Engineering License from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) ↗
A PE license transfers from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; the District has no separate jurisprudence exam, but it will not waive the Fundamentals of Engineering exam requirement in lieu of experience, even for long-licensed comity applicants.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
District of Columbia grants PE licensure by comity, so a Professional Engineer licensed in Pennsylvania does not start over — but does file a full District of Columbia application. Your Pennsylvania license, ABET degree, qualifying experience, and FE and PE results reach the District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) through your NCEES Record; the board's task is to confirm they meet District of Columbia's practice act, not to re-test you. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; the District has no separate jurisprudence exam, but it will not waive the Fundamentals of Engineering exam requirement in lieu of experience, even for long-licensed comity applicants. Two things govern your timeline: keeping your Pennsylvania license active and unencumbered while the District of Columbia application is pending, and clearing any District of Columbia-specific exam or statutes review before the license issues.
What changes, Pennsylvania → District of Columbia
| Pennsylvania (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $50 (Certification, licensure or registration application fee (49 Pa. Code 37.17(b)); a provisional endorsement license may be issued while remaining requirements are completed. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES.) | $65 (Application fee; a separate license fee of $120 (valid up to two years) is due on approval. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES) |
| Processing time | 4–6 weeks (Pennsylvania advises allowing approximately 4 to 6 weeks for initial review of an application submitted through pals.pa.gov.) | DLCP publishes no endorsement turnaround; the Board accepts the NCEES Record and reviews applications filed through the online Occupational and Professional licensing system (Access DC) |
| Licensing authority | State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists | District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active PE license in another U.S. jurisdiction based on comparable qualifications.
- Have NCEES transmit your Credentialing (NCEES) Record to the Board and file the online Occupational and Professional application.
- Provide five professional references, at least three of them licensed PEs familiar with your work.
- Document a 4-year ABET-accredited engineering degree and four years of qualifying experience (foreign degrees require an approved evaluation).
- Pay the fees ($65 (Application fee; a separate license fee of $120 (valid up to two years) is due on approval. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES)) and allow DLCP publishes no endorsement turnaround; the Board accepts the NCEES Record and reviews applications filed through the online Occupational and Professional licensing system (Access DC).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a Pennsylvania PE license?
A PE license transfers from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; the District has no separate jurisprudence exam, but it will not waive the Fundamentals of Engineering exam requirement in lieu of experience, even for long-licensed comity applicants.
Do I retake the FE or PE exam moving from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia?
FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; the District has no separate jurisprudence exam, but it will not waive the Fundamentals of Engineering exam requirement in lieu of experience, even for long-licensed comity applicants.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-District of Columbia comity application cost?
$65 (Application fee; a separate license fee of $120 (valid up to two years) is due on approval. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES).
Can I keep my Pennsylvania PE license after I'm licensed in District of Columbia?
Yes — PE licenses stack. Keep the Pennsylvania 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.
- DC DLCP - Board of Professional Engineers (endorsement requirements and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NCEES - Records Program (comity licensure) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 37 (fees 37.17; licensure by endorsement 37.20) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Dept. of State - Engineers, Land Surveyors, Geologists board ↗ (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]