Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors


Please Note

We are a service company that can help you file with the Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors. We are not associated with this nor any other government agency. We offer paid services and software to help you file. You are not required to purchase our service to file - you may file directly with this agency without using our service.


Contact Information

Physical address:
Kentucky Engineering Center
160 Democrat Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601

Phone: 1 (800) 573-2680 or (502) 573-2680
Fax: (502) 573-6687

Web: Home Name search

Licenses

We track the following licenses with the Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors in order to provide compliance services to our clients. As a client, you see this and other Compliance Core™ data in License Manager in-line with your licenses.

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Kentucky Engineering Business Entity Permit

Agency:Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors
Law:

KRS 322.060

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Business Corporations
  • Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
Ownership Requirements:

Business Corporations:

  • At least one of the principals, officers, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed engineer.

Professional Corporations:

  • All of the incorporators, shareholders, not less than 1/2 of the directors, and each of the officers other than secretary and treasurer must be licensed engineers.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the managers, members, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed engineer.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the managers, members, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed engineer.

Partnerships:

  • At least one of the partners or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed engineer.

Initial Registration

This section applies to engineering firms that are applying for a license in Kentucky for the first time. If you already have a license and are looking to renew it, please see the renewal section.

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 for an engineering firm permit or $150 for an engineering and land surveying firm permit.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
Notes:
  • Per KRS 131.1817, the Board provides information on licensees and permit holders to the Kentucky Department of Revenue for the purpose of tax compliance.  If you have questions regarding tax issues, please contact them at http://revenue.ky.gov/
  • Separate permits are required for engineering and land surveying. A Business Entity may apply for both permits on the same application. 
  • To qualify for a Permit, a Business Entity must have a Kentucky licensed Professional Engineer (or Professional Land Surveyor, as appropriate) on staff who will be in responsible charge of the engineering (land surveying) services provided in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
    • If more than one place of business is maintained in Kentucky, a different Kentucky licensed Professional Engineer (Professional Land Surveyor) must be in responsible charge of the engineering (land surveying) work for each office and be located at that facility. A licensee who renders occasional, part-time, or consulting services to or for a business entity shall not be in responsible charge.
  •  All forms of Business Entities are required to obtain a Business Entity Permit.  This includes corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies,  professional limited liability companies, and sole proprietors operating under any name other than the name listed on his or her individual PE or PLS license.   The only exemption from the Business Entity Permit requirement is a sole proprietor practicing in the name listed on his or her individual license.
Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Identify a Kentucky licensed engineer, who is a full-time employee, to be in responsible charge of the firm's engineering activities. If the firm maintains multiple office locations in Kentucky, a separate responsible engineer must be appointed for each office location.
  • Ensure that your business entity will meet ownership requirements.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Identify a Kentucky licensed engineer, who is a full-time employee, to be in responsible charge of the firm's engineering activities. If the firm maintains multiple office locations in Kentucky, a separate responsible engineer must be appointed for each office location.
  • Ensure that your Kentucky entity will meet ownership requirements.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File entity formation documents with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
  2. Complete an online Business Entity Permit Application with the Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. Determine whether or not your entity will need to foreign qualify in Kentucky. If not required, skip to number 4.
  2. If the name of the entity will contain some form of the word "engineer", first obtain a letter of name approval from the Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors.
  3. File foreign qualification documents with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
  4. Complete an online Business Entity Permit Application with the Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Registration Renewal

This section applies to engineering firms that are already licensed in Kentucky and need to renew their license.

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 for an engineering firm permit or $150 for an engineering and land surveying firm permit.

Due:

Annually by December 31.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
Notes:
  • Permits are issued on a Calendar Year basis and expire on December 31 of each year, unless renewed.  
  • A renewal notice will be mailed prior to December 31 to each firm which has an active permit.  
  • Permits may be renewed online.  
  • An expired Permit may be renewed for up to one year following the expiration date by completing the online renewal form.  
    • A late renewal penalty equal to ten percent of the renewal fee for each month, or fractional month that the renewal is late will apply.
    • Any permit holder which fails to renew within one year after expiration must apply for reinstatement of its permit.
Required Attachments:
  • List of directors, officers, managers, or members of the firm including addresses
  • List of licensees in responsible charge of the firm's professional services
  • List of branch office locations including licensee in responsible charge

Amendment

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

Within 30 days of the effective date of the change.

Notes:

Notify the board in writing with any changes.

Reinstatement

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$500

Notes:

Licenses delinquent for less than a year just pay renewal and late fees. Licenses that are delinquent for more than one year must be reinstated.

Kentucky Land Surveying Business Entity Permit

Agency:Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors
Law:

KRS 322.010 et. seq. 

