SECTION .0500 ‑ PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER

21 NCAC 56 .0501 REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSING

(a) Education. Pursuant to G.S. 89C-13, the Board shall consider the education of an applicant in determining eligibility for certification as an Engineer Intern or licensure as a Professional Engineer. Certain terms describing the educational requirements found in G.S. 89C-13 are defined as follows:

(1) "An EAC/ABET accredited program" is a program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). A list of accredited programs can be found on ABET's website at https://www.abet.org.

(2) "An engineering curriculum or related science curriculum of four years or more" is a curriculum including non-ABET accredited engineering degrees or related science degrees. The curriculum may also include a bachelor's degree in engineering technology, whether or not accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of ABET.

(3) "A master's degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET accredited programs" and "an earned doctoral degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET accredited programs" are graduate degrees in engineering from an institution which offers EAC/ABET accredited undergraduate programs.

(4) Educational programs "approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing" include foreign degrees equivalent to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Engineering Education Standard, which includes subsequent amendments and is incorporated by reference. A copy of the applicable standard is available at no cost at https://ncees.org/ncees-services/credentials-evaluations/. Foreign degrees shall be considered substantially equivalent only after the Board obtains an evaluation report from the Credentials Evaluations Service of NCEES evaluating the foreign degree.

(b) Experience. Pursuant to G.S. 89C-13, the Board shall consider the experience of an applicant in determining eligibility for certification as an Engineer Intern or licensure as a Professional Engineer.

(1) Required Experience. In evaluating experience, the Board shall consider an applicant's total experience record and its progressive nature. Experience shall be of a progressive engineering nature obtained after graduation from a program that meets the criteria set forth in G.S. 89C-13 and defined in Paragraph (a) of this Rule. Not less than half of required engineering experience shall be gained under the responsible charge of a licensed Professional Engineer, or if not, the applicant shall submit a written explanation to the Board explaining why the experience should be considered acceptable. Experience gained under the technical supervision of an unlicensed individual shall be considered based upon the engineering education and experience credentials of the unlicensed supervisor. Experience gained in the armed services, typically while serving in an engineering or engineering related group, shall be accepted only if substantially equivalent to civilian work.

(2) Definition. "Progressive experience" requires that during the period of time provided as experience, an applicant made a practical utilization of acquired knowledge and demonstrated continuous improvement, growth, and development in the utilization of that knowledge as revealed in the complexity and technical detail of the work product or work record. The applicant shall demonstrate continuous assumption of greater individual responsibility for the work product over that period of time. The progressive experience on engineering projects shall demonstrate an increasing quality and responsibility that shows the Board that the applicant is competent to practice engineering.

(3) Credit for Experience. In evaluating progressive engineering experience, the Board shall give credit for experience in the following areas of work:

(A) One year of credit shall be granted for graduate schooling or research in an engineering program resulting in award of a master's degree from an institution that offers EAC/ABET-accredited programs;

(B) Two years of credit shall be granted for graduate schooling or research in an engineering program resulting in award of an earned doctoral degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET-accredited programs. If an applicant has earned both a master's and doctoral degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET accredited programs, the applicant shall receive only two years of credit.

(D) Teaching of engineering subjects at the university level in an engineering program offering a four-year or more degree approved by the Board.

The Board shall not accept combinations of the categories in this Subparagraph as fulfilling all the necessary statutory experience requirements.

(4) An exception to the requirement in Subparagraph (b)(1) of this Rule that experience be obtained after graduation is for the long-established practice qualification of 20 years or more, as provided for in G.S. 89C-13(a3).

(5) Other experience is considered if it is:

(A) Experience obtained prior to graduation as part of an ABET accredited engineering program shown on the transcript, with a maximum credit of one year; or

(B) Experience obtained in a foreign country that is performed under direct supervision of a Professional Engineer licensed with a member Board of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

History Note: Authority G.S. 89C-10; 89C-13;

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Readopted Eff. September 29, 1977;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2014; August 1, 2011; May 1, 2009; August 1, 2002; August 1, 2000; August 1, 1998; November 2, 1992; April 1, 1989; January 1, 1982;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. April 27, 2019;

Amended Eff. February 1, 2026; July 1, 2020.