Board of Professional Engineers

The District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is established to “determine the scope of practice, the requirements which an applicant must meet for initial licensure and for renewal of the same, including any continuing education requirements, and shall determine the appropriate level of regulation. The Board is governed by the Non-Health Related Occupations and Professions Licensure Act of 1998, effective April 20, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-261; D. C. Official Code § 47-2853.01 et seq. (2001). 

 The Board of Professional Engineering regulates the licensing and practice of professional engineers and land surveyors and protects the public by upholding the District of Columbia’s Professional Engineers municipal regulations. 

With the consent of the Council of the District of Columbia, the Mayor appoints the members of the Board to serve three-year terms. The Board consists of seven members. Four members must have a valid DC professional engineer license from any discipline, two members must have a valid DC land surveyor license, and one member must be a consumer member. Excluding the consumer member, each Board member must have been actively engaged in the practice of engineering or land surveying in the District of Columbia for at least five years preceding his or her appointment. Four members of the Board constitute a quorum. 

The Board is on recess in April and December. The Board meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 11a.m. at the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection located at 1100 4th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024.  

Board meeting minutes are available at www.open-dc.gov. 

Apply for License

Click to apply for a license.

Items Needed for Application

All Applicants

• One 2”x2” passport-style photo (.jpeg format)
• Un-expired government-issued ID (e.g., driver’s license or passport)
• Debit or credit card to pay application

Professional Engineer

Examination

Applicants taking the exam for the first time must establish a credentialing record with NCEES first and have this information sent to the board for preapproval to take the exam.

• Education
  • Undergraduate Engineering Degree from an Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology(EAC/ABET)
  • If the Applicant has a foreign degree or a degree from a non EAC/ABET college/university an evaluation is needed.  
  • Board Approved Services:
  • NCEES (ncees.org)
  • Educational Perspectives (edperspective.org)
  • Applicants must request a Subject Analysis Evaluation report for Professional Engineers
  • SpanTran (spantran.com)
  • Applicants should request a General Evaluation plus Comprehensive Course Analysis for Engineers.
  • The Board does not accept Technology Degrees
• Experience
  Applicants applying by endorsement must: 
  • Have a 4 year ABET/Technology Degree 
  • Have 4 years of work experience 
  • Have successfully passed the Fundamentals Exam (this requirement will not be waived in lieu of experience) 
  • Have 5 professional references from professional engineers.  Three of the references must be licensed professional engineers familiar with your work. 
    • **When completing the online application, the “Endorsement with NCEES” Application Type should be selected. 
    • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted 
• Documents
  • Formal copy of college/university transcripts OR a formal copy of an academic evaluation must be sent from the school/evaluation service to the Board.  
  • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted
  • Verification of the Fundamentals Examination (FE). This is a requirement for examination and will not be waived in lieu of work experience.
  • Transcripts can be sent electronically or via mail to the following address: [email protected]

Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC  20024
Attn: Avis Pearson

Endorsement

• If the Applicant has an NCEES Credentialing Record this information must be sent to the Board and complete the online application. If the Applicant does not have an NCEES Record the following information must be provided to the Board:

  • Formal transcripts sent from the college/university must be sent to the Board. Transcripts can be sent electronically to [email protected] or mailed to  
    
    Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
    1100 4th Street, SW, Suite 300
    Washington, DC  20024
    The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection 

  • Upload the following documentation into the online application – verification of the Fundamentals Examination, Supplemental Information Form (provide form) 
  • Five professional references.  Three of the references must be licensed engineers, in good standing and familiar with the Applicant’s work (provide form). These references are confidential and must be sent from the respondent to Avis Pearson, Board Administrator ([email protected]) 
     
• If the Applicant has a foreign degree an evaluation is required from one of the following Board approved services only:
  • NCEES (ncees.org)
  • Educational Perspectives (edperspective.org). Applicants must request a Subject Analysis Evaluation report for Professional Engineers. 
  • The Evaluation Company (formerly known as Span Tran) (evalcompany.com). Applicants should request a General Evaluation plus Comprehensive Course Analysis for Engineers. 

