Engineering License from Washington to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions) ↗
A PE license transfers from Washington to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions), verify your Washington license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; endorsement requires that your original license was issued upon a written examination equivalent to New York's, and there is no state jurisprudence exam; note that New York will not accept professional experience self-endorsed by the applicant, so the NCEES Record must be verified before transmission.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
New York grants PE licensure by comity, so a Professional Engineer licensed in Washington does not start over — but does file a full New York application. Your Washington license, ABET degree, qualifying experience, and FE and PE results reach the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions) through your NCEES Record; the board's task is to confirm they meet New York's practice act, not to re-test you. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; endorsement requires that your original license was issued upon a written examination equivalent to New York's, and there is no state jurisprudence exam; note that New York will not accept professional experience self-endorsed by the applicant, so the NCEES Record must be verified before transmission. Two things govern your timeline: keeping your Washington license active and unencumbered while the New York application is pending, and clearing any New York-specific exam or statutes review before the license issues.
What changes, Washington → New York
| Washington (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $110 (Washington PE comity registration application fee is $110 (payable to the Department of Licensing; includes license and wall certificate). Biennial renewal is $128. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid to NCEES.) | $377 (NY fee for licensure and first registration is $377 (the same fee applies to the endorsement pathway); transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES) |
| Processing time | ~4 weeks (BRPELS issues new licenses the first week of each month and asks applicants to contact the office only if more than 4 weeks have passed; transmitting an NCEES Record is the preferred, faster path but does not generate automatic approval.) | The NYSED Office of the Professions does not publish a comity/endorsement processing time on its engineering pages |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BRPELS), Washington State Department of Licensing | New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a PE license or certificate from another U.S. state or jurisdiction issued upon a written examination equivalent to New York's.
- Meet all New York licensure requirements except examination, including professional education and satisfactory experience.
- Submit Form 1 and have NCEES transmit your verified NCEES Record to the Department (or file Form 2 certification of education and Form 3 verification of out-of-state licensure and examination).
- Be of good moral character.
- Pay the fees ($377 (NY fee for licensure and first registration is $377 (the same fee applies to the endorsement pathway); transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES)) and allow The NYSED Office of the Professions does not publish a comity/endorsement processing time on its engineering pages.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New York accept a Washington PE license?
A PE license transfers from Washington to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology (NYSED Office of the Professions), verify your Washington license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; endorsement requires that your original license was issued upon a written examination equivalent to New York's, and there is no state jurisprudence exam; note that New York will not accept professional experience self-endorsed by the applicant, so the NCEES Record must be verified before transmission.
Do I retake the FE or PE exam moving from Washington to New York?
FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken; endorsement requires that your original license was issued upon a written examination equivalent to New York's, and there is no state jurisprudence exam; note that New York will not accept professional experience self-endorsed by the applicant, so the NCEES Record must be verified before transmission.
What does the Washington-to-New York comity application cost?
$377 (NY fee for licensure and first registration is $377 (the same fee applies to the endorsement pathway); transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 for the first board and $100 for each additional board, paid separately to NCEES).
Can I keep my Washington PE license after I'm licensed in New York?
Yes — PE licenses stack. Keep the Washington 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.
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Engineering License Requirements (endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Engineering License Application Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NCEES — Records Program (comity licensure) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- BRPELS — Professional Engineer by Comity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- BRPELS — Fees (PE comity $110; PE renewal $128) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NCEES — Records Program (comity licensure; $175 first board / $100 each additional) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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