50-State Engineering Licensing Compliance Guide
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Arkansas Engineering Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for engineering industry firms and individuals in Arkansas.

This page provides an overview of engineering industry licensing in Arkansas for individuals and firms. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

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Company Licenses

Arkansas Engineering Company Licenses

Arkansas Certificate of Authorization (Engineering and/or Surveying)

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors
Law:

AR Code § 17-30-303

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Business Corporations
  • Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Ownership Requirements:

Business Corporations:

  • Officers and directors need not be licensed, but the corporation must appoint an Arkansas licensed individual to be responsible for all professional activities undertaken by the firm.

Professional Corporations:

  • All of the officers, directors, and shareholders must be licensed individuals.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • Members need not be licensed, but the LLC must appoint an Arkansas licensed individual to be responsible for all professional activities undertaken by the firm.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • All of the members must be licensed individuals.

Partnerships:

  • Partners need not be licensed, but the partnership must appoint an Arkansas licensed individual to be responsible for all professional activities undertaken by the partnership.
Notes:
  • The Board issues and maintains licenses for Certificate of Authorizations (COA).  The one exception to this requirement is where the firm is a sole proprietorship* practicing in the name of the licensee.
  • The rules also provide that only firms holding a COA are authorized to use the terms “Engineer”, “Engineering”, “Survey” or “Surveying” or any other form of those words in their title.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Certificate of Authorization Application

Instructions:

Mailing instructions:

  • USPS
    • AR STATE BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS & PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS
      P.O. Box 3750
      Little Rock, Arkansas 72203

  • Fedex and UPS
    • PELS Board
      623 Woodlane Dr.,
      Little Rock, AR 72201
      Ph: (501)682-2824.
Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$150

Turnaround:

Within 2 months

Notes:
  • Your application will be considered after the information contained in this packet has been processed by Board staff. Applications needing Board action will be placed on the agenda of the next Board meeting. Meetings are held in January, March, May, July, September, and November
  • Responsible Professional Engineer (PE) and/or Responsible Professional Surveyor (PS) – Each type of service offered or provided must have a corresponding Arkansas professional listed. Enter the Name, Title, Arkansas License # and Expiration date of the PE and/or PS who is in good standing (either active or exempt status) who shall be in responsible charge of the Arkansas engineering and/or surveying in this State by said firm.
Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Identify an Arkansas licensed individual to act as responsible professional engineer or responsible professional surveyor.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Identify an Arkansas licensed individual to act as responsible professional engineer or responsible professional surveyor.
  • Ensure that your Arkansas entity meets ownership requirements.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. If the name of the entity will contain some form of the word "engineer" or "surveyor", first obtain a letter of name approval from the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.
  2. File articles or incorporation/organization with the Arkansas Secretary of State to form your business entity.
  3. File a Certificate of Authorization Application with the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. Determine whether or not your entity will need to foreign qualify in Arkansas. If not required, skip to number 4.
  2. If the name of the entity will contain some form of the word "engineer" or "surveyor", first obtain a letter of name approval from the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.
  3. File a Certificate of Authority application with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
  4. File a Certificate of Authorization Application with the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100

Due:

Biennially by December 31. Licenses ending in even numbers must be renewed every even-numbered year, and licenses ending in odd numbers must be renewed every odd-numbered year.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

Amendment

Form:

Certificate of Authorization Application (Amendment)

Filing Method:

Mail, fax, or email to pelsboard@arkansas.gov

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

Within 30 days of the effective date of the change.

Notes:

The amendment form is used to report changes to:

  • Firm name
  • PE/PS licensee designated as being in responsible charge of the engineering/surveying for the firm

Reinstatement

Form:

Certificate of Authorization Application (Reinstatement)

Agency Fee:

$300 if delinquent for more than 2 years ($100 reinstatement + $200 dues/late penalties).

Individual Licenses

Arkansas Individual Engineering Licenses

Arkansas Engineer Intern License

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Engineer Intern License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$50

Registration Renewal

Form:

EI Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$10

Due:

Biennially by December 31. Licenses ending in even numbers must be renewed every even-numbered year, and licenses ending in odd numbers must be renewed every odd-numbered year.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

Arkansas Geologist-in-Training Certification

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20

Due:

Annually by June 30.

