Structural

Exam Availability:
Twice a Year

PE Structural Vertical Test Dates:
April 13, 2023 & October 26, 2023

PE Structural Lateral Test Dates:
April 14, 2023 & October 27, 2023

The PE Structural Exam is scheduled for conversion to Computer-Based Testing in 2024.

The PE Structural exam tests for a minimum level of competency in structural engineering.

This pencil-and-paper exam uses separate vertical and lateral components to test your ability to safely design buildings or bridges, especially in areas of high seismicity and high wind.

NCEES considers the Structural exam to be a Principles and Practices of Engineering exam. However, not all jurisdictions accept it as such. Examinees should check with their licensing board directly to determine whether the Structural exam is accepted as part of that jurisdiction’s licensure requirements.

Prepare for your exam by:

Reviewing the PE Structural exam specifications and design standards
Knowing how the PE Structural exam is offered and knowing the pass requirements
Reading the reference materials
Understanding scoring and reporting
Viewing the most up-to-date PE Structural exam pass rates

Familiarize yourself with your state licensing board’s unique registration procedures by choosing your state and the Structural exam in the interactive map found on the main PE page.

Exam Fees

The cost to take the PE Structural exam varies from state to state (or foreign location). Depending on where you register, fees may be paid directly to NCEES, a state licensing board, or a designee of the board. More information about this can be found in the interactive map found on the main PE page. You may be prompted to contact your state licensing board (or foreign entity) directly.

PE Structural Exam Specification and Design Standards

Exam specifications and design standards are posted 6 months before the exam administration. Exam specifications change once every 5–7 years. Design standards change more frequently. Updates to April exams are posted in November, and updates to October exams are posted in May.

Morning 1

Breadth – Vertical Forces

Afternoon 1

Depth – Vertical Forces

Morning 2

Breadth – Lateral Forces

Afternoon 2

Depth – Lateral Forces

Information and Pass Requirements

The PE Structural exam is a breadth-and-depth exam offered in two components on successive days. The 8-hour Vertical Forces (Gravity/Other) and Incidental Lateral component is offered only on Day 1. It focuses on gravity loads and lateral earth pressures.

The 8-hour Lateral Forces (Wind/Earthquake) component is offered only on Day 2. It focuses on wind and earthquake loads.

The breadth modules are in the morning sessions. These modules contain questions covering a comprehensive range of structural engineering topics. All questions are multiple choice.

The depth modules are in the afternoon sessions. These modules focus on a single area of practice in structural engineering. You will choose either buildings or bridges. You must work the same topic area on both components. All questions are constructed response (essay).

You are not required to obtain acceptable results on both 8-hour components of the PE Structural exam in a single exam administration. You can sit for and obtain acceptable results on one component, and then sit for and obtain acceptable results on the second component at a later date. You must obtain acceptable results on both 8-hour components within a five year period in order to pass the PE Structural exam.

Reference Materials

The PE Structural exam is an open-book exam. You are allowed to bring bound reference materials to the exam, but the materials must remain bound during the exam. Loose paper may be bound with:

ring binders
brads
plastic snap binders
spiral-bound notebooks
screw posts.

No staples are permitted. Sticky notes and flags are permitted only when they remain attached to bound pages. More information is available in the NCEES Examinee Guide (PDF).

Exam Resources

Exam Prep Materials

The NCEES Examinee Guide is the official guide to policies and procedures for all NCEES exams. Download your free copy to find out more about registering for exams and what to expect on exam day.

NCEES Examinee Guide

Prep materials for the Structural exam can be found within the NCEES portal.

Exam Prep Material

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available for examinees who meet certain eligibility criteria and sufficiently document their request.

ADA Exam Accommodations

Military Accomodations

Religious Accommodations

Scoring & Pass Rates

The morning sections of both components are machine graded. A percentage of answer sheets are manually verified to ensure accuracy. The afternoon sections of both components contain constructed response (essay) items. These responses are graded by teams of subject-matter experts using an agreed upon solution and scoring plan. Each response is graded by two subject-matter experts. A third expert is used when needed.

PE Structural exams are generally released to the licensing boards 10-12 weeks after the exam. Depending on your state, you will be notified of your exam results either online through your MyNCEES account or via postal mail from your state licensing board.

You will receive a component result for the component(s) attempted. The result will reflect your performance on both the morning and afternoon sections. Your combined performance on both sections must demonstrate minimum competency.

If you do not attain acceptable results on a component, you will receive a diagnostic report for the morning and afternoon sections of that component. These diagnostic reports will indicate subject areas of relative strength and weakness.

The PE Structural exam is currently offered in pencil-and-paper (P&P) format and available twice per year*. Pass rates are updated after results are released—typically in June for the April exams and in December for the October exams. The following pass rates reflect the percentage of examinees who attained acceptable results by component. To pass the PE Structural exam, acceptable results must be attained on both components.

Exam	First-Time Volume	First-Time Pass Rate	Repeat Volume	Repeat Pass Rate	Format	Availability	Last Updated
Lateral Forces Bridges	24	17%	25	28%	P&P	Twice per year	Jan 2023
Lateral Forces Buildings	207	30%	223	33%	P&P	Twice per year	Jan 2023
Vertical Forces Bridges	43	47%	30	53%	P&P	Twice per year	Jan 2023
Vertical Forces Buildings	268	47%	174	40%	P&P	Twice per year	Jan 2023