To run a professional engineer license lookup in Texas, use the free PE Roster Search maintained by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS) at pels.texas.gov. In under a minute, you can confirm any engineer’s license number, current status, expiration date, and employer using just a last name or license number.1Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. PE Roster Search The same site lets you check whether the engineering firm behind the work is separately registered, which Texas law requires before a business can offer engineering services to the public.
How to Run the Search
Go to pels.texas.gov/roster/pesearch.html. The form accepts several inputs: PE number, last name, first name, employer, expiration date, or license status.1Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. PE Roster Search A license number returns a single result and is the fastest path. A last name works well too, though common surnames produce longer lists.
Spelling has to be exact. The system matches what you type literally rather than suggesting close alternatives, so a misspelled name returns nothing. If you’re unsure of the spelling, try a partial last name or search by employer. Results appear alphabetically by last name in “last, first middle suffix” format.
One thing the roster will not give you is personal contact information. As of September 1, 2023, TBPELS removed mailing addresses and phone numbers from the public roster, and email addresses are no longer disclosable under the Texas Public Information Act.1Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. PE Roster Search The tool is for verification, not for looking up how to reach someone.
What the Results Mean
Each entry shows the engineer’s name, PE license number, current employer, expiration date, and license status. Status is the field that matters most. Only an engineer showing “Active” with a future expiration date is legally authorized to practice, seal documents, and offer engineering services in Texas.
Texas law is direct on this point: you need a license issued under the Texas Engineering Practice Act to practice engineering in the state, and the same statute bars anyone without a license from using the title “professional engineer,” “licensed engineer,” or any variation of those terms in a business or professional setting.2Texas.Public” Law. Texas Occupations Code 1001.301 – License Required The roster search is the quickest way to confirm that someone offering engineering services is actually allowed to do it.
Reading the Status Field
The status designations tell you where the engineer stands with the board:
- Active. Continuing education is complete, renewal fees are paid, and the engineer can practice, seal documents, and offer services in Texas.
- Inactive. The license exists but the engineer cannot practice. Offering or performing engineering services while inactive is a board violation. Engineers on inactive status must also label business cards and correspondence with “Inactive” or “Retired.”3Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Inactive Status Information
- Expired. The engineer did not renew before the license lapsed and cannot legally practice until reinstating it. If the license has been expired for more than a year, the engineer must reapply from scratch under current rules.4Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Texas Occupations Code 1001 – Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
- Suspended. The board has temporarily removed the engineer’s authority to practice, often after a disciplinary proceeding. Suspensions can carry conditions such as mandatory ethics courses or practice restrictions.
- Revoked. The board has permanently withdrawn the license for serious misconduct. Reissuing a revoked license requires a vote of at least six board members.4Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Texas Occupations Code 1001 – Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
Anything other than “Active” with a valid expiration date is a reason to pause before work begins. A status can also change quickly: TBPELS audits a percentage of renewals each cycle, and an engineer who cannot produce documentation for continuing education can face fines, sanctions, or suspension, so it’s worth rechecking status on a long project rather than relying on a search done months earlier.5Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. TBPELS Continuing Education Requirements
Check the Firm, Not Just the Person
Verifying an individual engineer is only half the job. Under Texas Occupations Code Section 1001.405, any business entity that practices engineering or uses terms like “engineering,” “engineering services,” or “professional engineers” in its name must register separately with the board.6State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code 1001.405 – Practice by Business Entity; Registration That applies to sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and joint stock associations.
The statute imposes two conditions: the firm must hold a valid board registration, and every engineering task performed on its behalf must be done by or directly supervised by a licensed PE who is a regular full-time employee.6State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code 1001.405 – Practice by Business Entity; Registration TBPELS offers a separate firm search tool alongside the PE roster. Search by the firm’s legal name or its board-issued registration number. If the firm doesn’t appear, or shows an inactive or expired registration, it cannot legally offer engineering services in Texas no matter how many licensed engineers work there.
Match the Seal to the Roster
When you receive engineering documents (plans, reports, specifications), look for the engineer’s seal, signature, and date. Texas requires license holders to affix their seal to all documents containing the final version of any engineering work.7Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Enforcement The seal can be a traditional impression or a computer-generated image, provided the engineer’s name and license number are clearly legible.
The seal is a personal guarantee: by stamping the document, the engineer takes responsibility for the work being done by them or under their direct supervision. Cross-reference the name and number on the seal against the TBPELS roster. Sealed documents from someone whose license has since expired, been suspended, or been revoked should raise immediate concerns about whether the work was authorized when completed.
Looking Into Disciplinary History
The roster shows status but not the story behind a suspension or revocation. TBPELS publishes a separate disciplinary actions page with board orders from enforcement cases. Closed cases stay posted for three years past the closing date, and older records are available by contacting the TBPELS Open Records Division.8Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Disciplinary Actions
The published orders typically identify the engineer, describe the violation, and detail the sanctions. Common violations include sealing documents for work not done under the engineer’s supervision, aiding unlicensed practice, and providing false statements during renewal. If the roster shows a suspended or revoked status and you want to know why, this is where to look.
If the Person Isn’t Licensed
If your search shows no license, or an expired or suspended one for someone actively offering engineering services, you can file a complaint directly with TBPELS. The board accepts complaints against licensed engineers, unlicensed individuals claiming to practice engineering, and business entities.9Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. How to File a Complaint with the Board
For complaints against licensed engineers, download the official complaint form from the TBPELS website. For complaints against unlicensed individuals or businesses, submit a written description instead. Include as much supporting documentation as you can: drawings, contracts, photographs, letters, and reports. The board looks for specific facts (who did what, when, where, and how) rather than general suspicions. Completed forms and supporting materials must be mailed, not emailed, to: Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, 1917 S Interstate 35, Austin, Texas 78741.9Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. How to File a Complaint with the Board
Anonymous complaints are accepted, but anonymous filers won’t receive updates on the investigation and should be especially thorough with details, since an investigator can’t follow up with them.
The stakes for unlicensed practice are real. Practicing engineering without a license in Texas is a Class A misdemeanor, carrying up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.10Texas.Public.Law. Texas Occupations Code 1001.552 – Criminal Penalty The same criminal penalty applies to anyone who uses another engineer’s license or seal, or who provides false information to obtain a license. The board can also impose administrative penalties. For property owners and project managers, hiring an unlicensed engineer creates practical risk on top of the legal risk: work product without a valid seal may not satisfy building permit requirements, and rejected plans, project delays, or personal liability can follow if something goes wrong.