Approved by the Committee on Licensure on November 11, 2024
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on December 4, 2024
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 10, 2025
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) advocates that all candidates for licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) shall demonstrate their minimum level of competency by passing both the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) examinations, as a requirement for licensure. Further, it is ASCE’s position that individuals should obtain the required relevant and progressive mentored engineering experience under the direct supervision of a licensed professional engineer prior to taking the PE examination.
The FE Examination should assess the individual’s academic preparedness as a first step in the licensure process. The PE Examination should assess the individual's ability to apply engineering principles, gained through progressive engineering experience, in the licensed practice of engineering. It is ASCE’s position (Policy Statement 547) that individuals should obtain the required relevant and significantly progressive engineering experience under the direct supervision of a licensed professional engineer prior to taking the PE examination (mentored experience).
Issue
Licensure as a professional engineer is an important step but is neither a confirmation the individual is ready to be in responsible charge of engineering nor has obtained competency as defined by the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBOK). Please refer to PS 568 for further discussion. The pathway to licensure includes formal engineering education, progressive engineering experience, and examinations to verify that the professional engineer has the minimum level of competence to assume these duties.
The FE examination should assess the individual’s academic preparedness as a first step in the licensure process. This exam should validate that the individual is proficient using engineering principles learned through their formal engineering education. The PE examination should assess the individual's ability to apply engineering principles, gained through progressive engineering experience, to solve real world problems in the licensed practice of engineering.
Some jurisdictions permit candidates to attempt the PE exam prior to completing the minimum number of years of required experience for licensure. ASCE does not support this practice. If individuals can pass the PE examination with little or no engineering experience, the examination does not assess the candidate’s minimum level of competence gained through progressive engineering experience.
Rationale
The FE and PE examinations are efficient, practical, and essential tools to assess an individual’s competence gained through both formal education and mentored, progressive engineering experience. Along with formal education and progressive engineering experience, they provide a uniform and authoritative way for jurisdictions to assess minimum competency to grant a license to practice civil engineering. Passing the examination should be combined with attainment of the CEBOK prior to assuming direct supervision and control of engineering services.
ASCE Policy Statement 432
First Approved in 1994