Engineering License from California to Nebraska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA) ↗
A PE license transfers from California to Nebraska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA), verify your California license, and meet Nebraska's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record (or by direct verification from the issuing jurisdiction) and are not retaken; however, every comity applicant must also pass an open-book exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act and the Board's rules and regulations before a license is issued.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Nebraska grants PE licensure by comity, so a Professional Engineer licensed in California does not start over — but does file a full Nebraska application. Your California license, ABET degree, qualifying experience, and FE and PE results reach the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA) through your NCEES Record; the board's task is to confirm they meet Nebraska's practice act, not to re-test you. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record (or by direct verification from the issuing jurisdiction) and are not retaken; however, every comity applicant must also pass an open-book exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act and the Board's rules and regulations before a license is issued. Two things govern your timeline: keeping your California license active and unencumbered while the Nebraska application is pending, and clearing any Nebraska-specific exam or statutes review before the license issues.
What changes, California → Nebraska
| California (current) | Nebraska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $175–$250 (Board PE application fee was $175 and rose to $250 effective July 1, 2026 (amended 16 CCR sec. 407); because the 2026-07-21 data date is after that effective date, $250 is the operative amount, though the official fee page still labeled $175 as 'current' at access — confirm the operative amount. Civil applicants also pay the Board's Seismic Principles and Engineering Surveying exam fees ($175 each, rising to $250 each on 7/1/2026). NCEES Record transmittal is $175 first board / $100 each additional, paid separately to NCEES; biennial renewal is $180 (rising to $250 on 7/1/2026)) | $150 (Nebraska comity application fee (an initial-by-exam application is $100). Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES) |
| Processing time | No board-published comity turnaround; the application undergoes technical review and the applicant becomes eligible for any required state-specific exams (offered in limited quarterly windows) only after that review is approved, so total time varies widely | No comity turnaround published. Model Law Engineers on an NCEES Record with no disciplinary issues may receive a conditional license administratively pending formal Board approval; all other applications await full Board review |
| Licensing authority | California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) | Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nebraska sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Nebraska's current requirements on the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a PE license in good standing in at least one other jurisdiction recognized by the Board.
- Hold an EAC/ABET- or CEAB-accredited engineering degree (or meet the NCEES Engineering Education Standard via NCEES Credentials Evaluation), have passed both the FE and PE exams, and have four years of engineering experience after graduation.
- Submit the Engineer License Application (online or paper) with the filing fee, and have exam and license verification sent directly from the issuing jurisdiction(s); an NCEES Council Record may satisfy education, experience, and references.
- Pass the mailed exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act and Board rules before licensure.
- Pay the fees ($150 (Nebraska comity application fee (an initial-by-exam application is $100). Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES)) and allow No comity turnaround published. Model Law Engineers on an NCEES Record with no disciplinary issues may receive a conditional license administratively pending formal Board approval; all other applications await full Board review.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Nebraska accept a California PE license?
A PE license transfers from California to Nebraska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects (BEA), verify your California license, and meet Nebraska's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record (or by direct verification from the issuing jurisdiction) and are not retaken; however, every comity applicant must also pass an open-book exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act and the Board's rules and regulations before a license is issued.
Do I retake the FE or PE exam moving from California to Nebraska?
FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record (or by direct verification from the issuing jurisdiction) and are not retaken; however, every comity applicant must also pass an open-book exam on the Nebraska Engineers and Architects Regulation Act and the Board's rules and regulations before a license is issued.
What does the California-to-Nebraska comity application cost?
$150 (Nebraska comity application fee (an initial-by-exam application is $100). Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES).
Can I keep my California PE license after I'm licensed in Nebraska?
Yes — PE licenses stack. Keep the California license active (its renewal and continuing-education/PDH clock run separately) and you hold both. Engineers working near state lines or nationally routinely carry several PE licenses at once, all sourced from a single NCEES Record.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects — Comity qualifications & application process ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects — Engineer fees ($150 comity, $100 initial) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NCEES — Records Program (comity transmittal fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Application Fees (PE $175, rising to $250 on 7/1/2026; state exam fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Licensee Fee Schedule (renewal $180 -> $250 on 7/1/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — PE Application Instructions (Laws & Rules exam; comity NCEES Record option) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Professional Engineer Application overview (comity applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]