California exam registration

California application process

All P.E./P.L.S. candidates for licensure in California are required to submit an application, an application fee, and if applicable, a state exam fee, to the California board postmarked on or before the final filing dates.

All candidates who are required by the California board to pass a national examination now pay NCEES directly during the registration process for national examination-related fees.

California state exams: Candidates intending to sit for California state exams (Civil—Engineering Surveying, Civil—Seismic Principles, Geotechnical, Land Surveyor, and Traffic) will no longer register for those exams during the NCEES registration process. Once approved by the California board, all eligible candidates for California state exams will schedule and pay the computer-based testing (CBT) administration fee directly to the California board’s CBT vendor as posted in the California Fee Schedule.

E.I.T./L.S.I.T. candidates: Candidates for the FE and FS examinations will now pay NCEES directly for their examination during the registration process and will not be required to submit an application and fee to the California board for E.I.T./L.S.I.T. certification until after they have passed the required examination.

How do I register?

FE/FS exam candidates

  1. Register with NCEES during open registration period (deadline: September 5, 2013).
  2. Pay NCEES for national exam-related expenses during registration process.
  3. Candidates who pass the FE or FS examination are required to submit an application and fee to the California board to obtain E.I.T. or L.S.I.T. certification. Click here to obtain the California E.I.T./L.S.I.T. application.

New P.E./P.L.S. candidates

  1. Submit application, application fee, and, if required, a state exam fee, to the California board postmarked by (date listed on CA website).
  2. Upon approval by the California board, register with NCEES for the national exam(s) (deadline: September 5, 2013).
  3. At the completion of your NCEES registration, you will be directed to download and print a PDF document that summarizes the exam(s) you registered for and the exam site you selected. Please send a copy of this PDF summary document to the California board by fax (916) 263-2246 or email your evaluator directly:
  4. State exams only: Upon notification of approval by the California board, all eligible candidates for California state exams will be notified by email to schedule with and pay the CBT administration fee directly to the CBT vendor approximately 5-6 weeks prior to the exam date. All fees are as posted in the California Fee Schedule.

Refile P.E./P.L.S. candidates

  1. Complete and submit the correct California Board Refile Form found on the California board’s website along with the board application fee, and any state exam fees required to the California board postmarked no later than the October 2013 exam final filing date listed on CA website. This date is subject to change. Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit applications at the earliest possible date as applications are processed in the order received. Refile forms will be posted on the board website at, on, or before, June 1, 2013.  All applications, new and refile, must be typed or completed online and printed.  Handwritten forms are not accepted.  All applications must be signed in ink by hand.  Electronic or digital signatures are not accepted.
  2. Register with and pay NCEES for the national exam(s) (deadline: September 5, 2013).
  3. At the completion of your NCEES registration, you will be directed to download and print a PDF document that summarizes the exam(s) you registered for and the exam site you selected. Please send a copy of this PDF summary document to the California board by fax (916) 263-2246 or email your evaluator directly:
  4. State exams only: Upon notification of approval by the California board, all eligible candidates for California state exams will be notified by email to schedule with and pay the CBT administration fee directly to the CBT vendor approximately 5-6 weeks prior to the exam date.  All fees are as posted in the California Fee Schedule.

NCEES registration guidelines for California PE/PS candidates

Registering with NCEES reserves your seat and exam book, but it does not constitute an application to the California board. NCEES does not approve applications for candidates to sit for exams.

If you register on the NCEES website for a national examination and fail to submit an application to the California board by the above deadlines, your exam(s) will be canceled and you will not be allowed to sit for the exam in accordance with the NCEES cancellation policy.

Select your site and afternoon module carefully when you register. After the California board has approved your exam registration on the NCEES system, no site or module changes will be allowed. The California board will approve exam registration on the NCEES system as registrations are received and processed.

You must register and refile with the California Board for each exam cycle; your exam and site choices do not carry forward to the next exam cycle.

Exam authorization

NCEES will email instructions on downloading and printing exam authorization notices 2–3 weeks before the national exam dates. If you are taking more than one exam, you will have a separate exam authorization notice for each exam. You will be required to present the exam authorization along with a valid, government-issued photo ID (must contain your signature) upon arrival at the exam site. You will not receive a separate notice from the California board.

Results

When results have been released (typically 8–10 weeks after the exam), NCEES will send an email informing you that your result can be accessed through your My NCEES account.