50-State Engineering Licensing Compliance Guide
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Washington D.C. Engineering Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for engineering industry firms and individuals in Washington D.C..

This page provides an overview of engineering industry licensing in Washington D.C. 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

Washington D.C. Engineering Company Licenses

District of Columbia Engineering Firm License

Not required



Engineering Firm licensure is not required on the State level in District of Columbia.

Firm licenses are not issued at the state level, however, a licensed individual must oversee all engineering work. Firms should consult board rules and state statutes before doing business.

More information: District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Eligible Entity Types:
  • Business Corporations
  • Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
Ownership Requirements:

Business Corporations:

  • At least one of the principal officers must be a District of Columbia licensed engineer.

Professional Corporations:

  • Each of the of the original shareholders and directors must licensed in a professional service performed by the firm.
  • At least one of the principal officers must be a District of Columbia licensed engineer.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the principal members must be a District of Columbia licensed engineer.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the principal members must be a District of Columbia licensed engineer.

Partnerships:

  • At least one of the partners must be a District of Columbia licensed engineer.

District of Columbia Geology Firm License

Not required



Geoscience Firm licensure is not required on the State level in District of Columbia.

District of Columbia Land Surveying Firm License

Not required



Land Surveying Firm licensure is not required on the State level in District of Columbia.

Firm licenses are not issued at the state level, however, a licensed individual must oversee all surveying work. Firms should consult board rules and state statutes before doing business.

More information: District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering

Individual Licenses

Washington D.C. Individual Engineering Licenses

District of Columbia Engineer Intern Certification

Agency:District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99 certification fee due after application is approved

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Intern certificates do not need to be renewed.

District of Columbia Geologist License

Not required



Professional Geoscientist licensure is not required on the State level in District of Columbia.

District of Columbia Land Surveyor Intern Certification

Agency:District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99 certification fee due after application is approved

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Intern certificates do not need to be renewed.

District of Columbia Land Surveyor License

Agency:District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99 license fee due after application is approved

Reciprocal Registration

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99

Due:

By August 31 of even-numbered years.

District of Columbia Professional Engineer - Structural License

Agency:District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

Computer-generated seals not signed with a digital signature may be used on final original drawings provided a handwritten signature is placed adjacent to or across the seal and the date is written below the stamp. Drawings, specifications, plans, reports, or documents which do not require certification may be transmitted electronically but shall have the generated seal, if any, removed before transmitting and shall have the following inserted in lieu of the signature and date:

"This document originally issued and sealed by (name of licensee), P.E.#_______/P.L.S.#_______ on (date of sealing). This document should not be considered a certified document."

17 DC Reg. § 1516.9

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

Drawings, reports, or documents that are signed using a digital signature, as defined in these Rules, shall contain the following:

(a) An authentication procedure that includes the following elements:

  1. A unique signature;
  2. Capability to verify the source;
  3. Sole control by the person using it; and
  4. A link to the document in such a manner that the digital signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed; and

(b) A list of the hardware, software, and parameters used to prepare the document(s).

17 DC Reg. § 1516.10

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99 license fee due after application is approved

Notes:
  • Examination
    • EducationUndergraduate Engineering Degree from an Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology(EAC/ABET)
    • If the Applicant has a foreign degree or a degree from a non EAC/ABET college/university an evaluation is needed.
    • Board Approved Services: NCEES (ncees.org) , Educational Perspectives (edperspective.org)
    • Applicants must request a Subject Analysis Evaluation report for Professional Engineers
    • SpanTran (spantran.com)
    • Applicants should request a General Evaluation plus Comprehensive Course Analysis for Engineers.
    • The Board does not accept Technology Degrees
    • Experience4 years of progressive experience in the engineering field
    • Experience must have been gained under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer, if the experience was not gained under a licensed engineer an explanation must be provided.
    • Teaching experience must be engineering or engineering related at the collegiate level.  Course description is required.
    • Master’s Degree in engineering followed by a Baccalaureate Degree in engineering may be used as (1) one years’ experience.  If Ph.D in engineering is completed under the same conditions 2 (two) years ‘total experience may be credited.
    • Documents Formal copy of college/university transcripts OR a formal copy of an academic evaluation must be sent from the school/evaluation service to the Board.
    • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted
    • Verification of the Fundamentals Examination (FE). This is a requirement for examination and will not be waived in lieu of work experience.
    • Transcripts can be sent electronically or via mail to the following address: avis.pearson@dc.gov Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection 1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor Washington, DC  20024 Attn: Avis Pearson

Endorsement

  • Education- same as Examination, see above.
  • Experience- same as Examination, see above.
  • DocumentsIf the Applicant has established NCEES Credentialing Record to include verified college transcripts and/or academic evaluation, employment verification and professional references –the Applicant must contact NCEES and request that this Record be sent to the Board
    **When completing the online application the “Endorsement with NCEES” Application Type should be selected.
  • Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted
  • Verification of the Fundamentals Examination (FE). ** This exam requirement for licensure and will not be waived in lieu of work or professional experience.
  • If the Applicant does not have a NCEES Credentialing Record all formal transcripts/evaluations must be sent from the college/university or evaluation service to the Board. This information can be sent electronically to avis.pearson@dc.gov or mailed to:
    Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
    OPLD
    1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
    Washington, DC 20024
    Attn: Avis Pearson
Required Attachments:
  • One 2”x2” passport-style photo (.jpeg format)
  • Un-expired government-issued ID (e.g., driver’s license)
  • Debit or credit card to pay application, exam, or license fees

Reciprocal Registration

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99

Due:

By August 31 of even-numbered years.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

District of Columbia Professional Engineer License

Agency:District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Board of Professional Engineering
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

Computer-generated seals not signed with a digital signature may be used on final original drawings provided a handwritten signature is placed adjacent to or across the seal and the date is written below the stamp. Drawings, specifications, plans, reports, or documents which do not require certification may be transmitted electronically but shall have the generated seal, if any, removed before transmitting and shall have the following inserted in lieu of the signature and date:

"This document originally issued and sealed by (name of licensee), P.E.#_______/P.L.S.#_______ on (date of sealing). This document should not be considered a certified document."

17 DC Reg. § 1516.9

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

Drawings, reports, or documents that are signed using a digital signature, as defined in these Rules, shall contain the following:

(a) An authentication procedure that includes the following elements:

  1. A unique signature;
  2. Capability to verify the source;
  3. Sole control by the person using it; and
  4. A link to the document in such a manner that the digital signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed; and

(b) A list of the hardware, software, and parameters used to prepare the document(s).

17 DC Reg. § 1516.10

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99 license fee due after application is approved

Reciprocal Registration

Required Attachments:
  • If the Applicant has established NCEES Credentialing Record to include verified college transcripts and/or academic evaluation, employment verification and professional references –the Applicant must contact NCEES and request that this Record be sent to the Board
    **When completing the online application the “Endorsement with NCEES” Application Type should be selected.
    Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted
  • Verification of the Fundamentals Examination (FE). ** This exam requirement for licensure and will not be waived in lieu of work or professional experience.
  • If the Applicant does not have a NCEES Credentialing Record all formal transcripts/evaluations must be sent from the college/university or evaluation service to the Board. This information can be sent electronically to avis.pearson@dc.gov or mailed to:
    Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
    OPL
    1100 4th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
    Washington, DC 20024
    Attn: Avis Pearson

 

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$99

Due:

By August 31 of even-numbered years.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

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 February 20, 2023.
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