The Fundamentals of Engineering exam, known as the FE exam, is a six-hour computer-based test that marks the first formal step toward a Professional Engineer license in the United States. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) administers it year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers, and each attempt costs $225.1NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide May 2026 Most people who sit for it are engineering seniors or recent graduates, because taking it while coursework is fresh tends to go better.
What the Exam Looks Like
NCEES offers the FE in a long list of discipline-specific versions, including Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical, and Other Disciplines, among others. Several of the broad fields (Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mechanical) are split into focused sub-disciplines so you can pick the version closest to your education.2NCEES. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
Every version contains 110 questions. Most are standard multiple choice, but you’ll also see drag-and-drop items, point-and-click identification on diagrams, and fill-in-the-blank numerical entries. The six-hour appointment includes a short tutorial at the start and an optional 25-minute break at the midpoint.3NCEES. Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Civil CBT Exam Specifications
During the exam, a searchable electronic copy of the NCEES FE Reference Handbook appears on screen alongside each question.4NCEES. NCEES Publishes New Version of FE Reference Handbook It contains the formulas, constants, and conversion factors you’ll need. No other reference material is allowed, so one of the most valuable things you can do before test day is get fluent with the handbook’s layout. NCEES publishes it as a free download for exactly that reason.
Who Can Register
Eligibility is set by the state licensing board you register under, not by NCEES. Most boards let students in their final year of an ABET-accredited engineering program sit for the exam, and graduates with an accredited degree generally qualify everywhere. Some boards also accept candidates without an engineering degree, though they may demand additional engineering experience or education. Check the board where you plan to register before you assume you qualify.
Registration happens through a MyNCEES account, which also becomes your permanent record for score results and future licensing. When you register, you’ll need to:
- Provide a valid government-issued ID. The name on your ID must exactly match the name in your MyNCEES account, or the testing center can turn you away.
- Select the specific FE exam discipline you want to take.
- Submit education records, usually official transcripts or proof of a degree from an institution accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
- Pay the $225 exam fee. The fee is non-refundable outside the cancellation windows below.1NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide May 2026
If your degree is from an institution that isn’t ABET-accredited, most state boards require a credentials evaluation through NCEES before you can register. The evaluation costs $400, with re-evaluations at $100.5NCEES. Credentials Evaluations The process can take weeks, so start it well before you plan to schedule.
Scheduling, Rescheduling, and Cancellation
Once your registration is approved and payment clears, NCEES issues an authorization notice that unlocks the Pearson VUE scheduling system. From there you pick a date, time, and location. Appointments are available year-round.2NCEES. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
You have 12 months from registration to sit for the exam. Miss that window and you forfeit the full $225.6NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide
You can cancel more than 48 hours before your scheduled appointment and get your fee back minus a $50 administrative charge. Cancellations within 48 hours aren’t permitted, and a no-show costs you the full fee.7NCEES Knowledge Base. Computer Based Testing (CBT) Exam Rescheduling, Cancellations, and Refunds
NCEES does grant full refunds for genuine emergencies: personal or family illness, a death in the immediate family, a disabling traffic accident, jury duty or a court appearance, or military orders. You have to submit documentation within 14 days of the originally scheduled appointment.7NCEES Knowledge Base. Computer Based Testing (CBT) Exam Rescheduling, Cancellations, and Refunds Weather is not on the exception list. If the testing center stays open during a storm, NCEES won’t waive the fee because you chose not to drive in.
What Happens on Test Day
Security at Pearson VUE centers is thorough. Arrive early. Staff will verify your government-issued ID, take a digital photograph, and collect a palm vein scan that stays linked to your results. You’ll provide that same palm vein scan every time you enter or leave the testing room, including around the break.8NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide November 2025
All personal items go into a locker. The only things you can bring to your workstation are your ID, your calculator (without the case), eyeglasses (without the case), and a light jacket or sweater. The center provides erasable notepads and markers for scratch work. No personal paper or pens.
Approved Calculators
NCEES is strict about calculator models. Only these are permitted:9NCEES. Exams
- Casio: any model with “fx-115” or “fx-991” in the name
- Hewlett Packard: HP 33s and HP 35s only
- Texas Instruments: any model with “TI-30X” or “TI-36X” in the name
Nothing else is allowed, regardless of capability. Proctors check the model before you enter. Showing up with a graphing calculator or an unapproved scientific model means taking the exam without a calculator, which is a long six hours.
Navigation and the Break
The exam runs in two halves. After the first set of questions, you can take the optional 25-minute break.2NCEES. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Within each half you can move freely, flag items, and revisit anything skipped. Once you advance to the second half, the first half locks permanently. There is no going back. After the final question, the system prompts you to end the session and complete a brief exit survey.
Scoring and Results
NCEES uses scaled scoring to account for small differences in question difficulty between exam versions and test dates. Your raw number of correct answers gets converted to a standardized scale, and a predetermined cut score separates passing from failing. There is no fixed percentage required. The threshold comes from a psychometric process in which subject-matter experts evaluate how a minimally competent engineer would perform on that specific set of questions.10NCEES. Exam Scoring
The practical consequence: answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing, and a blank is always worse than a guess.
Results typically appear in your MyNCEES account within 7 to 10 days, and you’ll get an email when the report is ready.10NCEES. Exam Scoring If you pass, the result is simply “pass.” NCEES does not report a numerical score to passing candidates. If you don’t pass, you receive a diagnostic report breaking down your performance by subject area relative to the average of those who passed, which tells you where to focus for a retake.
Retaking the Exam
NCEES permits up to three attempts in any rolling 12-month period, with no more than one attempt per quarterly testing window: January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December.6NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide Each retake requires a new $225 registration and the full scheduling process over again.1NCEES. NCEES Examinee Guide May 2026 Some state boards impose stricter limits than the NCEES default, so check your board’s retake policy before assuming you have all three attempts.
What Passing Gets You
Passing the FE does not automatically grant a credential. To earn the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Engineer Intern (EI) designation, you apply separately to the licensing board in your state. Requirements and fees vary. The application generally involves showing proof that you passed the FE and hold a qualifying engineering degree, and state processing fees for EIT certification typically range from about $15 to $100.
The EIT designation matters because it’s the prerequisite for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, the final step for full Professional Engineer licensure. Most states require four years of progressive engineering experience under a licensed PE before you can sit for the PE exam, so getting your EIT early starts that clock sooner.
Accommodations
Candidates with a physical or mental impairment can request accommodations during registration. After you receive your NCEES ID, complete the NCEES Accommodations Request Form and upload it with supporting documentation through MyNCEES. The documentation should confirm the condition, describe the functional limitations, and justify the specific accommodations requested. Submit as early as you can, because NCEES needs time to review and coordinate with Pearson VUE before your appointment.