SECTION 133.61. Engineering Examinations Required for a License to Practice as a Professional Engineer

(a) Applicants are required to take two written experience and knowledge examinations, furnished and graded by the NCEES or by the board, or request a waiver of such examinations pursuant to §133.69 of this chapter (relating to Waiver of Examinations), and the Texas Engineering Professional Conduct and Ethics examination, furnished and graded by the board.

(b) All examinations shall be in the English language.

(c) Experience and knowledge examinations may be a Fundamentals of Engineering examination and a Principles and Practice of Engineering examination prepared by the NCEES or equivalent as determined by the board.

(d) The board shall publish examination information which shall include at least the following:

(1) the places where the examinations shall be held;

(2) the dates of the examinations;

(3) the deadline date for an examinee to schedule an examination, if applicable;

(4) fees for each examination; and

(5) types of examinations offered.

(e) Examinations may be scheduled by timely submission of registration information in a format specified by the Board with the appropriate examination fee.

(f) Individuals who plan to take an examination must have their registration completed by the close of regular business on the date established by the applicable examination schedule.

(g) Applicants providing an official verification from NCEES or an NCEES member board certifying that they have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering and/or Principle and Practices of Engineering examination(s) in that state shall not be required to take the examination(s) again.

(h) Examination registration fees may be collected by the board or a contracted exam administrator and shall be refunded or transferred to future examination administrations in accordance with established board or exam administrator policy and if approved by the executive director.

(i) Examination candidates who have been called into active U.S. military duty or who are re-assigned military personnel and will not be available to sit for an examination may request an extension of the approved examination period defined in §133.67 of this chapter (relating to Examination on the Principles and Practice of Engineering). Such candidates shall submit adequate documentation, including copies of orders, and a request to extend the approved examination period to the board. The candidate shall notify the board of their availability to resume the examination period within 60 days of release from active duty or when they are deployed to a location that provides a board approved examination.

(j) All examinations shall be administered to applicants with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments. Special accommodations can be provided for examinees with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit life activities.

(1) Any individual with a disability who wishes to request special accommodations must submit an official request and supporting medical documentation in a format specified by the contracted exam administrator that has been generated by an appropriate licensed health care professional.

(2) The request must be submitted prior to the exam registration deadline established by the contracted exam administrator.

(3) The board or the contracted exam administrator may request additional documentation to substantiate a request for special accommodations.

(4) The requestor will be notified of approval of the request or reason for denial of the request by the board or contracted exam administrator.

(k) Pursuant to Texas Occupations Code §54.002, if an examination candidate's religious beliefs prevent the candidate from taking an examination on a religious holy day that conflicts with the normally scheduled examination date, the candidate shall submit a request to the contracted exam administrator and the board to take the examination on an alternate date.

(l) Upon successful passage of the experience and knowledge examinations, or being granted a waiver of one or both examinations pursuant to §133.69 of this chapter (relating to Waiver of Examinations), an applicant shall be considered to have met the examination requirements for licensure as a professional engineer in Texas.

Source Note: The provisions of this §133.61 adopted to be effective May 20, 2004, 29 TexReg 4873; amended to be effective June 13, 2010, 35 TexReg 4714; amended to be effective September 13, 2011, 36 TexReg 5842; amended to be effective September 9, 2012, 37 TexReg 6913; amended to be effective December 17, 2013, 38 TexReg 9042; amended to be effective May 1, 2016, 41 TexReg 1838