October 2021 exam administration updates

NCEES is closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the October 2021 pencil-and-paper exam administration. The exam administration will take place over two days—Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22.* All exam site locations are currently proceeding with reduced capacity restrictions in place. Changes to state and local requirements that further reduce capacities for groups and events may impact the number of examinees that are able to test at a specific site. NCEES will continue to monitor these changes between now and exam day.

October 2021 exam site procedures regarding COVID-19
To help ensure the health, safety, and welfare of examinees and proctoring teams, NCEES is implementing the following measures for the October 2021 exam administration. Examinees who enter the exam site must follow these guidelines on exam day.

Examinees will be seated alone and properly distanced from other tables.
Examinees and proctors are required to wear face masks at all times. This is required at all exam sites including locations with no local or state face mask mandates.** Face shields may not be used as a substitute for face masks but may be worn in addition to face masks. Face coverings must be removed for proper identification when instructed by a proctor. Proctors may visually inspect face coverings.
Examinees must practice social distancing at all times.
Examinees will be allowed to have hand sanitizer and wipes, extra face coverings, and disposable gloves in the exam room; they must be placed on the floor during the exam.
Examinees understand that they will be dismissed from the exam and their exam scores will be invalidated if they do not adhere to the COVID-19 safety requirements for this site.
Examinees understand that they are allowed to lower masks to eat or drink for brief moments as defined by the proctors and that proctors will issue a warning to examinees before they are dismissed.

NCEES will not require a signed form or ask about an examinee’s health and well-being on exam day. However, people who are sick or suspect they are sick should not enter the exam site.
Current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state the following in regard to COVID-19 exposure:

Quarantine if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3–5 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms, and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Exam specifications and design standards
Current exam specifications and design standards are listed on https://ncees.org/engineering/pe/.

Exam administration format
Registration for the October 2021 pencil-and-paper exam administration closed at 3:00 p.m. EDT on August 26. Exams will be administered on the day assigned as follows:

Thursday, October 21, 2021
Civil: Construction
Civil: Transportation
Civil: Water Resources and Environmental
SE Vertical Forces Bridges
SE Vertical Forces Buildings

Friday, October 22, 2021
Control Systems
Civil: Geotechnical
Civil: Structural
Metallurgical/Materials
SE Lateral Forces Bridges
SE Lateral Forces Buildings

All sites for the October 2021 exam administration must operate in compliance with capacity and social distancing requirements. In most cases, this will reduce the number of examinees that can be accommodated at an exam site. Examinees will be allowed to complete the registration process only when a seat is available for their selected site. Capacity and social distancing requirements are subject to change at any time. Any changes that require a further reduction in capacity may result in the cancellation of your exam registration. Please be aware that every effort will be made to accommodate all registered examinees in a manner that protects the health and safety of everyone involved.
Click here for information about registering.

*Overseas sites will maintain their normal testing procedures. Please contact your testing agency for further instruction.
**Reasonable accommodations are available for examinees who meet certain eligibility criteria and sufficiently document their request. Examinees who have been diagnosed with a condition that rises to the level of a disability that prevents the use of a face mask or covering may submit a request for accommodations and their supporting documentation for consideration.