can even use "structural engineer" if I put "of record" afterwards.

Just ranting mostly.

http://www.hellodwell.design

 

[Settingsun]

Does it make a difference if you use all lower case letters vs title case?

 

[ATSE]

In California, you can't refer to yourself using the title Structural Engineer unless you pass the required state exams. Just like you can't refer to yourself as a Physical Therapist (with or without capitals) or Certified Public Accountant unless the state recognizes you as such, no matter how smart you are.

 

[fel3]

Aaron...

"I am a structural engineer by trade, practice, and the English language." Yes, but not by law.

Fred

============
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill