This guide is a walkthrough of the requirements to take the PE Exam, obtain a PE license, and maintain your PE license, including Professional Development Hours (PDH’s) in the state of Oregon.
I will update this as often as possible, but to make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information, always check for the right information from these links:
- Requirements to Take the PE Exam in Oregon. To take the PE exam in Oregon you only need to register with NCEES and pay the applicable fee through NCEES. There are no additional forms or fees required prior to registering for the PE exam in Oregon.
- Requirements to Apply for a PE License in Oregon. As with most states, to get a PE license in Oregon you must pass the FE and PE exams, get a 4-year degree from an ABET-accredited university, complete 4 years of qualifying experience, and fill out an application and pay a $400 fee to the state board. Get the application here. It must be mailed.
- Requirements to Renew Your PE License in Oregon. PE licenses in Oregon renew every two years. To renew, you must mail in the renewal form and pay a $190 fee. You must get 30 professional development hours (PDHs) each renewal period. You must record them but you don’t need to report them unless audited. You can get the renewal form right here.
This article is meant as a general reference and does not replace the official guidelines from the Oregon state board or NCEES.
Also note that the easiest way by far to get licensed in Oregon, either initially or by comity, is to have your NCEES record complete and updated regularly. If you do this you can skip many sections of the application process. You can find this record and transmit it to the Oregon state board by signing into your MyNCEES account at this link.
Requirements to Take the PE Exam in Oregon
You do not have to fill out an application or pay additional fees to take the PE exam in Oregon. When registering for the PE exam in Oregon, this is what you will see:
This information can be found at this link.
Requirements to Get Your PE License in Oregon
To get your PE license in Oregon once you meet all the education, experience, and exam requirements, you must fill out an application, mail it in with the fee, and/or transmit your NCEES record to the Oregon state board. It is much easier to get licensed in Oregon if you use your NCEES record but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
Here is a link to the application to apply for a PE license in Oregon. Note that there is no online application, you must print and complete the application and mail a physical copy to the Oregon state board. As part of the application, you will need the following:
- Personal Information
- Payment of the $400 fee, either by check, money order, or debit or credit card. You can write your credit or debit card info directly on the form or enclose a check for the right amount. Here is a link to the application fees.
- General questions, which include questions about criminal convictions and revoked licenses or disciplinary action. If you have criminal convictions you must submit a written explanation of all board orders such as conviction, sentencing records, etc. with your application.
- Education summary, including each university you’ve attended. You also need to provide either an official transcript, transmit your NCEES Record, or have an NCEES Credentials Evaluation completed (to see what this means, go to this link and search “NCEES Credentials Evaluation” to find the right section).
- Examination verifications, which is just a summary of when and where you passed the FE and PE exams. If you transmit your NCEES record you can skip this section.
- Professional references, of which you need 5 individuals, 3 of which have to be licensed. You must send the references the Reference Details form (form F-1 near the end of the application PDF) and have them complete it to be submitted with your application. If you transmit your NCEES record you can skip this section.
- Experience summary, where you outline how you got your 4 years of required experience under a licensed professional engineer. You also need to complete a copy of the “Experience Details” form (G-1 at the end of the application PDF) for each employer. If you transmit your NCEES record you can skip this section.
- Attestations & Signatures
Transmitting your NCEES record costs $75 in most cases, so the total fee to get your initial PE license in Oregon will be $475 if you go that route.
There are also application deadlines to be aware of as well:
| Data your application is received (not just mailed but actually at the boards physical location) by: | Month of the board meeting in which your application will be considered: |
|---|---|
| February 1 | March |
| April 1 | May |
| June 1 | July |
| August 1 | September |
| October 1 | November |
| December 1 (previous year) | January |
Here’s a link to the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Oregon state board website. The actual questions are at the bottom of the page after the application deadlines.
If you want a comity license in Oregon, meaning you are licensed in another state and want to get your PE license in Oregon, then you will still need to fill out the entire form, pay the fee, and mail it to the Oregon state board. Oregon does not have a true comity or reciprocity option, but if you’ve met all the requirements then you don’t need to re-test.
Professional Development Hours for Oregon PE’s
To maintain your PE license in Oregon you must complete at least 30 hours of continuing education, or Professional Development Hours (PDH’s) every two-year renewal period. You also need to complete the renewal form and pay the $190 fee. When your Oregon PE license expires depends on your last name:
| Last name begins with: | Expiration Date: |
|---|---|
| A-F | Dec. 31 of odd years (ex: 2021, 2023, 2025) |
| L-R | Dec. 31 of even years (ex: 2020, 2022, 2024) |
| G-K | June 30 of odd years (ex: 2021, 2023, 2025) |
| S-Z | June 30 of even years (ex:, 2020, 2022, 2024) |
You should keep track of your Professional Development Hours with this form in case you are audited. You do not need to report your PDHs when renewing unless you are audited.
Here is a link to the Frequently Asked Questions about renewal on the Oregon state board website.
Check out my other PE Exam requirement posts: