Securing and Renewing a NY Professional Engineering License
To ensure the safety and well-being of the public and the protection of property, all individuals and firms who intend to offer engineering services in New York must be given legal permission to do so. Typically, these permits are granted through professional engineer (PE) licenses and Certificates of Authorization (COA).
These legal permits allow you to seal engineering plans, hold senior-level engineering positions, and offer your services directly to the public.
Considering the privilege these licenses bestow on individuals and firms, the state enforces strict requirements for obtaining them and mandates regular renewals. This ensures that professionals remain up to date on industry changes and continue to meet the state’s high standards.
In this article, you’ll learn about the steps and requirements for obtaining a New York professional engineering license. Additionally, we’ll show you how partnering with Harbor Compliance can make your firm’s licensure journey seamless.
New York Engineering License Requirements for Firms
The New York PE license and COA are legal permits that allow qualified individuals and firms to offer engineering services in the state.
These credentials signify that you have met all the state’s requirements and have demonstrated the competency needed to practice engineering. It also reflects your accountability for your work and the well-being of those impacted by it.
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) sets the standards individuals and firms planning to offer professional engineering services must adhere to in New York. This regulatory body oversees professional regulations and issues credentials to qualified entities.
With the exception of sole proprietorships, all firms aiming to provide engineering services in New York must meet specific state requirements to obtain a COA.
We’ll go over the requirements for each type of firm, namely:
- Domestic professional service corporations (PSCs)
- Foreign PSCs
- Professional limited liability companies (LLCs) and foreign LLCs
- Domestic design professional service corporations (DPCs)
- Professional partnerships, registered limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and foreign registered LLPs
- “Grandfathered” general business corporations
Domestic Professional Service Corporations (PSCs)
All the shareholders, officers, and directors in a domestic PSC must be licensed by the state of New York.
Foreign PSCs
While all the firm's officers, directors, and shareholders must be licensed in some jurisdiction, only the individual directly engaged in providing engineering services must hold a New York professional engineering license.
Professional LLCs and Foreign LLCs
All members of a professional and foreign LLC must be licensed in New York.
Domestic DPCs
The president, CEO, and chair of the directors of a DPC must be licensed design professionals. These firms must also meet the following requirements:
- 75% of the firm’s stocks must be owned by licensed professionals.
- More than 75% of the directors and officers must be licensed professionals.
- The largest single shareholder must be a licensed professional. However, under certain restrictions, this shareholder must be under the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Professional Partnerships, Registered LLPs, and Foreign Registered LLPs
All partners in these firms must be New York-licensed professional engineers.
“Grandfathered” General Business Corporations
These are corporations that have been continually practicing engineering since April 15, 1935. To maintain their right to practice in New York, the firm's CEO must be a licensed professional.
Obtaining a New York Firm Engineering License
After fulfilling the requirements, firms can submit an application for a COA. Typically, the application process slightly differs depending on whether you’re running a domestic or foreign engineering firm.
Application Process for Domestic Engineering Firms
Domestic firms who wish to obtain a COA from the state of New York have to take the following steps:
- Begin by submitting your firm’s entity formation documents, Professional Corporations Contact Information Form, and Affidavit Professional Practice Entity Form to the NYSED, along with the necessary filing fees.
- When your firm receives the COA and entity formation documents from the NYSED, forward both to the Department of State with the requisite filing fee and request a certified copy of your entity formation document.
- Submit the certified copy of your entity formation document and the required fees to the NYSED.
Application Process for Foreign Firms
To obtain a COA in New York, foreign firms begin the application process by submitting the following documents to the NYSED with the necessary filing fee:
- The firm’s incorporation documents from the original jurisdiction
- Proof of licensure in the original jurisdiction
- Affidavit Professional Practice Entity Form
- Professional Corporations Contact Information Form
- Proof of licensure for partners, members, shareholders, and officers in New York
- Application for Authority
After submitting these documents and receiving the COA and Application for Authority, you should take the following steps:
- Forward the COA and Application for Authority to the Department of State with the necessary filing fee and request for a certified copy of the Application for Authority.
- Submit the certified copy of the Application for Authority to the NYSED.
