N
The Daily Insight

Do mechanical engineers take the PE exam?

Author

Rachel Ross

Updated on February 22, 2026

Do mechanical engineers take the PE exam?

PE Mechanical Engineering Practice Exam (NCEES) NCEES (the organization that creates, scores, and administers the PE exam) publishes practice exams for each of the mechanical engineering sections.

What percentage of mechanical engineers have PE license?

Only about 20 percent of engineers are professionally licensed, but a master’s mandate for them would almost certainly have a ripple effect on other students.

What are the requirements to take the PE exam in California?

In order to apply for EIT Certification, California requires that applicants:

  • Have three years or more of engineering-related work experience anywhere in the world.
  • Have never been convicted of a crime related to engineering practice.
  • Previously passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE)

Can I take PE exam without Fe in California?

There are states in which you may apply directly for the PE exam without taking the FE exam if you have at least 12 years of engineering work experience that is acceptable to the PE Board, wherein in five of those years, you are in “responsible charge” of engineering work.

Can you call yourself an engineer without a PE?

If you do not have a PE license, you cannot officially call yourself an engineer — and your company cannot identify you as an engineer — in official documents, such as business cards, letterheads and resumes. Additionally, you will need to register as a PE if you decide to work for yourself as a consultant.

Is the FE or PE harder?

The FE exam is actually harder than the Professional Engineer (PE) exam, simply because it is much more broad. It’s best to take it as close to graduation as you can, with all that schooling still fresh in your mind.

Is PE exam harder than Fe?

How many times can you take the PE exam in California?

For most computer-based PE Exams, NCEES allows you to take the PE exam once within each 3-month time window and only 3 attempts are allowed every 12 months.

Can I take the PE exam without experience California?

Some exceptions do exist. California allows graduates of accredited engineering programs to take the PE exam after gaining two years of experience. The four-year experience requirement remains, but it can be fulfilled after a candidate takes the second exam.

Can I take PE exam without experience?

Absolutely not. The “decoupling” program simply lets you take the PE exam before gaining the required amount of experience needed for licensure. The exams are exactly as they were before ‘decoupling’ was approved.

Is a PE license worth it?

Because a PE license is not a requirement for many engineering jobs, recent engineering graduates often wonder if the amount of work it takes to become a PE is worth it. In certain engineering fields, such as electrical engineering, a PE license might be preferred but is generally not necessary.