50-State Engineering Licensing Compliance Guide
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Massachusetts Engineering Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for engineering industry firms and individuals in Massachusetts.

This page provides an overview of engineering industry licensing in Massachusetts 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

Massachusetts Engineering Company Licenses

Massachusetts Engineering Firm License

Not required



Engineering Firm licensure is not required on the State level in Massachusetts.

Engineering firms may need to file a regulatory board certificate with the secretary of state prior to forming a professional entity.

More information: Massachusetts Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and of Land Surveyors
Law:

Mass. Gen. Laws C. 112 § 81R

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

Business Corporations:

  • A corporation may provide or offer to provide engineering services in Massachusetts only if a Massachusetts licensed engineer has management responsibility for that part of the business.

Professional Corporations:

  • A majority of the directors, and all of the officers, except the treasurer, clerk, secretary and assistant treasurer, assistant clerk, or assistant secretary must be licensed in the state.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • An LLC may provide or offer to provide engineering services in Massachusetts only if a Massachusetts licensed engineer has management responsibility for that part of the business.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • A PLLC may provide or offer to provide engineering services in Massachusetts only if a Massachusetts licensed engineer has management responsibility for that part of the business.

Partnerships:

  • A partnership may provide or offer to provide engineering services in Massachusetts only if a Massachusetts licensed engineer has management responsibility for that part of the business.

Limited Liability Partnership:

  • An LLP may provide or offer to provide engineering services in Massachusetts only if a Massachusetts licensed engineer has management responsibility for that part of the business.

Massachusetts Geology Firm License

Not required



Geoscience Firm licensure is not required on the State level in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Land Surveying Firm License

Not required



Land Surveying Firm licensure is not required on the State level in Massachusetts.

  •  
  • Although not requiring express licensure with the Board, a co- partnership, corporation or joint stock association may practice land surveying provided that the person in direct charge, control, and supervision of the practice is a land surveyor holding a Massachusetts certificate of registration and is an active participant in the contracting, reporting, publishing, scheduling, etc. of professional services being offered by the firm.
  • Surveyor firms may need to file a regulatory board certificate with the secretary of state prior to forming a professional entity.
More information: Massachusetts Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and of Land Surveyors
Law:

Licensing Statute – Mass. Gen. Laws C. 112 § § 81D through 81T

Licensing Regulations – 250 C.M.R. 2.00 through 7.00

Individual Licenses

Massachusetts Individual Engineering Licenses

Massachusetts Geologist License

Not required



Professional Geoscientist licensure is not required on the State level in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Professional Engineer License

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

(6) Any document bearing the Registrant's seal must also be appropriately dated and signed with either a legible hand written Signature adjacent to (not obscuring) the seal or a properly encrypted digital Signature, in compliance with 250 CMR...(8) The Registrant must take reasonable steps to prevent the Registrant's seal or digital Signature encryption key from being lost, stolen or out of the Registrant's personal possession or control. (9) The Registrant shall not allow another person to use the Registrant's seal or digital Signature encryption key....(11) When a digital Signature is applied to an Instrument of Service, it must have an electronic authentication process attached to it that is uniquely associated with the Registrant, can be authenticated by the recipient, and is uniquely linked to the underlying documents in a manner that will invalidate the digital Signature if any part of the document is changed.

250 CMR 5.03

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

(2) The seal must be a symbol or image in the form of a rubber stamp, embossed seal or digitized seal (computer generated image), or other form approved by the Board. The outside diameter of the depicted image must be approximately one and one half inches.

250 CMR 5.03

Initial Registration

Form:

Board Application for PE by Examination

Instructions:

First-Time Candidates:

Step 1: Download and read your Candidate Information Bulletin.

Step 2: Create an Account with PCS if you do not already have one. You will receive an email from PCS once you have successfully created your account.

Step 3: Pre-register and pay for your Application after you have logged in if you have not already registered. PCS accepts Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.

Step 4: Download the Board Application for PE by Examination.       

Step 5: Go to your account Home Page and upload your completed Board Application for PE by Examination and all required documents. Board applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The Board does not guarantee entry into any examination date.

First-time Professional Engineer (PE) applicants who wish to sit for a particular examination date must submit their complete application directly to PCS by December 1st for the April examination and by June 1st for the October examination.
All supporting documentation must also be received by PCS by December 1st for the April examination and by June 1st for the October examination.
Reference documentation and Official Transcripts must be sent directly from the designated person/entity listed in the application instructions (e.g. reference forms must be sent by the reference to PCS, transcripts must be sent directly from the university to PCS, etc.).
NOTE: The Board is not looking for entire projects, only a sample of a calculation or drawing that you have stamped and/or personally overseen. Samples can include copies of research notes, field notes, calculations, work sheets, final plans, and reports made by you or under your direction. All supplemental materials should be provided on letter size (8 ½” by 11”) sheets.
Step 6: PCS will process applications, communicate any deficiencies to the applicant and submit completed applications to the Board for approval to sit for the examination. The normal processing time for first time applications is two to four months after receipt of all required documentation.

