All applicants must meet PEO’s academic and experience requirements and pass the National Professional Practice Exam to be considered for licensure. The information on this page explains the requirements that must be met by those who applied before PEO changed its application process on May 15, 2023. In addition to the information outlined below, you can learn more about PEO’s legacy licensing process by reading the FAQ using the link above.
Academic Requirements
To satisfy PEO’s academic requirements to obtain a professional engineer licence, an applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) or demonstrate that they have equivalent academic qualifications. If the applicant’s engineering program(s) is not CEAB-accredited (non-CEAB), PEO will assess their academic background to determine if it is equivalent.
You can check the list of CEAB engineering programs to see if your program is included by clicking the button below. Please note that the CEAB does not currently recognize post-graduate engineering degree programs.
The information below outlines academic requirements based on whether the applicant graduated from a CEAB-accredited engineering program.
Applicants who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) have satisfied the first step of the licensing process, which is the academic requirement. CEAB applicants must have their postsecondary institution mail their degree transcript with the conferral date directly to PEO.
After confirming that a CEAB applicant has met the academic requirement, they will advance to Step 2 of the licensing process, which is writing the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE).
Applicants who don't have a bachelor's degree in an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) will have their academics assessed to determine whether additional requirements must be satisfied to be equivalent to a CEAB-accredited degree. This may involve a referral to PEO’s Academic Requirements Committee (ARC) for a detailed assessment. The applicant must submit academic documents for the assessment, including transcripts for academic degrees and course descriptions if required.
The minimum educational level required to apply for licensure is:
- A three-year diploma in technology from a college of applied arts and technology,
- A bachelor's degree in a relevant science area, or
- Academic qualifications deemed by PEO’s Council to be equivalent to a diploma or degree.
There are three possible outcomes (A, B or C) to PEO's academic assessment:
A. Based on an ARC assessment, applicants who have met the academic requirement advance to writing the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE).
B. Based on the academic assessment, applicants who have not met PEO’s academic requirements are assigned exam(s) to demonstrate if they have equivalent academic knowledge.
PEO has two streams of technical exam programs:
Confirmatory exam program: The applicant is assigned four exams to confirm that the content of their engineering studies is equivalent to a CEAB-accredited program. If the applicant assigned a confirmatory exam program has more than five years of engineering experience, they may be referred to an experience assessment interview for PEO's academic requirements for licensure to determine whether they demonstrate a practical application of engineering principles through their work experience that is sufficient to warrant waiving the exam program.
Specific exam program: The applicant may be assigned up to 15 exams to address identified gaps in their academic knowledge. This exam program may include basic studies exams, technical exams and complementary studies exams, and it may also include an engineering report to satisfy PEO's academic requirement.
If the applicant has more than five years of engineering experience and is assigned fewer than three exams or has more than 10 years of engineering experience, they may be referred to an experience assessment interview to determine whether they demonstrate a practical application of engineering principles through their work experience sufficient to warrant waiving some or all the assigned exams.
Applicants must complete any assigned basic studies exams first. After completing the basic studies exam(s), the applicant will be assessed and, if eligible, referred to an experience assessment interview for PEO's academic requirements for licensure.
Applicants who have completed a doctoral degree in engineering and were assigned zero basic studies exams may be eligible to be referred to an experience assessment interview for PEO's academic requirements for licensure.
Once confirmed that a non-CEAB applicant has met the academic requirement, they will advance to writing the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE).
C. Based on the academic assessment, applicants who have not met the minimum academic requirement for licensure will be issued a notice of determination to be refused a licence and have their application withdrawn. Please note that PEO fees are non-refundable.
National Professional Practice Exam
The National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE) is a 2.5-hour, closed-book, online exam covering ethics, professional practice, engineering law, and professional liability. All applicants must pass the NPPE within two years after it has been determined they have met the academic requirement for licensing.
Upon completing the NPPE, the applicant must provide information regarding the experience requirement.
Experience Requirement
Demonstrated Competency
We use a competency-based assessment (CBA) model to evaluate engineering experience and determine whether applicants have the knowledge, skills and judgment required for entry into professional practice.
