WSR 26-14-076 (26-14)

BOARD OF REGISTRATION

FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

[Filed June 29, 2026, 7:38 a.m., effective August 1, 2026]

Effective Date of Rule: August 1, 2026.

Purpose: Amendments to chapter 196-20 WAC allow individuals to take the national council of examiners for engineering and surveying fundamentals of engineering (FE) exam at any time. Requirements to be approved for the exam were repealed. Amendments to RCW allow the board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors to decouple the experience requirement to take the FE exam before meeting the required years of engineering experience for certification. This separates the timing of the exam from the experience requirement. However, experience requirements must be met before applicants can get certified.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 196-20-010 and 196-20-045; and amending WAC 196-20-005 and 196-20-007.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.43.035.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 26-11-036 on May 18, 2026.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 2.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 2.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 2.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 2.

Date Adopted: June 25, 2026.

Chapter 196-20 WAC

((FUNDAMENTALS OF ENGINEERING EXAM AND ENGINEERS))ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING CERTIFICATION

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-22-093, filed 11/2/21, effective 12/3/21)

WAC 196-20-005Declaration and purpose.

This chapter contains rules and procedures for applications and eligibility to ((take the fundamentals of engineering examination and to apply for))obtain an engineer-in-training certificate.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-22-093, filed 11/2/21, effective 12/3/21)

WAC 196-20-007Fundamentals of engineering ((exam))certificate requirements.

((Approval to sit for the fundamentals-of-engineering examination (FE) is based upon satisfactory evidence that))To obtain an engineer-in-training certificate, the applicant ((has completed))must submit an application form and applicable fees to the board, have passed the fundamentals of engineering examination, and have a minimum of four years of practical engineering experience or four years of engineering education or a combination of both, as approved by the board.

(1) Practical work experience: Qualifying practical experience should include some or all of the following:

(a) Preparation of technical reports and specifications, including graphics;

(b) Application of mathematical techniques to problem solving;

(d) Performing assignments, experiments and tests to general specifications;

(e) Compilation and interpretation of data (statistical analysis, etc.);

(f) Executing engineering tasks according to instructions;

(g) Effective communication with associates and presenting recommendations and conclusions to supervisor;

(h) Knowledge of the impacts of the products of technology on society (i.e., energy/environmental considerations).

(2) Verification of practical work experience.

(a) Practical work experience must be verified by an engineer(s) licensed in a board approved jurisdiction, or as otherwise approved by the board.

(b) The verifier must have directly supervised the applicant's technical work and have personal knowledge of the applicant's engineering experience.

(c) Exception. The board may allow verification by an unlicensed engineer(s) if the applicant's practical work experience was performed while in the manufacturing or industrial sector, with the federal government, or an active member of the military.

Any exceptions to the verifier license requirement will be at the discretion of the board.

(3)Education: A baccalaureate degree in engineering from an EAC ABET accredited program meets the four-year requirement. Other education will be evaluated by the board pursuant to WAC 196-12-021. Official transcripts must be submitted to NCEES for verification before education will be considered by the board. Transcripts from non-ABET accredited schools may require degree evaluation as determined by the board.

(((3) Any qualifying practical engineering experience may be combined with education to meet the four-year requirement as approved by the board.

(4) Approval to take the FE exam cannot be relied upon for approval to take the professional engineer (PE) examination.))

The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:

Fundamentals-of-engineering exam registration process.

Obtaining certification as an engineer-in-training in Washington.

WAC 196-20-010	Fundamentals-of-engineering exam registration process.
WAC 196-20-045	Obtaining certification as an engineer-in-training in Washington.