Illinois PE license requirements
In Illinois you don’t need approval to take the PE: register with NCEES at any time. You then apply for licensure to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) with four years of professional, non-structural engineering experience and an NCEES Record. Illinois licenses structural engineers separately, and since April 2024 it no longer accepts the NCEES PE Civil: Structural exam toward the PE license.
Source: IDFPR (professional engineer page, qualifications for licensure revised February 2026, PE application), checked October 11, 2026. Confirm fees with IDFPR.
Key details
| Item | Illinois |
|---|---|
| Licensing body | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), PE Board |
| Before booking the PE | No board application; register with NCEES |
| Experience | 4 years of professional (non-structural) engineering, under a licensed PE or someone legally practicing |
| Application | Submit an NCEES Record; send FE and PE exam certifications via MyNCEES |
| Structural | Separate Structural Engineer license, requiring the 16-hour NCEES SE exam |
| Renewal | All PE licenses expire November 30 of odd-numbered years |
Official source & community discussion
IDFPR: professional engineering (official) →
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