Renewing a New York Firm Engineering License
All engineering firms are expected to renew their licenses every three years. Failure to renew before the expiration date can result in a delinquent fee (about $10), plus the standard renewal fee for every month the firm operated without a valid COA.
Additionally, all professional engineers in your firm must periodically renew their licenses. Meeting continuing education requirements is a crucial criterion for renewing these licenses.
In New York, licensed professional engineers are expected to earn 36 hours of continuing education to qualify for a renewal, which occurs every three years. To ensure the quality of the continuing education, courses must meet these specific criteria:
- They must be delivered in an approved format, like a live webinar.
- They should be based on an approved subject.
- They must be offered by an approved provider, which could be a college accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or an NYSED-approved sponsor.
Simplifying Your Licensing Process With the Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions by Harbor Compliance
Obtaining and maintaining a New York State professional engineer license requires thorough research to understand state requirements, completing continuing education hours, tracking renewal dates, and much more. Considering how overwhelming the process can be, it’s advisable to seek professional support to ease your licensing workload.
Harbor Compliance’s Architecture and Engineering Compliance Solutions offers a comprehensive suite of services and valuable support throughout the licensing process. We guide you through the procedure of obtaining various legal permits, including the following:
- Engineering Firm
- Geoscience Firm
- Land Surveying Firm
Advantages of Choosing Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions by Harbor Compliance
By leveraging Harbor Compliance’s Architecture and Engineering Compliance Solutions, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:
- Personalized support from our team of licensing professionals which frees up time for you to focus on running your business and carrying out your engineering role.
- Peace of mind and reassurance knowing your licensing process is being handled by experts.
- Access to Compliance CoreTM, which provides information on over 800 architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) specific licenses across different states in the U.S.
Software Suite by Harbor Compliance
You can also opt for our compliance management Software Suite, which has a collection of modules dedicated to helping you meet and track state requirements:
Module | Value |
---|---|
Entity Manager | This module enables full transparency of your entities and compliance status. It helps automate annual report and compliance tracking, maintain good standing and avoid late fees and penalties, and ensure continuity through changes in your company. |
License Manager | It eliminates the need for states requirements tracking sheets by enabling seamless license management, research, and renewal. |
Records Manager | Records Manager helps you store organizational documents specific to your type of entity and lets you track ownership and leadership, as well as customize meeting notifications. |
Requirements Research Engine |
This research engine enables you to research licensing requirements for your organization prior to expanding into new states/markets. It’s a searchable window into the proprietary reference database, which contains detailed information about license requirements, including:
|
Tax Manager | This module efficiently monitors federal, state, and local tax registrations, reducing the time spent gaining insights into key tax account information. |
How To Order Harbor Compliance’s Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions
At Harbor Compliance, we recognize that every client has unique licensing needs. With that in mind, we offer three distinct service options, giving you the flexibility to handle the licensing process internally or entrust us with the bulk of the work.
Below is a table outlining the three service options:
Category | Service |
---|---|
Fully managed | Gives you direct access to a team of licensing professionals who’ll handle most of your licensing workload. Available for company licenses only. |
Self-managed | Allows you to manage your licensing process independently by providing access to License Manager, our proprietary software solution. |
Hybrid | Provides access to our software solution so you can handle some of the licensing workload independently while the rest would be handled by our team of experts. |
Take Advantage of Harbor Compliance’s Additional Services
On top of assisting engineers and engineering firms in securing legal permits to practice, Harbor Compliance has a diverse portfolio of solutions to address various compliance needs:
- Business license support—We help organizations conduct research, apply for, and track the renewal of their business licenses.
- Document filing and retrieval—We assist in filing initial reports for businesses, filing for reinstatement, and obtaining certificates of good standing.
- Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting—Once you collect your organization’s BOI, we’ll assist you through the reporting process.
- Entity lifecycle management—Our management services extend from the initial stages of incorporation and amending your formation documents to the withdrawal and dissolution of your company.
- Tax registration—Our team can assist you in meeting federal, state, and local requirements by obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and registering sales and use and payroll tax accounts.
