50-State Engineering Licensing Compliance Guide
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Minnesota Engineering Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for engineering industry firms and individuals in Minnesota.

This page provides an overview of engineering industry licensing in Minnesota for individuals and firms. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

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Company Licenses

Minnesota Engineering Company Licenses

Minnesota Professional Firm Registration

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)
Law:

MN St. § 326.14

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Professional Corporations
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Partnerships

Business Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and other entities may provide work of an architectural or engineering character but are not required to register as a firm.

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:

PCs, PLLCs, and PLLPs:

  • Ownership interest in the corporation can be held only by licensed design professionals, other entities authorized to provide at least one of the same professional services, a voting trust if all voting trustees are licensed design professionals, or an employee stock ownership plan where all voting trustees are design professionals.

Other entity types:

  • A licensed individual must be appointed in responsible charge of professional services rendered by the firm, but the individual need not be an officer or owner.
Notes:
  • This registration is only issued to professional entities and does not apply to standard business entities.
  • Minnesota does not issue a license number. Firm registrations are listed by name only and can be verified by contacting the board by phone or email.

Automatic Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:

Non-professional entities such as business corporations and LLCs are generally exempt from this registration requirement.

Initial Registration

Form:

Professional Firm Registration Application

Instructions:
  1. A completed Firm Registration Application.This application must be signed by an individual whoholds a current license/certificate from the Board, and
    is an owner or employee of the professional firm.
  2. The application also requires that you list all owners/those with governance authority.
    1. "Governance authority" means the authority and responsibility to:determine important policies for a professional firm;
      superintend the professional firm’s overall operations; and
      maintain general, active management of and ultimate control over all matters involving professional judgment. (MN Statute 319B.02.9)
  3. A copy of your Articles of Incorporation (for Minnesota firms) or Certificate of Authority (for non-Minnesota—otherwise known as "foreign"—firms) from the Minnesota Secretary of State website or call 651-296-2803.
    1. Be sure to include not just the page signed by the Secretary of State but also the page that notes your "Professional Status"/319B election.
      $100.00 filing fee (Make the check payable to the “MN Board of AELSLAGID”).
Filing Method:

Mail

Agency Fee:

$100

Turnaround:

7 to 10 business days after successful filing and payment

Law:

MN Statute 319B

Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Identify a Minnesota licensed design professional, who is a full-time employee, to be in responsible charge of the firm's professional design activities in the state.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Identify a Minnesota licensed design professional, who is a full-time employee, to be in responsible charge of the firm's professional design activities in the state.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File entity formation documents with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  2. Obtain a copy of your approved entity formation documents to file with the firm registration application.
  3. File a Professional Firm Registration Application with the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. File foreign qualification documents with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  2. Obtain a copy of your approved foreign qualification documents to file with the firm registration application.
  3. File a Professional Firm Registration Application with the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design.
Required Attachments:
  • A copy of your Articles of Incorporation or your Certificate of Authority (after foreign qualifying)
  • A list of owners and individuals with "governance authority" 
    • Someone who determines important policies for the firm
    • Someone who oversees the firm's overall operations
    • Someone who maintains the general, active management of and ultimate control over matters involving professional judgment

Registration Renewal

Form:

Professional Firm Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or Online

Agency Fee:

$25

Due:

Annually by December 31.

Required Attachments:
  • List of directors, officers, managers, or members of the firm including addresses (only required if there were changes)
  • Updated copy of articles of incorporation or certificate of authority (if changes have occurred)

Amendment

Agency Fee:

$0

Notes:

Notify the board of changes via phone or email.

Reinstatement

Form:

Professional Firm Renewal Form

Agency Fee:

$25 for each year expired.

Notes:

Licenses that have been expired for longer than 4 years cannot be reinstated and the licensee should instead apply for a new license.

Individual Licenses

Minnesota Individual Engineering Licenses

Minnesota Geologist-in-Training Certificate

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Fundamentals of Geology

Agency Fee:

$25 application fee + $200 exam fee.

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Minnesota Land Surveyor License

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)

Exam Application

Form:

Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) and Minnesota Land Surveying Exam Application

Agency Fee:

$75

Notes:

There are separate fees for the exams.

Initial Registration

Agency Fee:

$120

Notes:

After passing all 3 exams, applicants are notified by mail how to apply for a license.

Reciprocal Registration

Registration Renewal

Form:

Renewal Form

Agency Fee:

$120

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Minnesota Land Surveyor-in-Training Certificate

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)

Initial Registration

Form:

Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) Exam Application

Agency Fee:

$25

Notes:

There is a separate fee for the fundamentals exam.

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Surveyor-in-Training certificates do not expire.

Minnesota Professional Engineer License

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)
Exam Required?Yes
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

A stamp, printed signature, or electronically created signature has the same force and effect as an actual signature if it creates an accurate depiction of the licensed or certified professional's actual signature.

MN Stat. § 326.12

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

The certification and signature may be electronic, as defined by Minnesota Statutes, section 325L.02, paragraph (h); facsimile; or digital.