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Corporations,
  • Professional Corporations,
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Partnerhsips 
Ownership Requirements:
  • Business Corporations:
    • At least one of the principals, officers, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed land surveyor
  • Professional Corporations:
    • All of the incorporators, shareholders, not less than 1/2 of the directors, and each of the officers other than secretary and treasurer must be licensed land surveyor.
  • Limited Liability Companies:
    • At least one of the managers, members, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed land surveyor.
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies:
    • At least one of the managers, members, or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed land surveyor
  • Partnerships:
    • At least one of the partners or a designated employee must be a Kentucky licensed land surveyor
Qualifying Individual Requirements:
  • At least one (1) of its principals or officers, or a designated employee, is
    a professional land surveyor in direct responsible charge of the land
    surveying work; 
  • The professional land surveyor in responsible charge is located at the
    Kentucky office, if one is maintained
  • If more than one (1) place of business is maintained in this state, a professional land surveyor shall be in responsible charge of the land surveying work for each office. 
  • A professional land surveyor who renders occasional, part-time, or consulting services to or for a business entity required to hold a permit from the board under this section shall not be designated as the person in responsible charge of the land surveying work unless the professional land surveyor is an officer or owner of the business entity.

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Business Entity Permit

Agency Fee:

$100 for a land surveying firm permit or $150 for a land surveying and engineering firm permit.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
How to Apply:
  1. Secretary of State: Certificate of Authority
  2. Land Surveying Board: Business Entity Permit

Exception: If the firm name contains the word “Engineering”, “Surveying: (or any derivation of those words), then Board approval, via a certificate or letter, must be gained before registering with the Secretary of State

Registration Renewal

Form:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 for a land surveying firm permit or $150 for a land surveying and engineering firm permit.

Due:

Annually by December 31.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required

Reinstatement

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$500

Notes:

Licenses delinquent for less than a year just pay renewal and late fees. Licenses that are delinquent for more than one year must be reinstated.

Kentucky Professional Engineer License

Agency:Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors
Exam Required?Yes
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

A digital signature shall be permitted in place of an original seal, signature, and date if:

  1. The digital signature is a unique identification of the licensee;
  2. The digital signature is verifiable;
  3. The digital signature is under the licensee’s direct and exclusive control;
  4. The digital signature is linked to the electronic document in a manner that causes changes to be easily determined and visually displayed if any data in the electronic document file is changed subsequent to the digital signature having been affixed to the electronic document;

(5) An attempt to change the electronic document after the digital signature is affixed shall Legislative Research Commission PDF Version Page: 2 cause the digital signature to be removed or altered significantly enough to invalidate the digital signature; and

(6) In the case of an electronic document to be electronically transmitted, the electronic document is converted to a read-only format.

Section 4. (1) A licensee may electronically transmit an electronic document without affixing a digital signature if there is inserted the following language in lieu of an image of a seal or stamp, signature, and date: "This shall not be considered a certified document." (2) This language shall not be required for a document electronically transmitted to a commercial printer or blueprint service for the purpose of reproducing documents or to the licensee’s employer or employees.

201 KAR 18:104

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

See digital signing guidelines.

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

There is no initial license fee, but the NCEES does charge $100 to send a record to the board.

Notes:

Kentucky requires an NCEES Record for licensure.

How to Apply:
  1. After meeting the Education, FE, and PPE requirements, and obtaining four years of progressive engineering experience following graduation, you may apply for initial licensure.
  2. Request for your NCEES record to be transmitted to the board.
  3. Complete the online application for licensure.

Reciprocal Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Notes:
  • If you are licensed in any state, territory, or possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or any foreign country, you are eligible for Kentucky licensure provided the requirements and qualifications supporting your license equals or exceeds Kentucky's requirements in effect on the date of issuance.
  • Kentucky requires an NCEES Record for endorsement licensure.
  • Canadian degrees accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board are acceptable. All other foreign degrees must be evaluated by NCEES Credentials Evaluations
How to Apply:
  • Request for your NCEES record to be transmitted to the board.
  • Complete the online application for licensure.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$150

Due:

Biennially by June 30. Licensees with last names beginning with A through K must renew their license in odd-numbered years. Those with last names beginning with letters L through Z must renew their license in even-numbered years.

Kentucky Professional Land Surveyor License

Agency:Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

There is no initial license fee, but the NCEES does charge $100 to send a record to the board.

How to Apply:
  1. After meeting the Education, FS, and PPS requirements and obtaining four years of progressive surveying experience under the direct supervision of a licensed surveyor (three years under education option 1) with at least two years following graduation, you may apply for licensure.
  2. Request for your NCEES record to be transmitted to the board.
  3. Complete the online application for licensure.

Reciprocal Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Notes:
  • If you are licensed in any state, territory, or possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or any foreign country, you are eligible for licensure in Kentucky by Endorsement provided the requirements and qualifications supporting your original license equal or exceed Kentucky’s requirements in effect on the date your original license was issued.
  • Kentucky requires an NCEES Record as part of an Application for Licensure by Endorsement.
How to Apply:
  1. Request for your NCEES record to be transmitted to the board.
  2. Complete the online application for licensure.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$150

Due:

Biennially by June 30. Licensees with last names beginning with A through K must renew their license in odd-numbered years. Those with last names beginning with letters L through Z must renew their license in even-numbered years.

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