Step 7: Applicants may not schedule for the examination until approved by the Board. First-time applicants who are Board approved will receive an email notification from PCS with instructions on how to register with NCEES and schedule and pay PCS for their examination. (Board-Approved candidates please see the “NCEES Registration & PCS Scheduling Information” link for more details.)

Step 8: After receiving your approval email from PCS, you must register and schedule your exam with NCEES, including paying required NCEES fees by the deadline.

Step 9: After registering for with NCEES, you must log into your account and pay PCS the required examination fees by the deadline.  (This is separate from your initial application fee.)

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$164 application fee + $150 license fee.

Required Attachments:
  • Transcripts mailed to Professional Credential Services (PCS) in a sealed envelope directly from each college or university that the applicant has attended
  • Six reference questionnaires mailed directly from the reference to Professional Credential Services (PCS), three must be from a Registered Professional Engineers. (See application instructions)
  • Applicants who would like credit for attending colleges outside the United States must have their degree evaluated by NCEES Credentials evaluations services or an evaluation deemed to comply with NCEES educational standards. (See application instructions)
  • A “Request for Verification” form sent directly to Professional Credential Services(PCS) from each non-Massachusettsjurisdiction in which the applicant has taken the NCEES sanctioned Fundamentals Exam, Principles and Practices Exam, or where applicant islicensed/registered. (See application instructions)

Reciprocal Registration

Instructions:

First-Time Candidates:

Step 1: Download and read your Candidate Information Bulletin.

Step 2: Create an Account with PCS if you do not already have one. You will receive an email from PCS once you have successfully created your account.

Step 3: Pre-register and pay for your Application after you have logged in if you have not already registered. PCS accepts Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.

Step 4: Download the Board Application for PE by Comity.

Step 5: Go to your account Home Page and upload your completed Board Application for PE by Comity and all required documents (Non-MLE candidates only). Board applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and the normal processing time for comity applications is two to four months after receipt of all required documentation.

Do not call the MA board office to check the status of your application. For additional information regarding the status of your application, please email: maeng@pcshq.com.
NOTE: The Board is not looking for entire projects, only a sample of a calculation or drawing that you have stamped and/or personally overseen. Samples can include copies of research notes, field notes, calculations, work sheets, final plans, and reports made by you or under your direction. All supplemental materials should be provided on letter size (8 ½” by 11”) sheets.
Step 6: Once the board has made a decision on your approval for a MAPE license, they will notify PCS of the approved candidates. PCS will then email the approved candidates a letter with further licensing information. Candidates not approved will be contacted by the MA board office regarding your status.

Step 7: When approved candidates receive the approval letter, they may log in to their PCS account to pay the licensing fee with either a Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

Step 8: Once the licensing fee has been paid in full, candidates will receive a pocket license and may view their license number within 2 weeks at www.mass.gov.

 

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$164

Notes:
  • Comity applicants must contact NCEES to have their records sent to the Board’s designated processing agency. If the NCEES record is current, the Board will rely upon the NCEES record for references, school transcripts and verification of registration and or examinations. Comity applicants must also fill out the Board’s application form. For Sections 23 thru 27 exclusive, if the information requested on the application form can be found in the NCEES record, make a note on that Section of the application form to see your NCEES record.
  • Comity applicants selecting classification (a) must also indicate which of the additional classifications (b) through (e) they are in compliance with and must submit a current National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) record.
  • Comity applicants must select the engineering Branch that best matches the NCEES exam appearing in their NCEES record.
  • Comity applicants are not required to submit examples of recent work along with the supplied experience table coversheet for each corresponding engagement covered by their NCEES record, except when their NCEES record indicates that they are not a Model Law Engineer (MLE) or if the applicant is requesting registration in a branch of engineering (Section 22) that is not consistent with their education, experience and NCEES exam. The Board may request this additional information for any application. Employment that was not directly related to engineering
    MUST also be included in order to leave no gaps in the complete chronological listing.
Required Attachments:
  • Documentation of experience, e.g. drawings, calculations, field notes, etc
  • A current NCEES record sent directly to the Board from NCEES, who will forward it to Professional Credential Services (PCS) to complete the COMITY application
  •  

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$150

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Massachusetts Professional Land Surveyor License

Agency:Massachusetts Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and of Land Surveyors
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$136 application fee + $150 license fee.

Reciprocal Registration

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$150

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Learn about engineering licensing in other states:

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.