Land Surveyor

Examination

• Education
  • Undergraduate Degree must be a Land Surveyor degree from an Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology(EAC/ABET),the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of ABET (TAC/ABET) collectively the ABET Commissions at the time the applicant received the degree.
  • If the Applicant has a foreign degree an evaluation is required from one of the following Board approved services only: 
    • NCEES (ncees.org)
    • Educational Perspectives (edperspective.org)
    • The Evaluation Company (formerly known as Span Tran) (evalcompany.com)  
• Documents
  • Formal copy of college/university transcripts OR a formal copy of an academic evaluation must be sent from the school/evaluation service to Avis Pearson, Board Administrator
  • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted
  • Verification of the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS)
  • Supplemental Information Form 
  • Five professional references. Three respondents must be licensed, good standing and familiar with the work of the Applicant.  All references are confidential.  Following the completion of the Reference Forms they must be sent to Avis Pearson, Board Administrator ([email protected]) 
  • After successful passing the FLS and meeting the education requirements the Applicant is eligible to apply for the Land Surveyor Intern Certification
  • Transcripts can be sent electronically to [email protected] or via mail to the following address:

Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20024
Attn: Avis Pearson

Endorsement

• Education
  • Undergraduate Engineering Degree from an Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (EAC/ABET), the Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC)
  • If the Applicant has a foreign degree or a degree from a non EAC/ABET college/university an evaluation is needed from one of the Board approved services.
• Experience
  Applicants applying by endorsement must:
  • Have a 4 year ABET Degree 
  • Have 4 years of work experience 
  • Have successfully passed the Fundamentals Exam (this requirement will not be waived in lieu of experience) 
  • Have 5 professional references from land surveyors. Three of the references must be licensed surveyors familiar with the Applicant’s work. 
    • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted 
  • In addition to passing the national exam, surveyors must also pass the state specific exam before the license is issued. 
  Documents
  • If the Applicant has an NCEES Credentialing Record this information must be sent to the Board and complete the online application. If the Applicant does not have an NCEES Record the following information must be provided to the Board 
    • Formal transcripts sent from the college/university must be sent to the Board. Transcripts can be sent electronically to [email protected] or mailed to 
      The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection 
      1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
      Washington, DC 20024
    • Upload the following documentation into the online application – verification of the Fundamentals Examination, Supplemental Information Form (provide form) 
    • Five professional references.  Three of the references must be licensed engineers, in good standing and familiar with the Applicant’s work (provide form). These references are confidential and must be sent from the respondent to Avis Pearson, Board Administrator ([email protected]) 
  • If the Applicant has a foreign degree an evaluation is required from one of the following Board approved services only: 
    • NCEES (ncees.org) 
    • Educational Perspectives (edperspective.org)
    • The Evaluation Company (formerly known as Span Tran) (evalcompany.com)

Examination

• Verification of Fundamental Surveying Exam
• Formal Transcripts

• Five Professional References
• Supplemental Information Form

Fees*

Land Surveyor

• Application $65.00
• License $120.00 (up to 2 years)
• Renewal $155.00 (up to 2 years)
• Late Renewal Fee $50.00
• Reinstated License $155.00 (up to 2 years)
• Inactive Status $155.00
• Land Surveyor Intern $120.00
• Duplicate License $30.00
• Verification of Records $30.00

Professional Engineer

• Application $65.00
• Exam $250.00
• License $120.00 (up to 2 years)
• Renewal $155.00 (up to 2 years)
• Late Renewal Fee $50.00
• Reinstated License $155.00 (up to 2 years)
• Inactive Status $155.00
• Engineer in Training Certificate $120.00
• Duplicate License $30.00
• Verification of Records $30.00

Professional Organizations/Resources

Engineers

• National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) ncees.org
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) asce.org
• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) nspe.org
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE) swe.org
• Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) shpe.org
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) nsbe.org

Land Surveyor

• District of Columbia Association of Land Surveyors (DCALS) dcals.org
• National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) nsps.us.com.

* Please note that according to D.C. Code § 47-2853.10, application fees for initial licensing, certification, registration, renewal and reinstatement shall not be refundable, even if the applicant withdraws his or her application for licensure, certification or registration, or is found to be not qualified.
 

License Renewal

Expiration Date: August 31; Renewal Year: Even 

Submit an application for renewal of an occupational or professional license.  

The District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors mandates a total of 20 professional development hours (to include one course in Ethics) for Professional Engineers and 12 professional development hours (to include one course in Ethics) for Land Surveyors to renew your license. Note: This requirement applies to all applicants for the renewal except those applicants seeking the first renewal of a license granted by examination. At the renewal the Licensee must attest that continuing education courses have been completed. To qualify for approval by the Board, a continuing education program must be prepared, offered, administered, or accepted by an entity approved by the Board.

Meeting Dates  

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