PE License for Electrical Engineers: When You Need One

When does a PE actually matter?

The license matters most when your name goes on drawings. A PE who seals a set of plans takes responsibility for whether they are accurate and complete. In power and building design, an unlicensed engineer can do much of the work, but a licensed engineer has to review it and seal it. If you want to run design projects, sign drawings or open your own firm, plan on getting licensed.

Plenty of electrical engineers work their whole careers without a PE. NCEES says most states and territories write some exemption into their licensing laws. These cover engineers in industrial, manufacturing, public utility and transportation settings, and some federal agencies have exemptions of their own. Each state writes its own law, so whether an exemption covers you depends on where you work and what you do.

The utility exemption and why it gets scrutiny

In 2018, high-pressure gas got into a low-pressure distribution system in Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts. The explosions and fires that followed killed one person and damaged 131 structures. The NTSB found that the company's field engineer was not a PE, and that no state law or company rule required a PE to review utility plans. It recommended that Massachusetts remove its PE exemption for public utility work and require a PE seal on utility drawings. NCEES backed those recommendations and noted that most other states have similar exemptions. If you work in utilities, expect more pressure for licensure over a career.

The two exams

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam usually comes first. It is aimed at recent graduates and at students close to finishing an ABET-accredited engineering degree. It is given on computer year-round at Pearson test centers. You get 110 questions, the appointment runs 6 hours, and the fee to NCEES is $225.

The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam for electrical work is the PE Electrical and Computer, which comes in three versions: Power; Electronics, Controls, and Communications; and Computer Engineering. Power is the one for building and grid design. It is offered year-round, has 80 questions in an 8-hour exam inside a 9-hour appointment, and costs $400 paid to NCEES. The other two versions are given only one day a year. Your state board may charge its own application fee on top.

What the Power exam covers

The exam is closed book. NCEES gives you an electronic reference handbook. For exams from October 2025 on, NCEES supplies searchable copies of the code and standard editions named on the last page of the Power exam specifications, including the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), NFPA 70E and the National Electrical Safety Code. Topics include voltage drop, power factor correction, fault current, transformer connections, protective relaying and coordination. Answers are graded against the code editions on that list, so study the edition the exam uses, which may differ from the one your jurisdiction has adopted.

Pay

United States

$96,100–158,300

California

$109,800–192,100

Texas

$98,500–170,500

Washington

$107,600–172,000

New Mexico

$132,000–203,100

Florida

$83,700–136,200

Ohio

$85,100–131,200

USD a year, before tax. Each range runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile for electrical engineers. Figures are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for May 2025, adjusted to 2026 with a wage index, and the state figures are modeled estimates. They do not separate licensed from unlicensed engineers. Industry, seniority and whether you seal drawings all move the number. Refer to the Electrical Engineering salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

EducationEngineering boards generally expect a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. Many states offer other routes, which usually take longer.
FE examA computer-based exam with 110 questions and a 6-hour appointment, offered year-round. The fee to NCEES is $225.
Work experienceMost states require four years of acceptable, progressive engineering experience that someone can verify. Some states let you sit the PE before the four years are done, but you still need them before you get the license.
PE examFor power and building design, take the PE Electrical and Computer: Power exam. It has 80 questions and costs $400 paid to NCEES.
State board approvalSome boards make you apply and pay an application fee before you can register with NCEES for an exam. The license itself comes from the state board.
References for comityAn NCEES Record needs five professional references. For engineers, those references must be engineers licensed in the U.S.

How to get there

Years 1-4Earn an accredited degreeFinish a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an EAC/ABET-accredited program.
Year 4-5Pass the FE examTake it in your final year of school or soon after graduating, while the coursework is still fresh.
Years 5-8Build engineering experienceWork under licensed engineers and keep records of your projects. Most states want four years that can be verified.
Year 6-8Pass the PE Power examSome states let you take it before your experience is complete. Others want the four years done first.
Year 8-9Get licensed by your state boardApply to the board where you practice once your education, exams and experience are all in place.
After licensureAdd states through comitySet up an NCEES Record so your transcripts, exam results, employment verifications and references go straight to each new board.

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Questions people ask

Can I work as an electrical engineer without a PE?

Yes. Many electrical engineers work under a licensed engineer or in roles covered by a state exemption. NCEES says most states exempt some engineers in industrial, manufacturing, public utility and transportation work.

Which PE exam should a power or building design engineer take?

Take the PE Electrical and Computer: Power exam. It covers power system analysis, protection and code-based design, and it is offered year-round at Pearson test centers.

Do I need four years of experience before taking the PE?

It depends on the state. NCEES dropped the rule that the four years must come before the exam, but each state decides whether to follow that change. You still need the experience before you can be licensed.

How do I get licensed in a second state?

Apply for comity licensure, which means a PE licensed in one state gets licensed in another. An NCEES Record holds your transcripts, exam results, employment verifications and references, and NCEES sends them electronically to each new board.

Which code editions are used on the PE Power exam?

Use the editions listed in the current NCEES Power exam specifications; answers are graded against those editions. They may differ from the editions your jurisdiction has adopted.

Do electrical engineers need a PE license?