Engineering License from Pennsylvania to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) ↗
A PE license transfers from Pennsylvania to Oregon by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Oregon's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; Oregon requires no general state-specific exam for a comity PE applicant, though OSBEELS administers its own examinations for the PE-Forest and Photogrammetry disciplines specifically.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Oregon grants PE licensure by comity, so a Professional Engineer licensed in Pennsylvania does not start over — but does file a full Oregon application. Your Pennsylvania license, ABET degree, qualifying experience, and FE and PE results reach the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) through your NCEES Record; the board's task is to confirm they meet Oregon's practice act, not to re-test you. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; Oregon requires no general state-specific exam for a comity PE applicant, though OSBEELS administers its own examinations for the PE-Forest and Photogrammetry disciplines specifically. Two things govern your timeline: keeping your Pennsylvania license active and unencumbered while the Oregon application is pending, and clearing any Oregon-specific exam or statutes review before the license issues.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Oregon
| Pennsylvania (current) | Oregon (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.) | $400 (Registration application fee (OAR 820-080-0010); add $35 per additional branch of engineering sought. 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.) | 8–16 weeks (OSBEELS states applications generally take 2 to 4 months depending on when the application is received relative to board meeting schedules.) |
| Licensing authority | State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists | Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Oregon's current requirements on the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Oregon has no separate reciprocity application; it registers an already-licensed out-of-state PE without re-testing if the applicant meets Oregon's registration requirements.
- Apply through the MyOSBEELS portal; an NCEES Record satisfies the education, exam, experience, and reference sections of the application.
- Hold an EAC/ABET-accredited bachelor's degree plus qualifying progressive experience (commonly four years).
- Provide professional references verifying qualifying engineering experience.
- Pay the fees ($400 (Registration application fee (OAR 820-080-0010); add $35 per additional branch of engineering sought. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES.)) and allow 8–16 weeks (OSBEELS states applications generally take 2 to 4 months depending on when the application is received relative to board meeting schedules.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Oregon accept a Pennsylvania PE license?
A PE license transfers from Pennsylvania to Oregon by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Oregon's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; Oregon requires no general state-specific exam for a comity PE applicant, though OSBEELS administers its own examinations for the PE-Forest and Photogrammetry disciplines specifically.
Do I retake the FE or PE exam moving from Pennsylvania to Oregon?
FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; Oregon requires no general state-specific exam for a comity PE applicant, though OSBEELS administers its own examinations for the PE-Forest and Photogrammetry disciplines specifically.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Oregon comity application cost?
$400 (Registration application fee (OAR 820-080-0010); add $35 per additional branch of engineering sought. 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 Oregon?
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.
- OSBEELS - Applications (Obtaining a License) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OSBEELS - FAQ: Obtaining a License (registration without re-testing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OAR 820-080-0010 - OSBEELS 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]