The history of NCEES

1891

California passes the first surveying registration law.

1907

Wyoming passes the first engineering registration law.

1920

At a meeting in Chicago, the Council of State Boards of Engineering Examiners (CSBEE) is founded by 7 of the 10 state boards with engineering/surveying licensing laws.

1931

The word “national” is added to the organization’s name (NCSBEE).

1932

NCSBEE approves the Model Law for Registration of Engineers and Land Surveyors.

1933

NCSBEE revises the Constitution and Bylaws to create a board of directors, zones, and the position of executive secretary.

1950

All states plus Alaska, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico now have engineering registration laws.

1953

The four geographic zones hold their first interim meetings, where member boards discuss issues of common interest.

1965

First NCSBEE Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination is administered.

1966

First NCSBEE Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) examination is administered.

1967

The organization’s name is changed to the National Council of Engineering Examiners (NCEE).

1973

The first NCEE Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) examination is administered.

1974

The first NCEE Principles and Practice of Land Surveying (PLS) examination is administered.

1979

The NCEE Records program is created to replace the National Engineering Certificate.

1984

All member licensing boards now use uniform national engineering examinations.

1989

The organization’s name is changed to National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

1996

The afternoon portion of the FE examination is offered in six discipline-specific modules (Chemical, Civil, Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical, and General) in order to test upper-division knowledge.

1999

With the October exam, the first academic-based FLS exam is administered.

2000

The NCEES Engineering and Land Surveying Examination Services (ELSES) is established to provide exam administration services to NCEES member boards. Initially chartered as an NCEES affiliate, ELSES was dissolved in 2009 but continued to provide the same services as the NCEES Exam Administration Services department.

2002

With the April exam, the PE Civil, PE Electrical and Computer, and PE Mechanical exams are all administered in the breadth/depth objectively scored (multiple-choice) format. With the October administration, all PE exams (except Structural II) are given in the all-objectively scored format.

2003

The Engineering Speakers Kit is developed to promote the engineering profession, emphasizing the benefits of pursuing licensure. A Surveying Speakers Kit is introduced two years later.

2004

NCEES conducts its first security audit of exam-related processes to ensure best practices in protecting intellectual property and the integrity of the licensure process.

2005

The names of surveying exams are changed to Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) and Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) to remove the word “land.”

2006

NCEES begins providing credentials evaluations services for licensure candidates earning degrees from programs outside the United States and from domestic, non-ABET accredited programs.

2007

NCEES celebrates the 100th anniversary of engineering licensure in the United States.

NCEES is granted status as ANSI standards development organization.

2008

NCEES exams are first offered in South Korea.

2009

NCEES exams are first offered in Egypt.

NCEES launches the Engineering Award for Connecting Professional Practice and Education.

2010

NCEES exams are first offered in Saudi Arabia.

The Council votes to transition the FE and FS exams to a computer-based format.

2011

NCEES launches new web-based Engineering and Surveying Speakers Kits.

2012

NCEES exams are first offered in the Emirate of Sharjah and in Turkey.

The Council votes to transition the PE and PS exams to a computer-based format at the earliest feasible date but no earlier than 2015.