New Jersey PE Exam FAQs

You’ve passed your Fundamentals of Engineering exam, graduated with an engineering degree, and studied under a professional engineer for four years, and now you’re ready to take the New Jersey PE exam and finally become a professional engineer. This can be a very exciting and nerve-racking time, because you haven’t had to take an exam this intensive in a long time, and you want to make sure you’re prepared. We want to settle your nerves a little and help you out by providing the answers to some of the most popular questions about the PE exam:

When is the New Jersey PE exam offered?

The PE exam is only offered twice a year: once in April, and once in October. However, not all exams are offered both months. Some are one, some are the other, and some are both. The next exam is October 26, 2018.

How much does the exam cost?

The PE exam costs $375, and the fee to apply to the board is $75.

How do I register to take the PE exam?

Before you can register for your exam, you must submit an application to the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. This application can take time, so you definitely don’t want to wait until the last minute to apply. It has personal questions and detailed career questions, including references, who you’ve worked under, and results on other certification exams. It must be notarized and include a passport style photo of you. Once you’ve been accepted by the board, you can register to take your exam.

What is the deadline for applying to take the exam?

The deadlines are usually around 45 to 60 days prior to the exam date. For example, if you want  to take the next New Jersey PE exam in October, the deadline is August 30, 2018 at 3 p.m. EDT. This means you should already have received approval from the board to sit for the exam and registered for the exam date via the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying website.

If I miss the registration deadline, can I receive an extension?

Unfortunately, when the registration deadline ends, you will be unable to late register. Instead, you will have to wait for the following exam day, either in April or October.

Will I receive a refund if I need to cancel after registering to take the exam?

Cancellations are only accepted prior to the registration deadline. If you cancel the exam after the deadline, you will not receive a refund. However, if you cancel prior to the deadline, you will receive your money back with the exception of a $50 processing fee. If there is an emergency on the day of the exam, such as illness, death of a family member, car accident, jury duty, or military duty, you can submit a written refund request up to 30 days following the exam date.

What am I allowed to bring with me to the exam?

Since the PE exam is open book, you can bring whatever books or reference materials you’d like (although you should check with the board if you are unsure). Any paper materials or notes should be contained in a three-ring binder or notebook – stapling is not permitted. You cannot bring tablets or cell phones of any kind. Only a few specific types of calculators are allowed for the exam: Casio fx-115 and fx-991, HP 33s and HP 35s, and the TI-30X and TI-36X. The permitted calculators change annually, so make sure you check again after 2018! You may also bring two straight-edge tools, such as a ruler or protractor. Outside pencils or erasers are forbidden, and a mechanical pencil and eraser will be provided when you arrive for the exam.

How long is the exam?

The PE exam is usually eight hours long and consists of 80 multiple choice questions. The exam is entirely pencil and paper based for most, but some are only computer-based.

When will I receive my PE exam results?

Results can be accessed via your NCEES account usually eight to 10 weeks following the exam. You will receive an email telling you when your results are available for viewing. Rather than having a numerical grade, PE exam results are pass or fail. If you fail, you will receive a diagnostic report to help you understand what areas you need to study.

Have another question regarding the New Jersey PE exam and don’t see the answer? No problem! Reach out to us via our website or send us an email at info@njspe.org. We will help you feel fully prepared and ready to conquer the PE exam! Once you’ve passed the exam, check out this blog for information on next steps.

Join us for the 2018 Awards Dinner!

The 2018 New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers Awards and Installation Reception will take place on Wednesday, June 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Mercer Oaks Golf Club. Each year, hundreds of engineers from up and down New Jersey join us for this fabulous event. The dinner, consisting of a buffet-style meal with a carving station and open bar, will feature a program of short remarks and a celebration of our members’ accomplishments from this year.

At the dinner, several awards will be presented. The NJSPE awards, Distinguished Engineering Service, Outstanding Professional Engineer, and Outstanding Young PE / EIT, were created to honor individuals and firms for their achievements in the engineering practice. The professional development awards recognize firms with the best records of professional engineering employment practices. This year’s award winners are:

  • Distinguished Engineering Service Award – Richard Olsen, PE
  • Outstanding Professional Engineer Award – Mark Shourds, PE
  • Outstanding Young PE / EIT Award – Steve Esposito, PE
  • Professional Development Award: Private Practice – Mott MacDonald

Another part of this event is the installation of the 2018 to 2019 New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers executive committee. We are looking forward to celebrating the following people on their commitment to promoting, serving, and representing New Jersey’s professional engineers:

  • President – Michael J. Bennink, P.E.
  • President Elect – Robert V. Kiser, P.E., C.M.E., P.P.
  • Vice President – Joseph A. Mancini, P.E., P.P., C.F.M.
  • Treasurer – Vince Wagner, P.E.
  • Secretary – Erica Vigliorolo, E.I.T.
  • NJSPE Director At Large – Brian Van Nortwick, E.I.T.
  • NSPE Delegate – Robert Thiel, P.E.
  • Past President – Vatsal A. Shah, P.E., Ph.D., P.P.

So what are you waiting for?! Register for the 2018 Awards Dinner here or get more information about the information on our events page. Event tickets are $85. Time is running out, so please register today!

Celebrate 2018 National Professional Engineers Day

Professional engineers have become such a huge part of society because of their commitment to protecting the public’s health, safety and welfare. However, did you know the first professional engineering license wasn’t granted until 1907? Before that time, there were minimal engineering regulations, and untrained, unqualified individuals were performing their work, resulting in inaccurate renderings and plans.

Fast forward over 100 years and the professional engineering license has grown to become the gold standard. Only professional engineers have the authority to sign and seal engineering plans and offer their services to the public. The result? An engineering workforce of more ethical and driven engineers who keep society safer. To raise awareness of the hardworking PEs across the country, the National Society of Professional Engineers is once again spearheading National Professional Engineers Day on August 1. This virtual event recognizes licensed PEs and shows appreciation for the work they do every day. Hopefully, along the way, we can inspire the next generation of professional engineers!

How to Get Involved

While this event is advertised by the National Society of Professional Engineers as a virtual event, the sky’s the limit on how you want to get involved. Here are just a few ideas of what you can do:

  • Share photos or videos of you or your company on social media using #LicensedPEDay
  • Post your reasons for becoming a professional engineer on social media using #LicensedPEDay
  • Do something nice for the PEs in your office, like grab them some coffee or take them to lunch
  • Educate your coworkers about the importance of the PE license and how to become a professional engineer
  • Volunteer to speak at a school or community center about how PEs are protecting society
  • Give some recognition to the PEs in your office
  • Share information about a day in the life of a PE on social media using #LicensedPEDay
  • Join a professional engineering organization

These ideas may be enough to get your wheels turning, but don’t stop there! There are so many ways to raise awareness about the men and women across the country who carry a PE license. Have any particularly creative ideas? Share them with us on social media! Find us on Twitter as @NSPENewJersey, on Facebook as the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers and on Instagram as @njspeorg. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! To learn more about National PE Day, visit this page.

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