What is the FE exam?
The FE exam is generally the first NCEES exam on the way to a professional engineer (P.E.) license. It is a computer-based test with 110 questions and 5 hours and 20 minutes of exam time, offered year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson test centers. The fee is $225 per attempt, paid to NCEES when you register. NCEES designed it for recent graduates and for students close to finishing an EAC/ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering degree.
Who the FE exam is for
On the usual path to a P.E. license, the FE exam comes before the years of work experience and the PE exam that follow it. Eligibility for the exam is set by your licensing board rather than by NCEES, so the rules can vary by board. The Florida board states that no engineering experience is required to take the FE exam, though a different board may set its own rule on this point.
All NCEES exams are given in English only. If you earned your degree outside the United States, your licensing board is the place to ask whether you meet its eligibility rules, since questions about licensure qualifications go to that board rather than to NCEES.
Where the FE exam fits before the PE exam
NCEES describes licensure as resting on education, experience, and exams, with the most common path running from an EAC/ABET bachelor’s degree, through the FE exam, through about four years of acceptable progressive experience, and finally the PE exam. Many states also publish additional paths, so your own board’s listed path is the one that governs your situation.
There is no single nationwide P.E. license. Each state or territory board grants its own, so you deal with that board for the license and with NCEES for the exams. The FE exam comes first on the common path, and the difference between the FE and PE exams covers how the two differ. Your board decides what counts as acceptable progressive experience and which exams it requires for the license you want.
How the FE exam is given
The exam specifications describe the FE exam as closed book, with an electronic reference you use during the exam. The appointment also includes a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 25-minute scheduled break. Those parts plus the 320 minutes of exam time add to 5 hours 55 minutes, which is the FE appointment time listed in the May 2026 Examinee Guide table. The NCEES FE exam page describes the appointment as 6 hours long, so plan for the full appointment on test day. The same timing is written up under how long the FE exam is, and how many questions it has.
The seven FE exams
You register for one of the seven FE exams:
- Chemical
- Civil
- Electrical and Computer
- Environmental
- Industrial and Systems
- Mechanical
- Other Disciplines
The Florida board advises choosing the FE discipline that best corresponds to your undergraduate degree, so if your degree title matches one of those names, that is the exam to start with. If your degree could fit more than one discipline, or does not share a name with any discipline exam, which FE exam you should take covers how to choose. NCEES attempt limits apply to a given exam, so they follow whichever discipline you select.
What the FE exam costs and how often you can take it
You pay the $225 fee directly to NCEES when you register. How much the FE exam costs explains that charge, and how you register for the FE exam covers the payment step itself.
NCEES policy allows one attempt at a given exam per testing window, and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period. Some boards set stricter limits than that. Because the limit is tied to a given exam, it applies to whichever discipline you registered for.
What you receive after you pass
A passing result is the exam piece of an application for engineer intern (E.I.) certification. You send that application, and any questions about qualifying for it, to your state licensing board. What EIT or EI certification is, and how you get it covers that filing.
Engineer intern certification is the board credential at this stage. A P.E. license is a later action by your board, after you meet that board’s rules for education, experience, and the PE exam.
Frequently asked questions
Is the FE exam required to become a PE?
On the most common path, yes. NCEES describes that path as an EAC/ABET bachelor’s degree, the FE exam, about four years of acceptable progressive experience, and the PE exam, and calls the FE exam generally the first step toward a P.E. license. Many states also have additional paths, and each board grants its own license, so ask your licensing board whether it requires the FE exam for the license you want.
Who can take the FE exam?
NCEES designed the FE exam for recent graduates and for students close to finishing an EAC/ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering degree. Each licensing board sets its own eligibility rules on top of that, so check your board’s requirements before you register. The Florida board states that no engineering experience is required to take the FE exam, though a different board may set its own rule on this point.
Is the FE exam the same as the EIT exam?
No. The FE exam is the NCEES exam. Engineer intern (E.I.) certification, which people also call EIT, is a separate credential you request from your state licensing board. You register for the exam with NCEES, and you send the certification application to the board.
Can you take the FE exam before you graduate?
NCEES designed the FE exam for students close to finishing an EAC/ABET-accredited undergraduate degree, as well as for recent graduates, so the exam does include people who are still in school. Whether you may register before the degree is awarded is a decision made by your licensing board. Florida’s statement that no engineering experience is required still leaves the timing of your degree for your board to decide.
Sources
- NCEES: FE exam. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- NCEES: Licensure. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- Florida board: Engineering exams. Retrieved October 3, 2026.