Professional Engineer

United States of America 

In the United States, registration or licensure of Professional Engineer is performed by the individual states. Each registration or license is valid only in the state in which it is granted. Many Professional Engineers maintain licenses in several states for this reason, and comity between states can make it easy to obtain a license in one state based on licensure in another state without going through the full application process. The licensing procedure varies but the general process is:

1. Graduate with a degree from an accredited four-year university program in engineering.
2. Complete a standard Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) written examination, which tests applicants on breadth of understanding of basic engineering principles, and optionally some elements of an engineering specialty. Completion of the first two steps typically qualifies for certification in the U.S. as an Engineer-In-Training (EIT), sometimes also called an Engineer Intern (EI).
3. Accumulate a certain amount of engineering experience typically under the supervision of a Professional Engineer. In most states the requirement is four years.
4. Complete a written Principles and Practice in Engineering ('PE') examination, testing the applicant's knowledge and skills in a chosen engineering discipline (mechanical, electrical, civil, for example), as well as engineering ethics.

Degree requirements in the United States are evolving. Effective 1 January 2015, the NCEES model will require a minimum of a master of science degree in engineering or a bachelor of science degree with additional 30 credits of equivalent graduate level work. This has received strong support from civil Engineers.

In a few states it is still possible for an individual to bypass Step 1, and apply to take the registration examinations as long as a Professional Engineer will sponsor the applicant, and work experience can be substituted for academic experience. The years of experience may also vary; for instance, in California it is possible to take a Principles and Practice in Engineering examination with only two years of experience after a bachelor's degree, or one year of experience after graduate school. In Nevada, college graduates are eligible to take the Principles and Practice exam immediately after graduation and passing the EIT, before acquiring the required experience. Some states also have state-specific examinations, most notably California where there is a state-specific structural engineering exam and two additional exams in land surveying and earthquake engineering for civil engineering candidates.

Some states issue generic Professioal Engineer licenses. Others, known as "discipline states", issue licenses for specific disciplines of engineering, such as Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. In all cases, however, Engineers are ethically required to limit their practice to their area of competency, which is usually a small portion of a discipline. While licensing boards do not often enforce this limitation, it can be a factor in negligence lawsuits.

Discipline Distribution

Civil Engineers account for a large portion of licensed Professional Engineer. In Texas, for example, about one-third of licenses are for civil Engineers , and civil exams make up over half of the exams taken.Many of the remainder are mechanical, electrical, and structural Engineers whose practice involves areas that states regulate, such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for buildings or public infrastructure. However, some Engineers in other fields obtain licenses for the ability to serve as Professional witnesses, or just for prestige, even though they may never actually sign and seal design documents.

The title "Engineer" is legally protected in many states, meaning that it is unlawful to use it to offer engineering services to the public unless permission is specifically granted by that state, through a Professional Engineer license, an "industrial exemption", or certain other non-engineering titles such as "operating Engineer". Employees of state or federal agencies may also call themselves Engineers if that term appears in their official job title.

A business generally cannot offer engineering services to the public or have a name that implies that it does so unless it employs at least one Professional Engineer.

Unlicensed practice

Since regulation of the practice of engineering is performed by the individual states in the U.S., areas of engineering involved in interstate commerce are essentially unregulated. These areas include much of Mechanical Engineering, such as Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Chemical Engineering, and may be specifically exempted from regulation under an "Industrial Exemption". An industrial exemption covers Engineers who design products such as automobiles that are sold (or have the potential to be sold) outside the state in which they are produced, as well as the equipment used to produce the product. Structures subject to building codes are not covered by an industrial exemption, though small residential buildings often do not require an engineer's seal. In many jurisdictions, the role of architects and structural Engineers overlap.

Many private companies employ non-degreed workers in technical positions with engineering titles such as "test Engineer" or "field Engineer". Such position may not require an engineering degree at the discretion of the company. It is important however, to make a distinction between a "graduate Engineer" and a "Professional or Licensed Engineer". A "graduate Engineer" is anyone holding a degree in engineering from an accredited four-year university.

Land surveying

In many states, Professional Land Surveyors are regulated in a similar manner, often by the same state board as engineers or architects: Land Surveyors are required to pass a Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam, perform a period of internship and then pass a Practices of Surveying (PS) Exam. A four-year degree in engineering or land surveying may also be required. In a few states, licensed Civil Engineers may also perform land surveys.

Professional Engineer-Canada

In Canada, regulation and registration are accomplished through a self governing body, that is given the power to register and discipline Engineer as well as regulate the field of engineering in their province, such as Professional Engineers Ontario. Many of these associations are also responsible for regulating other related professions. The process for registration is generally as follows:

1. Graduate with a degree from an accredited program in engineering or applied science,
2. Complete an Engineering Intern Training program under the direction of a Professional Engineer (This is a minimum four-year program)
3. Review of work experience by the Association,
4. Pass a Professional practice exam (essentially an engineering ethics and law exam).

Engineers are not Registered in a specific discipline but are prohibited by the Code of Ethics from practicing beyond their training and experience. Breaches of the code are often sufficient grounds for enforcement, which may include the suspension or loss of license, as well as financial penalties and now, through recent changes to Canadian law, could also result in jail time should negligence be shown to have played a part in any incident in which there is loss of human life.

Engineers are not tested on technical knowledge during the licensing process; however, the accreditation of schools and their accredited degree granting status are tightly monitored and controlled. The Canadian system thus ensures that a specific and regimented curriculum is offered and tested with strict accordance to set national standards. This streamlines the overall licensing process and ensures a firm national standard on the quality of engineering in Canada. This accreditation process is governed by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers through their active group the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. The accreditation process is continuous and enforced through regular accreditation reviews of each school. These reviews typically include the review of the school's curriculum (including marked final exams and assignments), interviews of current students, extra curricular activities and teaching staff as well additional areas the visiting board may feel need addressing. The specific areas considered are Curriculum Content, Program Environment, and General Criteria. The associations are granted both an exclusive right to title and an exclusive right to practice.

There are only a few exceptions specifically noted in the acts and it does not include any "industrial exemptions". Therefore, a practicing Emgineer is legally required to be registered. The level of enforcement varies depending on the specific industry. The federal government is exempt from provincial laws, but in general the federal government will only give the title "Engineer" to their employees who as part of their job requirements are able to be Registere as a Licensed Professional Engineer The iron ring typically worn on the little finger of a Canadian Engineer is not a trademark of a Professional Engineer, rather it is given upon completion of a bachelors degree in applied science or engineering.

Controversy over the term "Engineer"

Canada

The use of the term "Engineer" has been an ongoing issue between Professional licensing bodies and the IT industry, where companies typically issue certification titles with word "Engineer" as part of the title (such as Certified Novell Engineer and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer).

United Kingdom

In general, there is no restriction on the right to practice as an Engineer in the UK. There are a few fields of practice, generally safety related, which are reserved by statute to Licensed persons. The Engineering Council UK grants the titles Chartered or Incorporated Engineer, and declares them to be "Professional Engineer"

Europe and Latin America

In Germany and some other European and Latin American countries, the term Diploma Engineer implies that the person has completed typically one more year of academic work beyond the basic engineering Bachelor's degree. A major academic project or thesis is completed as well. Diploma Engineer is therefore a university degree, and not a Professional registration or license.