Arkansas Professional Engineer License

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

Documents may be sealed electronically and may be signed and/or transmitted electronically if done in one of the following ways: ii. Documents manually or digitally sealed but not signed may be transmitted electronically so long as an original signature and date shall be affixed over the seal and maintained on a paper or electronic copy of the document in the office of record. The electronically transmitted file shall contain the following: “This document was originally issued and sealed by (name of licensee), (license number) on (date). This copy is not a signed and sealed document.”; or iii. Documents manually or digitally signed and sealed may be digitally copied and transmitted by electronic means

AAR 235.01.20-004F-20645.12

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

Documents may be sealed electronically and may be signed and/or transmitted electronically if done in one of the following ways: i. Documents digitally signed may be transmitted electronically as long as the signature is unique to and under the sole control of the person who applied it, be capable of verification and be linked to the document in such a manner that the signature is invalidated if any data on the document is altered...iii. Documents manually or digitally signed and sealed may be digitally copied and transmitted by electronic means

AAR 235.01.20-004F-20645.12

Initial Registration

Form:

Paper Application for Professional Engineer License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$75

Reciprocal Registration

Form:

Paper Application for Professional Engineer License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$200

Notes:

Council record holders should ask NCEES to transmit your Record to Arkansas.

Registration Renewal

Form:

Professional Engineer Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$80

Due:

Biennially by December 31. Licenses ending in even numbers must be renewed every even-numbered year, and licenses ending in odd numbers must be renewed every odd-numbered year.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

Arkansas Professional Geologist Registration

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

The board does not preclude licensees from using electronic signatures.

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

The board does not preclude licensees from using digital seals.

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20 application fee + $60 registration fee.

Reciprocal Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20 application fee + $60 registration fee.

Notes:

A person holding a certificate of registration to engage in the practice of geology on the basis of comparable licensing requirements issued to him or her by a proper authority of a state, territory, or possession of the United States or the District of Columbia and who, in the opinion of the State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists, otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter may be registered upon application without further examination.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$60

Due:

Annually by June 30.

Arkansas Professional Surveyor License

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Professional Surveyor License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$75 application fee + $100 fee for AR State Specific exam (due after approval)

Reciprocal Registration

Form:

Application for Professional Surveyor License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$200 application fee + $100 fee for AR State Specific Exam (due after approval)

Notes:

Council record holders should ask NCEES to transmit your Record to Arkansas.

Registration Renewal

Form:

PS Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$60

Due:

Biennially by June 30. Licenses ending in even numbers must be renewed every even-numbered year, and licenses ending in odd numbers must be renewed every odd-numbered year.

Arkansas Surveyor Intern License

Agency:Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Notes:

In order to apply for an intern license, applicants must have already passed the Fundamentals of Surveying Exam.

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Surveyor Intern License

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$50

Registration Renewal

Form:

SI Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$10

Due:

Biennially by June 30. Licenses ending in even numbers must be renewed every even-numbered year, and licenses ending in odd numbers must be renewed every odd-numbered year.

Learn about engineering licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Design Firm - Engineering firm registration is sometimes grouped with architecture and land surveying on a single “design firm” application form.

EI (Engineering Intern) - A term also used to describe an Engineer in Training.

EIT (Engineer in Training) - A professional designation granted upon having completed at least 3 years of school at an ABET-accredited university and having passed the FE exam.

FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) - An exam testing on basic engineering principles that is required to become an engineer in training.

PE (Professional Engineer or 'Principles and Practice in Engineering') - Means either Professional Engineer or refers to the Principles and Practice in Engineering exam that is a prerequisite for an engineering license.

Reciprocity - When a licensed engineer in one state can provide documentation (often an NCEES Record) to more easily apply for a license in another jurisdiction.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Accrediting board that sets standards for university programs in a variety of applied science disciplines.

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Engineering, architecture, and land surveying advocacy group.

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Organization that provides continuing education, professional conferences, and advocacy efforts to the civil engineering community.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Mechanical engineering organization that focuses on education and professional development.

Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
Reviews accreditation requirements and makes final decisions regarding the accreditation process.

National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES)
Develops, administers, and scores the exams used for engineering licenses.

National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
NSPE is an advocacy group for professional engineers.

Revised February 20, 2023. Complete data last reviewed January 16, 2019.
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