Competencies are observable, measurable skills, knowledge and abilities demonstrated by an applicant’s work experience. Our CBA framework includes 34 competencies across seven categories. CBA supports a fair, transparent and consistent licensing process that focuses on demonstrated competence. It is the standard for experience assessment across professions. All engineering regulators across Canada use CBA to assess readiness for licensure.
To meet our experience requirement and be considered for a licence, all applicants must:
- Pass the CBA and
- Have at least two years of eligible, verifiable experience
Important notes:
- The two-year period begins on the date a recognized four-year Bachelor of Engineering degree is conferred.
- If you don't have a four-year bachelor's degree in engineering, the two-year period begins on the date your master's or doctoral degree in engineering is conferred, or when you complete a program of assigned exams demonstrating your academic qualifications. This applies only to those who applied before May 15, 2023.
- On average, applicants need three to four years of experience to develop demonstrable competence across all competencies required by the CBA, and some may need more than four years.
- We do not require Canadian experience.
- Read our CBA Applicant Guide to ensure you understand our requirements.
Focus on Developing Competence. Review Our CBA Guide.
The CBA is a rigorous evaluation. It’s important to thoroughly review our CBA Applicant Guide to ensure you understand our requirements and how to present your work experience effectively.
Follow our guide’s instructions for completing your experience requirement. It provides guidance on preparing your experience summary and work examples that demonstrate how you’ve developed the skills essential to effective practice and to ensuring public safety. The guide covers:
- Detailed instructions for completing the CBA process
- Roles and responsibilities of applicants, validators and qualification assessors
- Competency rating system
- How to prepare work examples
- Explanations of the 34 competencies and seven categories
Start Documenting Your CBA
Document your experience early. You don't need to wait until you have completed the minimum required years before documenting your experience. You can download the required forms from the “Links” section below.
Once you have completed at least two years of experience and your CBA has been completed and validated, your experience requirement will be complete.
Please email your completed CBA Experience documents to [email protected].
Updated Time Component
On July 1, 2026, we changed the minimum required engineering experience from four to two years. This update changes the minimum time threshold. It does not change our competency-based assessment (CBA) or our licensure standards.
It’s important to note that the update does not mean applicants are automatically eligible for a licence after two years. On average, applicants need three to four years of experience to develop demonstrable competence across all 34 competencies required by the CBA, and some may need more than four years.
For applicants who can demonstrate the required competencies after two years, the updated requirement removes an unnecessary time threshold once competence has been shown.
Changes to Pre-graduate Experience
The update also changes how undergraduate work experience is considered. Specifically, it will no longer count towards the minimum time component, but it can still be applied towards the CBA if it meets the criteria. The two-year period begins on the date a recognized four-year Bachelor of Engineering degree is conferred. For more details, see “How Study-Related Engineering Experience is Considered” on this page.
Learn more about the changes by reading our blog post and time-based experience FAQ page.
How Study-Related Engineering Experience is Considered
Undergraduate work experience obtained before that date, such as through a co-op or internship, does not count toward the two-year minimum. However, it may be applied to the CBA if it meets the required criteria.
Eligible work experience gained during graduate study, such as in a master’s or doctoral program, may count toward both the two-year minimum and the CBA if it meets the criteria. We do not grant experience credit solely for completing a graduate degree.
Only eligible engineering work that meets the CBA criteria will be considered.
Resources
Download the CBA Applicant Guide
Download the CBA P.Eng. Application Form
Download the CBA Experience Records Form
If you were asked to verify an applicant's experience for their CBA, download the Validator Guide
Video: Webinar: Competency-Based Assessment (CBA)
Video: Competency-Based Assessment (CBA): Introduction
Video: Competency-Based Assessment (CBA): Competencies & Categories
Licence Review and Approval
Once the applicant has satisfied all licensing requirements, the Registrar will review and approve granting a P.Eng. licence. After licensing and annual fees are paid, the applicant is licensed as a professional engineer.
Resources
If you are currently enrolled in the Engineering Intern (EIT) program and looking for program details, visit the Engineering Intern program page.
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