Regulation and licensure in engineering: Difference between revisions

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== Legislative intent ==

It is often illegal for a practicing engineer to jeopardize public safety in any way.<ref>California Professional Engineers Act, Article 2, 6710.1</ref> This means that an engineer must hold herself or himselfadhere to the highest level of technical and moral conduct reasonable or suffer litigation if an engineering system fails causing harm to the public, including maintenance technicians. Breaches of engineering law are often sufficient grounds for enforcement measures, which may include the suspension or loss of license and financial penalties. They may also include imprisonment, should [[gross negligence]] be shown to have playedbeen a partfactor in loss of human life.

An engineering licence provides the public with the assurance that qualified persons are doing or overseeing engineering work. An unlicensed worker or manager has no specific liability, as this is borne by the employer through tort law or engineering legislation, and there is no regulatory authority to enforce acceptable engineering practice in relation to the work.<ref>No Author Listed, FINAL REPORT Repeal of the Industrial Exception Data Gathering and Analysis Research Project, Professional Engineers Ontario, January 2017.</ref>

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== Europe ==

The designation ''[[European Engineer]]'' (Eur Ing, EUR ING) is an international professional qualification and title for highly qualified engineers in many European countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engineerseurope.com/what-eur-ing-certificate|work=engineerseurope.com|title=What Is The Eur Ing Certificate}}</ref> The certificate for this is granted after successful application to a national member of ''Engineers Europe'' (previously named the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI)).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engineerseurope.com/|work= engineerseurope.com|title=Engineers Europe}}</ref> ''Engineers Europe'' includes representation from many European countries, including much of the [[European Union]].

''Engineers Europe'' lobbies and strives to establish the EUR ING as a guarantee of competence for professional engineers. It is not a government or supranational (European Union) authority, but recognized by the EU as an example of self-regulation.

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==== Engineering chambers ====

Engineers offering certain engineering services need to be a member of an engineering chamber (''Ingenieurkammer'') by law. This is most commonly the case for freelance consulting (''Beratender Ingenieur'') activities in construction, but can also be required for other engineering work. A voluntaryVoluntary membership is also possible.

Engineering chambers are self-governedgoverning and provide services for their members.

==== ''Techniker'' ====

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## Graduate with a degree from an accredited program in engineering or applied science, accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).

## Graduate from a non-CEAB program with a minimum of two years education in engineering or a related study area plus the completion of a technical examination program.

# Complete an engineer-in-training (EIT) or engineering internship program under the direction of a professional engineer. With the exception of Quebec, this is a minimum four-year program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oiq.qc.ca/documents/255/A-Cheminement_permis_sept.2010.pdf|title=A Cheminement permis}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

# Review of work experience by the association.

# Pass a professional practice exam,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peo.on.ca/registration/ppe.html |title=Professional Practice Examinations |access-date=2011-01-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430221110/http://peo.on.ca/registration/ppe.html |archive-date=2011-04-30 }}</ref> on [[engineering law]] the content and format of which differs by province.

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===Europe===

* '''''Eur Ing''''' (European engineer) in Europe, used as a pre-nominal (similar to Dr. or Prof.) after being suitably registered in their own country and then accepted by FEANI[[Engineers Europe]].

* '''''Ing.P.Eur''''' (European professional engineer) in Europe, used as a pre-nominal.

* '''''Ing'''.'' (''ingeniero'') in Spain, used as a pre-nominal, for the engineers who have the equivalent to a master's degree as they studied five or six courses in an engineering superior school. There also exists an ''ingeniero técnico'' (''I.T.''), who is a professional that holds a ''degree'' and a minimum formation of three courses in an engineering official college. Both types of engineers have full competency in their respective professional field of engineering, being the difference that the three-year engineers have competence only in their specialty (mechanical, electrical, chemical, etc.) and the "engineering superior school" engineers have wider competences. The [[Bologna process]] changes this structure. The degree will require four courses and the superior engineering school engineers will equal the ones that hold a master's in engineering.

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In the United States, the practice of professional engineering is highly regulated and the title "professional engineer" is legally protected, meaning that it is unlawful to use it to offer engineering services to the public unless permission, certification or other official endorsement is specifically granted by that state through a professional engineering license. Also, many states prohibit unlicensed persons from calling themselves an "engineer" or indicating branches or specialties not covered by the licensing acts.<ref name="tex eng pdf1">{{Cite web |title=Texas Engineering Practice Act and Rules Concerning the Practice of Engineering and Professional Engineering Licensure |url=https://engineers.texas.gov/downloads/lawrules.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613235036/https://engineers.texas.gov/downloads/lawrules.pdf |publisher=The State of Texas |archive-date=13 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 471: Engineering |url=https://fbpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Chapter-471-04.13.15.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012101229/https://fbpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Chapter-471-04.13.15.pdf |archive-date=12 October 2017 |date=12 July 2015 |department=Title XXXII: Regulation of Professions and Occupations |work=The 2015 Florida Statutes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 15. Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors |url=http://sos.ga.gov/plb/acrobat/Laws/09_Professional_Engineers_and_Land_Surveyors.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223001350/http://sos.ga.gov/plb/acrobat/Laws/09_Professional_Engineers_and_Land_Surveyors.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-23 |url-status=dead |department=Title 43. Professions and Businesses |publisher=State of Georgia |access-date=2017-10-12}}</ref> Employees of state or federal agencies may also call themselves engineers if that term appears in their official job title. The [[IEEE]]'s formal position on this is as follows: "The title, engineer and its derivatives should be reserved for those individuals whose education and experience qualify them to practice in a manner that protects public safety. Strict use of the title serves the interest of both the IEEE-USA and the public by providing a recognized designation by which those qualified to practice engineering may be identified."

Every state regulates the practice of engineering to ensure public safety by granting only Professional Engineers (PEs) the authority to sign and seal engineering plans and offer their services to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe|title=What is a PE?|website=nspe.org|access-date=2018-05-17|archive-date=2018-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618125743/https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe|url-status=live}}</ref> There are additional requirements to include at least one professional engineer within the firm for these typetypes of companies to include the word engineering in the title of the business, although these requirements are not universal.

In the United States an "industrial exemption" allows businesses to employ employees and call them an "engineer", as long as such individuals are under the direct supervision and control of the business entity and function internally related to manufacturing (manufactured parts) related to the business entity or work internally within an exempt organization. Such person does not have the final authority to approve or the ultimate responsibility for, engineering designs, plans or specifications that are to be: (A) incorporated into fixed works, systems or facilities on the property of others; or (B) made available to the public. These individuals are prohibited from representing an ability or willingness to perform engineering services or make an engineering judgment requiring a licensed professional engineer, engage in practice of engineering, offer engineering services directly to the public and/or other businesses; unless the business entity is registered with the state's board of engineering and the practice is carried on/supervised directly only by engineers licensed to engage in the practice of engineering.<ref name="tex eng pdf1"/> Examples are [[sanitation engineer]], [[production engineer]], [[test engineer]], [[network engineer]], [[project engineer]], [[systems engineer]] and [[sales engineer]]. These are often seen in engineering job advertisements online and in news papers. Most of the advertisements and employers do not require licensing because these positions do not pose a direct threat to public health or pose a liability danger.