Licensure Begins

In 1920, seven of the 10 states that had adopted engineering licensure laws met and formed the organization now known as NCEES. Its purpose was to recommend ways states could improve uniformity and promote reciprocal interstate relations.

By 1950, all states and the District of Columbia had enacted some form of engineering licensure law. The surveying licensure laws took longer, with the last surveying board being created in Rhode Island in 1990. Today, the organizational structure of NCEES is the same as when it was formed in 1920, but it now has 69 member licensing boards. These boards represent all 50 states, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Licensure itself is still regulated at the state level. To become licensed, engineers and surveyors must meet education, examination, and experience requirements. The goal of licensing requirements is to determine whether someone is minimally competent to practice engineering. Candidates for licensure must demonstrate that they have the basic knowledge required to practice without endangering the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

The NCEES role in this process is to promote uniformity of the licensure processes among the states by providing services and support to its member boards and licensees. The primary way NCEES does is by maintaining the NCEES Model Law and Model Rules. These documents include the education, examination, and experience requirements for licensure. The licensing boards vote on changes to the language in the model documents each year at the NCEES annual meeting. This means that the requirements in the Model Law and Model Rules reflect a consensus of what the licensing boards believe engineering and surveying licensure laws and rules should look like.