Arizona PE License Requirements: Exams, Experience, and Fees

To earn a Professional Engineer license in Arizona, you need an engineering degree (ideally ABET-accredited), passing scores on two national exams, and 96 months of combined education and qualifying work experience. The Arizona State Board of Technical Registration (BTR) handles every step, from exam authorization to final registration. As of January 1, 2026, the application and initial registration fees total $445.¹

Education

The shortest path starts with a bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). An ABET-accredited degree satisfies the educational component of the 96-month qualification threshold, and graduates can sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam without additional BTR approval.²

If your degree isn’t ABET-accredited, you need BTR authorization before taking either national exam. The Board evaluates your education to decide how many months of credit it earns toward the 96-month total, and you fill the rest with additional qualifying work experience. A degree in a related science or technology field can receive partial credit, but the gap it leaves is larger than what an ABET graduate faces.²

The Two Required Exams

Every applicant must pass two exams administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES): the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. Both are computer-based and taken at approved testing centers.²

Fundamentals of Engineering

The FE covers broad engineering knowledge and is usually taken during the final year of an engineering program or shortly after graduation. NCEES allows one attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period.³ Passing it earns the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) designation and starts the clock on your path toward the PE. Applicants without an ABET-accredited degree must apply to the BTR for FE authorization before registering with NCEES.²

Principles and Practice of Engineering

The PE exam is discipline-specific and considerably harder. You pick the branch that matches your practice area, and the questions test how you apply engineering principles to real problems. Most applicants take it after accumulating the required work experience, since the exam expects several years of professional judgment. As with the FE, applicants without an ABET degree need separate BTR authorization to sit for it.²

Waivers

The BTR offers FE and PE exam waivers for applicants who meet alternative qualification criteria. The FE waiver is available to graduates of board-approved programs who meet additional statutory criteria. Waiver applications are handled separately from standard exam authorization and require direct coordination with BTR licensing staff.²

The 96 Months of Combined Education and Experience

Arizona requires 96 months (eight years) of combined education and experience in the branch where you’re seeking registration.² A four-year ABET degree typically accounts for 48 months, which leaves four years of qualifying work to complete the total. That work must be directly related to your engineering branch and of a character satisfactory to the Board.⁴

What Counts

The BTR wants progressive, responsible engineering work performed under the supervision of a licensed PE. “Responsible charge” means you were actively involved in the engineering process from start to finish, personally making engineering decisions or directly supervising those who did. Reviewing someone else’s completed drawings without involvement in the design doesn’t count. The Board is looking for evidence that you were accountable for design choices, analysis, and outcomes.

How to Document It

Current and former supervisors who hold engineering registrations complete and submit the BTR’s Engineer Certificate of Experience Form directly to the Board.⁵ This is where applications often stall. Tracking down former supervisors who have retired or changed firms takes time, so start early. If a supervisor is unavailable, you provide a sworn written statement explaining why, along with professional references for the Board’s review.

You also need at least three professional references, and at least two of them must be from licensed Professional Engineers. References should be people who can speak to the quality and scope of your engineering work, not just character.

The Application

Once you’ve met the education, exam, and experience requirements, you submit a formal application package to the BTR. It’s detailed. Arizona Administrative Code R4-30-201 sets out what has to be included.⁶

Official transcripts sent directly to the BTR from each college or university you attended.
Exam verification for both the FE and PE, transmitted directly from NCEES or the original licensing jurisdiction.
Employment history with names, dates, titles, and descriptions of work for every employer in your engineering branch.
A detailed statement covering any disciplinary action, suspension, revocation, or pending investigation on any professional license in any state.
Documentation of any felony or misdemeanor conviction other than minor traffic violations.

Citizenship and Photo ID

Under ARS 1-501, every applicant submits a completed Arizona Statement of Citizenship form along with a document proving lawful presence in the United States. Separately, ARS 41-1080 requires a government-issued photo ID, such as an Arizona driver’s license issued after 1996, a U.S. passport, or another qualifying document. An exemption exists for applicants who are citizens of foreign countries and don’t need to reside in Arizona to use the license.⁷

Fees

As of January 1, 2026, the one-time professional application fee is $145 and the initial three-year registration fee is $300, for a total of $445.¹ Older guides quoting $325 reflect the previous $100 and $225 amounts.

If You’re Already Licensed in Another State

Engineers already licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction can apply for Arizona registration through endorsement rather than starting over. The pathway requires holding an NCEES Model Law Engineer (MLE) designation, which pre-verifies that your original licensing met national standards for education, exams, and experience.²

The BTR recommends contacting licensing staff at 602-364-4930 before submitting an endorsement application to confirm you’re on the right pathway. You’ll need your NCEES record sent directly to the BTR, verification of good standing from your current licensing board, and the same citizenship and photo ID documentation required of all applicants.

One hard disqualifier: under ARS 32-4302, you can’t obtain registration through endorsement if you’ve had a license revoked or voluntarily surrendered a license in any other state while under investigation for unprofessional conduct.²

Renewal

Arizona PE licenses renew every three years from the original date of registration, with a $300 renewal fee under the 2026 schedule.¹ Arizona has no continuing education or professional development hour requirement for PEs, which puts it in a small minority of states. That doesn’t excuse letting your skills drift; the Board can still discipline engineers for incompetence. Renewal requires the same citizenship documentation and photo ID as the initial application, plus disclosure of any new disciplinary actions or criminal convictions since your last renewal.⁶

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State Board of Technical Registration. Fee Increase Notice
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State Board of Technical Registration. Engineer Applicants
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NCEES. FE Exam
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State Board of Technical Registration. R4-30-224 Engineer Registration
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State Board of Technical Registration. Engineer Certificate of Experience Form
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Arizona Administrative Code. Section R4-30-201 – Registration as an Architect, Assayer, Engineer, Geologist, Landscape Architect, or Land Surveyor
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State Board of Technical Registration. Engineer Professional Exam Waiver Application