Illinois Professional Engineering: Licensing, Exams, and Renewal

To get an Illinois professional engineer license, you need a four-year engineering degree, passing scores on the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exams, and four years of progressive engineering experience under a licensed PE. Illinois professional engineer license requirements are set by the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989 (225 ILCS 325) and enforced by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).¹

Who Needs the License

Anyone who practices engineering, offers engineering services, or uses the title “Professional Engineer” or “PE” in Illinois must hold an active state license. The Act defines professional engineering broadly as applying scientific knowledge to design engineering systems and facilities in ways that affect public health, safety, and welfare.

Several categories of work sit outside the Act. Federal employees performing engineering work for the government in Illinois are exempt. So are employees of utilities, telecommunications companies, and manufacturers doing engineering tied to their employer’s own products and systems. State and municipal employees performing inspection, maintenance, and service work are also exempt, as are contractors or owners doing engineering for their own private use.

These carve-outs are narrower than they sound. The industrial exemption only covers work connected to the employer’s own operations. Offer services to outside clients and licensure is required, whatever your day job looks like.

Education

Every applicant needs at least a four-year degree. The simplest route is a program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (EAC/ABET); those graduates satisfy the education requirement automatically.¹

Degrees from non-ABET or foreign institutions are still workable, but the Board evaluates the curriculum individually. NCEES offers a credentials evaluation service that compares your coursework against its Engineering Education Standard, checking for the required credit hours in higher mathematics, sciences, and engineering science and design. Engineering technology courses do not count toward the engineering credits. The evaluation generally takes about 15 business days once you have submitted all documents and purchased the report.²

Experience

Illinois requires four years of progressive engineering experience after your bachelor’s degree. The work must be performed under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer or someone legally practicing engineering in Illinois, and your supervisor has to verify it.³

Time alone is not enough. Your record needs to show growing technical responsibility and independent decision-making, moving beyond routine tasks into work that calls for professional judgment. Experience gained as a full-time student (12 or more semester hours) generally does not count, though part-time students carrying fewer credits can accumulate qualifying experience while they study.¹

The FE and PE Exams

Illinois requires two NCEES computer-based exams administered at Pearson VUE testing centers.

The FE exam is the first step, and it makes you eligible to enroll as an engineer intern. It is available year-round, you register directly through your NCEES account, and the fee is $250. IDFPR approval is not required beforehand. As of November 2021, registration through Continental Testing Services is no longer required for any NCEES exam in Illinois, and everything runs through your NCEES dashboard.⁴

The PE exam tests competency in a specific discipline. Many are available year-round, including all civil subdisciplines, chemical, environmental, and several mechanical specialties; others are offered only once or twice a year. To register, you submit official college transcripts and verification of passing the FE exam through your NCEES dashboard. The fee is $250. Illinois allows you to sit for the PE exam before completing the four-year experience requirement, so you can pass earlier in your career and apply for the license once your experience is complete.⁵

You can attempt a computer-based exam up to three times per calendar year, with no more than one attempt per testing window. If you do not pass within three years of filing your application, the application is denied. Reapplying means a new application, another application fee, and meeting whatever qualification standards apply at that time.⁶

Applying to IDFPR

The Illinois application for a PE license is $100, paid to IDFPR. Enrolling as an engineer intern is $20. These are separate from the $250 NCEES exam fees.⁷

The application requires documentation of your education, verified experience, and exam results. IDFPR may also consider whether an applicant has engaged in conduct that would violate the professional standards for engineers.¹

Renewal and Continuing Education

Illinois PE licenses expire November 30 of every odd-numbered year. Renewal is every two years at $30 per year.⁷

Each cycle requires 30 professional development hours (PDHs): three core hours and 27 electives. The three core hours must include at least one hour of sexual harassment prevention training, at least one hour on Illinois statutes and rules governing professional engineering, and at least one hour on professional conduct or ethics. Missing any of the three core hours can hold up renewal even with plenty of elective credit.⁸

Acceptable PDH providers include NCEES, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, colleges and universities, and other technical or professional organizations. Courses must advance your professional skills, be developed by qualified instructors, and specify their objectives and content.⁸

You can carry up to 15 excess PDH hours into the next cycle, but only hours earned between June 1 and November 30 of the renewal year qualify for carryover.⁹

Keep records of your PDHs for six years. IDFPR conducts random audits and can require certificates of attendance, transcripts, or other proof of participation at any point during that window.⁸

If Your License Has Lapsed

Restoration depends on how long the license has been expired or inactive. Within five years, you file an application with IDFPR, pay a $50 restoration fee plus any lapsed renewal fees (capped at $200), and submit proof of 30 PDHs completed within the two years before your application.¹⁰

After five years, you also need to show continued competence. Acceptable proof includes active licensed practice in another state for at least the most recent two years, qualifying military service, passing the PE exam within the preceding five years, or other evidence such as employment under a licensed PE or teaching engineering at the college level. If none of those fits, IDFPR may allow you to take a refresher course or retake the PE exam.¹⁰¹¹

Coming In From Another State

Engineers licensed elsewhere can apply for an Illinois license by endorsement without retaking the exams if their qualifications align with Illinois standards. The application fee is $100, and you must provide verification of your current license along with proof that you passed both the NCEES FE and PE exams.⁷

If your original state used different education or experience standards, IDFPR may request additional documentation or, in some cases, supplemental coursework. Evaluation is case-by-case. An NCEES Record can speed things up: it stores verified transcripts, exam results, employment verifications, and references in one place and transmits them electronically to the licensing board. If your record qualifies you as a Model Law Engineer, many states fast-track endorsement.¹²

Structural Engineering Is a Separate License

Illinois licenses structural engineers separately from professional engineers, and the two licenses have distinct scopes of practice. A PE license does not authorize structural engineering work, and an SE license does not authorize general professional engineering work. If your work involves designing buildings, bridges, or other load-bearing structures in Illinois, you need the SE credential, which requires passing the NCEES Structural Engineering exam in addition to the FE.¹³

Penalties for Practicing Without a License

Practicing, offering to practice, or holding yourself out as a professional engineer without a license exposes you to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per offense. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Any subsequent offense is a Class 4 felony, punishable by one to three years in prison.¹

1
Justia Law. Illinois Code 225 ILCS 325 – Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989
2
NCEES. Credentials Evaluations
3
Cornell Law School. Illinois Admin Code Title 68, 1380.230 – Approved Experience
4
NCEES. FE Exam
5
NCEES. PE Exam
6
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Admin Code Title 68, Part 1380
7
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Administrative Rule Amendments, 68 IAC 1380 – Fees
8
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Admin Code Title 68, 1380.325 – Professional Development
9
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Professional Engineer License Renewal PDH Requirement
10
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Admin Code Title 68, 1380.270 – Restoration
11
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Professional Engineering Restoration Application Instructions
12
NCEES. Records Program
13
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Structural Engineering FAQ