The requirements for a structural engineer license are built around four pillars: an ABET-accredited engineering degree, a passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, at least four years of supervised structural engineering experience, and a passing score on the 16-hour PE Structural exam. Once those are in hand, you submit an application and documentation to the state board where you want to practice. The credential is distinct from a general Professional Engineer (PE) license and authorizes work on higher-risk structures such as hospitals, bridges, and tall buildings.
Does Your State Actually Issue a Separate SE License
Before investing years in the SE path, confirm your state needs you on it. Illinois and Hawaii impose the strictest rules, limiting virtually all structural design work to holders of an SE license. California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, and Alaska have partial practice restrictions, where only certain structure types (typically hospitals, schools, or buildings in high-seismic zones) require an SE stamp. In the remaining states, a licensed Professional Engineer with civil or structural expertise can legally perform structural design without a separate SE credential.
If you plan to work across state lines or in a state with practice restrictions, the full SE path below is the one to follow. If your state has no separate SE requirement, the PE exam with a civil-structural concentration may be sufficient.
Degree Requirements
The path starts with a four-year degree from a program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET. Boards expect a concentration in civil or structural engineering, and most will not accept engineering technology programs as equivalent.
International and Non-ABET Degrees
A degree from outside the United States, or from a program that was not ABET-accredited when you graduated, does not automatically disqualify you. NCEES offers a Credentials Evaluations service that compares your coursework against U.S. accreditation standards. To qualify, your transcript must show at least 32 semester credit hours in higher mathematics and sciences (including calculus) and at least 48 semester credit hours in engineering science or design courses. Engineering technology courses count toward neither threshold. The evaluation costs $400, and NCEES typically completes it within 15 business days of purchase. Documents in a language other than English must include certified translations.
The Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
After your degree, the next step is the FE exam. It is a computer-based test offered year-round at Pearson test centers. The appointment runs six hours, with roughly five hours and 20 minutes of actual exam time, and covers the core engineering principles from your coursework. The fee is $225, paid to NCEES.
Passing the FE earns you the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) designation, sometimes called Engineer Intern, issued by your state board. This status is a prerequisite for sitting for the PE or SE exam later. Most states charge a separate application fee to register your EIT status.
Four Years of Supervised Experience
You need a minimum of four years of progressive structural engineering experience under the supervision of a licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer. The work has to be substantive: calculating loads, selecting materials, reviewing construction documents against building codes, and learning how structures behave under stress. Project management time with no technical component generally does not count.
Each supervisor will need to sign Verification of Employment forms confirming the dates, nature, and technical depth of what you did. References from licensed engineers who can speak to your competence with complex load paths and material behavior carry the most weight. Boards in states with seismic zones often expect your experience to include wind and earthquake loading projects specifically. Keep detailed records of project types from day one.
Graduate Degree Credit
A master’s or doctoral degree in engineering can typically substitute for one of the four years. State boards generally grant this credit automatically once they see a verified graduate degree on your application. NCEES cautions against listing graduate coursework as work experience in addition to claiming the degree credit, because reviewers may award zero credit to avoid double-counting.
The PE Structural Exam
The PE Structural exam, administered by NCEES at Pearson test centers, has two components: vertical and lateral. Vertical tests your ability to design structures that resist gravity loads; lateral covers wind and seismic forces. Each component is divided into a breadth section and a depth section, for four separately scheduled sessions in total.
- Breadth sections: 55 questions each, with a 6-hour appointment (about 5.5 hours of exam time).
- Depth sections (beginning April 2026): 60 questions each, with a 6.5-hour appointment (about 6 hours of exam time). Each depth section includes five scenario-based problem sets.
You must pass both the vertical and lateral components to earn the structural designation. Sections are scored independently, so a failed section can be retaken without repeating the ones you already passed. The exam covers steel, concrete, timber, and masonry design codes in depth, going well beyond the standard PE Civil exam.
Fees and Pass Rates
NCEES charges $350 per section, so the full exam costs $1,400 if you take all four sections. Some state boards charge an additional application fee on top of the NCEES fee to approve you for a seat. First-time pass rates for the structural exam hover around 58%, dropping to roughly 37% on repeat attempts. Most successful candidates report months of dedicated preparation.
Applying to the State Board
Once you have passed all exam components, you assemble your application for the state board. Expect to submit:
- Official transcripts sent directly from your university to the state board or NCEES. Boards will not accept transcripts forwarded by the applicant.
- Verification of Employment forms signed by each supervising engineer, confirming exact dates, job titles, and the structural engineering tasks you performed.
- Project descriptions citing specific projects by name, type, and scale to demonstrate the range and complexity of your experience.
- An NCEES Record (optional but recommended), which is a centralized file holding your verified transcripts, exam scores, and work history. Establishing a Record is free, with no annual maintenance fee. NCEES transmits the Record to your state board for $100 for initial licensure or $175 for comity licensure.
Most states accept applications through the state engineering board’s online portal. Application fees vary but commonly fall between $100 and $500. After submission, the board verifies every document. Approved applicants receive a license number and instructions for obtaining an official seal to stamp construction documents.
Working in More Than One State
Structural engineers who cross state lines can streamline the process through comity (reciprocal) licensure. The fastest route is earning the Model Law Structural Engineer (MLSE) designation through NCEES, which signals that your education, exams, and experience meet national model standards. Many boards use the MLSE designation to fast-track comity applications.
To qualify for MLSE status, you need a bachelor’s degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program with at least 18 semester hours of structural analysis and design courses (including at least 9 hours of structural design), a passing FE score, a passing score on the 16-hour PE Structural exam (or qualifying legacy exam combinations taken before 2011), four years of structural engineering work experience, and a clean disciplinary record. If you already have an NCEES Record and have since met the MLSE criteria, you can request a review for $50 through your MyNCEES account.
When you apply to a new state, NCEES transmits your Record directly to that board. The first comity transmittal costs $175, and subsequent transmittals cost $100 each. Some states impose additional requirements, such as a state-specific law or ethics exam, even for comity applicants.
Renewing the License
Most states renew SE licenses on a biennial cycle, though a handful use annual or triennial periods. Renewal fees generally range from $50 to $300 depending on the jurisdiction.
The NCEES model standard calls for 15 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) per calendar year, and most states adopt a requirement in that range. Across all states, the typical requirement falls between 15 and 30 PDHs per renewal cycle. Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island currently require zero continuing education hours. Qualifying activities include coursework, seminars, authoring technical publications, teaching, patents, and active participation in professional societies. Under the NCEES standard, PDHs do not carry over from one year to the next, and no single-day seminar counts for more than 8 PDHs regardless of its length. If you hold licenses in multiple states, verify each board’s specific rules, because both the hour count and the accepted activities vary.