Nationally, an engineer cannot become licensed or offer his Professional Engineering services to the public until he has successfully passed the Professional Engineering (PE) Exam. Requirements for eligibility to take this exam vary from state to state. Generally, it takes a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited engineering institution and four years of work experience in the engineering field to sit for the PE Exam. Prior to taking the PE Exam the applicant must have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam. If a potential applicant for the PE Exam does not meet the four-year degree requirement, he can waive The Bachelor's Degree prerequisite if he is sponsored by a Professional Engineer and has the years of engineering work experience required by his state. The PE Exam is divided into two parts. The first half consists of a test of breadth requirements for his particular discipline. Engineering disciplines can include chemical, computer, nuclear, petroleum, Naval architecture and marine engineering, mechanical, structural and more. The second half of the PE Exam is comprised of more specific testing on the potential PE's particular engineering specialty. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is the agency responsible for administering the PE Exam. It is given two times a year -- in April and October. Normally it takes from eight to ten weeks to receive the results of the PE Exam. They are available online and can be received through the U.S. Mail. It is highly advisable that anyone considering taking the PE Exam complete a PE Exam prep course prior to the test. These prep courses are available online and in-person through the NCEES. The cost of the PE Exam changes at various times from area to area. Roughly, it is in the neighborhood of $350. Because of the cost of the exam, it is prudent for a potential PE Exam taker to undergo a PE Exam prep course prior to taking the actual PE Exam. The goal is to pass the PE Exam the first time it is taken. The PE Exam is broken into two four-hour sessions. The first and morning session is a test of the breadth knowledge of the engineering discipline being tested for. Then there is a break for lunch and the afternoon test session consisting of the more intricate aspects of the particular PE specialty.