Civil, structural, and geotechnical work is licensed through the Professional Engineer (PE) system, with structural adding the advanced SE exam and geotechnical adding a state GE authority in some states. Site/land-development professionals often add the Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) ladder, and engineering-geology work may call for a PG/CEG. This overview covers the FE, all five PE Civil depth exams, the 16-hour SE exam, the surveying ladder (FS → PS), the geotechnical GE authority, and the PG/CEG geology credential — what each covers and how they relate.
Every path starts with the FE → EIT, then ~4 years of qualifying experience before a PE Civil depth exam (Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, or Water Resources & Environmental). Structural engineers who design significant or high-risk structures pursue the advanced 16-hour SE exam on top of the PE. Geotechnical engineers in a few states (California, Oregon) add a Geotechnical Engineer (GE) authority. Site/land-development professionals often add the surveying ladder (FS → PS) to plat, set boundaries and prepare legal descriptions, and engineering-geology work may require a Professional Geologist (PG) / Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG). All are administered by NCEES, ASBOG, and/or state boards.
Fundamentals of Engineering — the first step toward every PE Civil depth.
Give your EIT prep the same rigor as the real NCEES exam with 150 more original questions covering statics, structures, geotech, hydraulics, transportation, construction and surveying. When you finish, you get an instant pass/fail score, a topic-by-topic breakdown showing exactly which subject areas need more review before your appointment, and a full question-by-question walkthrough with a written explanation for every problem — including the ones you got wrong. Instant online access after purchase, good for 90 days.
Unlocked by the All-Access Pass — one flat price for every Professional Program, exam, and premium guide on the site, including anything added later.
The Professional Engineer exam with a chosen civil depth area.
The PE depth exam for structural engineers.
This is a career-defining exam, so give your prep the depth it deserves with 150 more original questions across steel (AISC), concrete (ACI), wood/masonry, ASCE 7 loading and foundation design. When you finish, you get an instant pass/fail score against the real pass mark, a topic-by-topic breakdown showing exactly which design areas need more review before your appointment, and a full question-by-question walkthrough with a written explanation for every problem — including the ones you missed. Instant online access after purchase, good for 90 days.
Unlocked by the All-Access Pass — one flat price for every Professional Program, exam, and premium guide on the site, including anything added later.
The advanced 16-hour exam for significant-structure design.
Applying ASCE 7 wind and seismic load combinations in structural design.
150 original questions going deeper than the free exam above — trickier multi-step calculations, subtler concept distinctions, and more application-level scenarios. Instant online access after purchase, good for 90 days.
Unlocked by the All-Access Pass — one flat price for every Professional Program, exam, and premium guide on the site, including anything added later.
The PE depth exam for geotechnical engineers.
Deeper practice for the geotechnical depth area of the PE Civil exam.
150 original questions going deeper than the free exam above — trickier multi-step calculations, subtler concept distinctions, and more application-level scenarios. Instant online access after purchase, good for 90 days.
Unlocked by the All-Access Pass — one flat price for every Professional Program, exam, and premium guide on the site, including anything added later.
An additional license to practice geotechnical engineering in some states.
The professional license exam for naval architects and marine engineers.
The first surveying exam — the survey equivalent of the FE.
The professional surveying exam leading to PLS licensure.
Licensure for engineering-geology and geologic-hazard work.
The premier credential for professional construction managers.
State licensure to operate as a general building contractor.
| Credential | Prerequisite | Typical experience | Administered by |
|---|---|---|---|
| FE Civil | Civil coursework | Final-year student / grad | NCEES |
| PE Civil | Pass FE | ~4 years under a PE* | NCEES + state board |
| PE Civil: Structural | Pass FE | ~4 years under a PE* | NCEES + state board |
| SE Exam | Often the PE first | Structural experience* | NCEES + state board |
| PE Civil: Geotechnical | Pass FE | ~4 years under a PE* | NCEES + state board |
| Geotechnical Engineer (GE) | Hold the PE | Geotech experience* | State board |
| FS (Surveying) | Surveying coursework | Final-year student / grad | NCEES |
| PS (Surveying) | Pass FS | Qualifying experience* | NCEES + state board |
| PG / CEG | Geology degree | Qualifying experience* | ASBOG / state |
* Experience hours and prerequisites vary significantly by state, jurisdiction and credential level. Figures shown are typical ranges, not legal requirements.
The PE Civil breadth content is shared, but the depth (Construction, Geotech, Structural, Transportation, Water) is what you specialize in. Choose based on your daily work and study its references hard.
Civil and structural depth exams reference specific standards (AASHTO, ACI, AISC, ASCE 7, NDS, MUTCD, etc.). Know which apply to your depth and practice navigating them quickly.
The SE is a 16-hour, two-component exam (vertical then lateral). Most candidates split the components and prepare for months — build a realistic study plan and practice full essay/problem solutions.
Geotechnical depth questions lean on foundation design, slope stability and seismic/liquefaction. Be fluent with the relevant methods and references for each.
Use the same edition of the code/handbook the exam is written to, and the certifying body’s official references. Exams are tied to a specific cycle — the wrong edition costs you on lookup questions.
Confirm the exact education, experience hours and application steps with the certifying body or state board first — missing a prerequisite trips up more people than the exam content does.
NCEES offers five PE Civil depth exams: Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, and Water Resources & Environmental. You take a shared breadth portion plus the depth you choose.
A PE (Civil with a Structural depth) is the baseline engineering license. The SE (Structural Engineering) is an advanced 16-hour exam for designing significant or high-risk structures; some states require it specifically to practice structural engineering or use the "Structural Engineer" title.
A PE Civil with a geotechnical depth is the baseline license. A GE (Geotechnical Engineer) is an additional title/authority that some states require specifically to practice geotechnical engineering — it builds on the PE.
Engineering and surveying are separate licenses. A PE can design site improvements, but setting boundaries, preparing plats and legal descriptions generally requires a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license. Many site professionals hold both.
Not usually for geotechnical engineering, which is licensed as engineering. Engineering-geology and geologic-hazard work may require a Professional Geologist (PG) or Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG), depending on the state and scope.
Yes. You must pass the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) to become an EIT, then gain qualifying experience — typically about four years — before sitting the PE or, later, the SE.
The PE and SE exams are open-book in the sense that NCEES provides a reference (on-screen for the PE, your own bound standards for the SE); all are computer-based and time-pressured, so fast reference navigation matters.
NCEES publishes annual first-time pass rates for each PE Civil depth exam separately (Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, Water Resources & Environmental) rather than one combined "PE Civil" rate. First-time pass rates across the depths typically run in roughly the 50-65% range and vary by depth and by year — check the current NCEES pass-rate report for the specific depth exam you are taking.
Yes, by most measures. The SE is a 16-hour, two-component exam (Vertical Forces and Lateral Forces) compared to the PE Civil's single 8-hour exam, and NCEES-published first-time pass rates for the SE components typically run lower than PE Civil pass rates — often in the 40-55% range per component. Most candidates treat the SE as requiring several months of dedicated, essay/problem-based preparation beyond what the PE required.
The FE Civil exam has a first-time pass rate generally in the 65-70% range according to NCEES data. It is taken close to graduation while foundational coursework (statics, structures, geotechnical, hydraulics) is still fresh, which is a major reason first-attempt pass rates run higher than the PE or SE.
Many exam questions are calculation problems you can rehearse right now with the free tools in the Civil & Structural Studio: