Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 45, November 8, 2024
Section 7-1-3 - EI and PE Applications3.1. Types of Applications.3.1.a. PE Application. A person applying to the Board for registration as a Professional Engineer shall pass the FE and PE examinations in accordance with § 7-1-5.2 and § 7-1-5.3 of these rules and submit to the Board a completed application on forms prescribed by the Board.3.1.b. EI Application. A person applying to the Board for certification as an Engineer Intern shall pass the FE examination in accordance with § 7-1-5.3 of these rules and submit to the Board a completed application on forms prescribed by the Board.3.2. Criteria for Applications. 3.2.a. The Board shall only consider applications completed in accordance with § 7-1-3.4 of these rules.3.2.b. EI Certification. The Board shall accept applications for EI certification from persons who meet all of the requirements of W. Va. Code § 30-13-13. 3.2.b.1. A person with a baccalaureate degree from a Board-approved curriculum as defined in § 7-1-3.5(a) of these rules who has passed the FE examination may apply for certification as an EI.3.2.b.2. An EI applicant who graduated from a four-year engineering technology program accredited by the TAC/ABET may only be certified as an EI after the applicant has presented evidence of two (2) years of work experience in accordance with § 7-1-3.6 of this rule.3.3. Applications Generally. 3.3.a. Form of Applications. Applications shall be completely filled out on forms prescribed and provided by the Board. It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit to the Board a completed application package as set forth in this section.3.3.b. Translations. All foreign language documentation shall be accompanied by translations certified to be accurate by a competent authority recognized by the Board.3.3.c. Submission under Oath. All applications made to this Board shall be subscribed and sworn to before a Notary Public or other persons qualified to administer oaths on the forms used by the applicant.3.3.d. Staff Review of Applications. The Board staff shall review the submitted application package and shall notify the applicant if the package is not complete as set forth in § 7-1-3.4 below. The Board shall not act upon an application until the applicant has submitted a completed application package. Upon such submission, the Board shall act in accordance with § 7-1-4.3.3.e. Confidentiality of Applications. References and transcripts received in accordance with § 7-1-3.7 of these rules shall be kept confidential, and the Board shall place all such confidential records regarding the qualifications of an applicant in files that are considered non-public records. The Board shall not divulge the source and character of the information except in special cases when required by law.3.3.f. Retention of Applications. The Board shall make copies of all approved applications which show the name, date of birth, the date of application, education, experience and other qualifications of the applicant, the examination required of the applicant, and the Board granted registration or certification notice. The Board shall store the duplicate copies of these records and one copy shall be stored in fireproof and secure facilities.3.4. Completed Application Package. 3.4.a. Definition. A completed application package shall include the following: 3.4.a.1. The requisite education as set forth in § 7-1-3.5 of these rules, which education shall be obtained prior to the time of submitting the application;3.4.a.2. The requisite work experience as set forth in § 7-1-3.6 of these rules, which experience shall be obtained prior to the time of submitting the application;3.4.a.3. The references required in § 7-1-3.7 of these rules;3.4.a.4. One (1) passport-like photo taken within six (6) months of the date of application;3.4.a.5. Such fee(s) as are required in § 7-1-13.4 of these rules, including the non-refundable application fee.3.4.a.6. Verification of passage of the FE and PE exams.3.4.b. The Board shall accept an application for PE registration that includes the documented NCEES Record properly executed and issued with verification by NCEES in lieu of that portion of the application form prescribed by the Board.3.4.c. Specific application requirements. 3.4.c.1. Comity Applicant. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, comity applicants shall also provide verification of current registration in a jurisdiction where they currently live and/or work.3.4.c.2. Foreign Degree Applicants. In addition to the requirements set forth in this section, applicants with degrees from foreign schools shall also meet the requirements set forth in subsection 3.5.c.3.5. Education. 3.5.a. Board-approved curricula. The term "a graduate of a curriculum of four years or more approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing" used in W. Va. Code § 30-13-13(a)(5) is interpreted by this Board to mean a person who has: 3.5.a.1. a Baccalaureate Degree in Engineering from a school whose curricula are accredited by ABET at the time of the awarding of the degree;3.5.a.2. a Baccalaureate Degree in Engineering Technology from a school whose curricula is accredited by ABET/TAC at the time of the awarding of the degree;3.5.a.3. a Baccalaureate Degree in Engineering from a school whose curricula is evaluated by the Board and found to be of a high quality essentially equal to those curricula which are accredited by ABET;3.5.a.4. a Baccalaureate Degree from a school whose curricula is evaluated by the Board and found to be of a high quality essentially equal to those curricula which are accredited by ABET, in addition to a Master's and/or Ph.D. in Engineering from a school whose undergraduate program in that engineering area is accredited by ABET.3.5.b. Transcripts. Upon graduation, it is the responsibility of the applicant to have transcripts of all college grades sent directly from the school or college to the Board with the signature of the proper school officer and the official seal of the school.3.5.c. Degrees from Non-ABET-Accredited Foreign Institutions. All applicants with an undergraduate degree from a non-ABET-accredited foreign institution shall comply with one of the following: 3.5.c.1. If an applicant receives only a Baccalaureate degree in Engineering from a foreign institution not accredited by ABET, he or she shall submit a foreign degree evaluation. An applicant who is required to submit a foreign degree evaluation shall use NCEES or such other evaluation service as may be approved by the Board.3.5.c.2. If an applicant receives a Baccalaureate degree in Engineering or related curricula from a foreign institution not accredited by ABET, and Master's and/or Ph.D. degree in Engineering from an institution whose undergraduate program is ABET accredited, the Board may review the applicant's transcripts and waive the requirement to submit a foreign degree evaluation.3.6. Employment; work experience. Employment and work experience verifications are the responsibility of the applicant and shall be submitted on forms supplied by the Board as part of the completed application package. 3.6.a. Requirements. 3.6.a.1. Number of Years. A PE applicant who has earned the degree described in § 7-1-3.5(a)(1) or § 7-1-3.5(a)(3) shall demonstrate that he or she has obtained a minimum of four (4) years of experience satisfactory to the Board. A PE applicant who has earned the degree described in § 7-1-3.5(a)(2) shall demonstrate that he or she has obtained a minimum of six (6) years of experience satisfactory to the Board.3.6.b. Satisfactory Experience. 3.6.b.1. The applicant's experience on engineering projects shall be broad in scope in his or her branch/discipline and progressive in that it was of increasing quality and required greater responsibility.3.6.b.2. The experience should be under the supervision of a registered Professional Engineer. If not, the applicant shall explain why the Board should consider the experience acceptable.3.6.b.3. Upon review of the completed application package, the Board may credit experience based on the following: 3.6.b.3.A. Armed Services. Experience gained in the Armed Services shall be of a character equivalent to that which would have been gained in the civilian sector doing similar work. A good indicator of equivalence is that the applicant while in the Armed Services served in an engineering or engineering-related group.3.6.b.3.B. Sales or supervision. For sales experience or construction supervision experience to be satisfactory, the applicant shall prove that engineering principles were required and used while gaining this experience.3.6.b.3.C. Teaching. The Board may classify the teaching of courses in ABET-approved programs as satisfactory experience.3.6.b.3.D. Research. The Board may credit experience gained in the performing of engineering research or projects if the applicant at the time was a member of an engineering faculty or higher at an institution with a Board-approved curricula as defined in § 7-1-3.5(a).3.6.b.3.E. Graduate Studies. The Board may credit an applicant who has followed Board-approved curricula as defined in § 7-1-3.5(a) with a Master's degree in engineering with one year's experience. If such applicant follows the Master's degree in engineering with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in engineering, the Board may credit the applicant with an additional year of experience. If the Doctor of Philosophy degree is obtained without the Master's degree, the applicant may be credited with two years of experience.3.6.c. Verifications. The verifications shall include the following: 3.6.c.1. Time Period. The Board shall consider only the experience an applicant obtains after he or she graduates from a Board-approved curriculum.3.6.c.2. Documentation. An applicant shall provide a detailed description of the nature of the work and duties he or she has performed on forms supplied by the Board. The applicant shall account for all employment or work experience for the period of time that has elapsed since graduation from the Board-approved curriculum. If the applicant was not employed or was employed in other kinds of work, he or she should indicate this in the experience record.3.7. References. 3.7.a. It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply all references on forms supplied by the Board. A PE applicant shall submit satisfactory references from five individuals, three of whom shall be professional engineers having personal knowledge of the applicant's engineering experience and ability. Also, the applicant should preferably include in the references individuals familiar with the applicant's experience noted in the employment section of the application. An EI applicant shall submit at least three satisfactory character references.3.7.b. An applicant may not use a relative or a current Board member as a reference.3.7.c. An applicant shall provide each individual being used as a reference with the Board-approved reference form. The reference form shall be returned to the applicant in a signed, sealed envelope to be included in the applicant's completed application package.