- Registered agent—We offer a reliable Registered Agent Service and can act as your registered agent in different states, helping you stay on top of your government correspondence.
- Nonprofit formation—Harbor Compliance can help your nonprofit organization file for incorporation, as well as the 501(c) tax exemption.
Company Licenses
New York Engineering Company Licenses
New York Certificate of Authorization to Provide Engineering Services
Initial Registration
This section applies to engineering firms that are applying for a license in New York for the first time. If you already have a license and are looking to renew it, please see the renewal section.
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $125 |
Turnaround: | At least 12 weeks. Applicants will be notified and certificate sent via mail. |
Before you Apply: | Domestic Entities:
Foreign Entities:
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How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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Registration Renewal
This section applies to engineering firms that are already licensed in New York and need to renew their license.
Form: | Renewal applications are sent in the mail. |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 |
Due: | Triennially by the date of issuance. |
Penalties: | Late fees are $10 per month of uncertified practice. |
Amendment
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Email letter to opcorp@nysed.gov for processing |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 30 days of the effective date of the change. |
Notes: | Notify the board in writing with any changes. |
Before you Apply: |
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New York Certificate of Authorization to Provide Geology Services
Agency: | New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Geology |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $125 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | Renewal applications are sent in the mail. |
Agency Fee: | $75 |
Due: | Triennially |
Penalties: | Late fees are $10 per month of uncertified practice. |
New York Certificate of Authorization to Provide Land Surveying Services
Agency: | New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Land Surveying |
Law: | Licensing Statute – N.Y. Education Law, Article 145, Engineering et. seq. (“Ed. Law”) |
Eligible Entity Types: |
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Ownership Requirements: |
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Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $125 |
Turnaround: | At least 12 weeks. Applicants will be notified and certificate sent via mail. |
Notes: |
|
How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
|
Registration Renewal
Form: | Renewal applications are sent in the mail. |
Agency Fee: | $75. Late fees are $10 per month of uncertified practice. |
Due: | Triennially |
Individual Licenses
New York Individual Engineering Licenses
New York Intern Engineer Certificate
Agency: | New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Engineering |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $70 |
Required Attachments: |
or
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Renewal Not Required
Not required
New York Land Surveyor License
Agency: | New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Land Surveying |
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $377 |
Reciprocal Registration
Form: | Online Form 1 and Form 3 Verification of Out-of-State Licensure |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $377 |
Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $287 |
Due: | Triennially by the end of the licensee's month of birth. |
New York Professional Engineer License
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $377 |
Reciprocal Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $377 |
Notes: | You must submit full documentation of compliance with all other New York State licensure requirements including professional education and satisfactory professional experience, among other requirements, as part of your application for licensure by endorsement. New York State does not have a reciprocity/comity agreement with any jurisdiction; if you are applying with an NCEES Record, you would need to submit Form1 and request NCEES to have your current NCEES Record transmitted to the board for review. |
Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $287 |
Due: | Triennially by the end of the licensee's month of birth. |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarization Required?: | Not required |
New York Professional Geologist License
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $430 |
Reciprocal Registration
Form: |
|
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $430 |
Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 |
Due: | Triennially |
New York Professional Engineering License FAQs
Here, we’ll answer some of the frequently asked questions about the professional engineer license in New York. For more details, visit the Harbor Compliance Information Center.
Depending on the institution where you obtained your post-secondary formal training, you need between four and six years of progressive engineering experience.
You cannot carry over any additional continuing education hours you earn to the next renewal period.
You’re expected to keep files detailing your continuing education hours for six years.
Outsource Your NY Engineering Firm Licensure Process to Harbor Compliance
Keeping up with ever-changing state requirements is essential to maintaining good standing with the state. At Harbor Compliance, we understand the challenges individuals and firms face in navigating these requirements and offer various solutions dedicated to streamlining the licensing process—order our service today to see for yourself.
With our free Harbor Compliance Score™ feature, you can quickly assess your compliance status and identify areas for improvement. Feel free to contact us to learn about our services or schedule a demo session of our award-winning software before selecting a service option that aligns with your needs.
Want to know more about the engineering license requirements throughout the U.S.? Check out the table below:
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.