Minnesota Admin Rules 1800.4200

Initial Registration

Form:

Principles & Practice of Engineering Exam Application

Instructions:
  • In general, applicants for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam or the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam must hold an EAC-ABET accredited engineering degree or its equivalent. Those attending but not yet graduated from an EAC-ABET accredited engineering program may sit early for the FE Exam when the requirements in MN Rule 1800.2500 Subp. 2 are met.
  • If your degree is not EAC-ABET accredited, you will need to have your education evaluated. You must use one of the two evaluation companies listed below. Request a Subject Analysis Evaluation. This evaluation type is required; other evaluation types will not be accepted. The original evaluation report must be sent directly from the evaluation service to the Minnesota Board, either by US mail or electronically.
  • In most instances, applicants must first pass the FE Exam and then the PE Exam in order to be considered for licensure (although the FE Exam can be waived under certain conditions—see MN Rule 1800.2800). Both exams are administered by the NCES
  • To determine how to sit for the FE, read the education description below that matches your situation.
    • Situtation 1 - EAC-ABET accredited bachelors degree (or within 32 semester credits of graduation with such a degree) or EAC-ABET accredited graduate degree (or have earned 24 semester credits towards such a degree): Register directly with NCEES.
    • Situation 2  - Non-EAC-ABET accredited degree (including graduate degree in a discipline where the bachelors degree in same discipline is EAC-ABET accredited) or foreign degree: You must first apply to the Board for approval to register with NCEES for the FE as a Minnesota candidate. Use the FE application packet
Agency Fee:

$75 exam fee + $120 license fee.

Reciprocal Registration

Instructions:
  • If you already hold a license in another jurisdiction or took the required exams in another jurisdiction, use Online Services to apply for a license in Minnesota. There are two means by which to apply; both are available through Online Services—you select your choice within Online Services.
    • Comity applications are reviewed based on the education, examination and experience requirements that were in place in Minnesota at the time of your original licensure. (For example: If you were originally licensed in 1998, your credentials will be evaluated based on the education, examination and experience requirements that were in place in Minnesota in 1998). Your required experience must have been obtained prior to passing the PE exam and it must be verified by whomever was your supervisor at that time.
    • EEE (Education, Examination, and Experience) applications are reviewed based on licensure requirements currently in place in Minnesota. This application method is for those who did not obtain all of their experience prior to passing the PE exam or who are unable to verify experience obtained prior to the exam. Those who wish to request a waiver of the FE exam must also apply by EEE. Applicants may submit verified experience that was obtained after passing the PE exam to meet the minimum experience requirement.
  • To document that you have met all requirement, you can either submit an NCEES Record (your answer to one of the application questions) or complete the "Education" and "Experience" sections of the online application
  • If you choose not to send an NCEES Record, you'll see—once you submit payment—additional forms to complete and instructions to follow in the "Documents" section of the online application, including Experience Reference forms that you must sign and send to the appropriate supervisor(s). The completed Experience form must be sent by the supervisor directly to the Board. An example of a completed Experience form is in the Additional Resources section.
  • If you choose not to send an NCEES Record, you will also need to have your exam scores, proof of licensure in another state, and evidence of meeting the education requirements (transcripts or an education evaluation). Again, see the "Documents" section.
  • Whether or not you submit an NCEES Record, refer to the "Documents" section for additional instructions and updates on the status of your application.
Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$120

Due:

 June 30th of every even-numbered year.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$120 + $2.50 credit card fee per license

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Minnesota Professional Geologist License

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

A stamp, printed signature, or electronically created signature has the same force and effect as an actual signature if it creates an accurate depiction of the licensed or certified professional's actual signature.

MN Stat. § 326.12

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

The certification and signature may be electronic, as defined by Minnesota Statutes, section 325L.02, paragraph (h); facsimile; or digital.

Minnesota Admin Rules 1800.4200

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Professional Geologist

Agency Fee:

$75 application fee + $250 exam fee + $120 license fee due after approval of application.

Reciprocal Registration

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$120

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Minnesota Professional Soil Scientist License

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)

Initial Registration

Form:

Practice of Soil Science Exam Application

Agency Fee:

$75 application fee + $195 exam fee + $120 license fee due after approval of application.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$120

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years.

Minnesota Soil Scientist-in-Training Certificate

Agency:Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID)

Initial Registration

Form:

Fundamentals of Soil Science Exam Application

Agency Fee:

$25 application fee + $195 exam fee.

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Learn about engineering licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Design Firm - Engineering firm registration is sometimes grouped with architecture and land surveying on a single “design firm” application form.

EI (Engineering Intern) - A term also used to describe an Engineer in Training.

EIT (Engineer in Training) - A professional designation granted upon having completed at least 3 years of school at an ABET-accredited university and having passed the FE exam.

FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) - An exam testing on basic engineering principles that is required to become an engineer in training.

PE (Professional Engineer or 'Principles and Practice in Engineering') - Means either Professional Engineer or refers to the Principles and Practice in Engineering exam that is a prerequisite for an engineering license.

Reciprocity - When a licensed engineer in one state can provide documentation (often an NCEES Record) to more easily apply for a license in another jurisdiction.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Accrediting board that sets standards for university programs in a variety of applied science disciplines.

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Engineering, architecture, and land surveying advocacy group.

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Organization that provides continuing education, professional conferences, and advocacy efforts to the civil engineering community.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Mechanical engineering organization that focuses on education and professional development.

Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
Reviews accreditation requirements and makes final decisions regarding the accreditation process.

National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES)
Develops, administers, and scores the exams used for engineering licenses.

National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
NSPE is an advocacy group for professional engineers.

Revised February 20, 2023. Complete data last reviewed February 20, 2023.
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