Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 193C - Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board
Chapter 4 - Engineering Licensure
Rule 193C-4.2 - Requirements for Licensure by Comity

Universal Citation: IA Admin Code 193C-4.2

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024

A person holding a certificate of licensure to engage in the practice of engineering issued by a proper authority of a jurisdiction or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any foreign country, based on requirements that do not conflict with the provisions of Iowa Code section 542B.14 and who has met standards determined by the board to be substantially equivalent to those required of applicants for initial licensure in this state may, upon application, be licensed without further examination. Comity applicants are governed by the same standards as are required of applicants for initial licensure in Iowa.

(1) References. An applicant for licensure by comity shall submit references on forms provided by the board to verify satisfactory engineering experience, as provided in paragraph 4.1(4)"a."

(2) Basis for evaluation of applications. Applications for licensure by comity will be evaluated on the following basis:

a. The applicant's record of education, references, practical experience, and successful completion of approved examinations will be reviewed to determine if it currently satisfies the substantive requirements of Iowa Code section 542B.14. In reviewing the education, references, and practical experience of comity applicants, the board will use the same criteria used by the board to determine the eligibility of a candidate for the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination; or

b. The applicant's licensure in a jurisdiction other than Iowa will be reviewed to determine if it was granted only after satisfaction of requirements substantially equivalent to those that are required of applicants for initial licensure in Iowa under Iowa Code section 542B.14. When determining whether the licensing standards satisfied by a comity applicant are substantially equivalent to those required in Iowa, the board considers each of the four licensing prerequisites in Iowa Code section 542B.14(1) individually. The licensing standards are satisfied by the comity applicant if the standards are equal or superior to those required in Iowa for education, fundamentals examination, experience, and professional examination. Unless expressly stated in this chapter, the board will not consider an applicant's superior satisfaction of one licensing prerequisite, such as a higher level of education than is required in Iowa, as resolving an applicant's lack of compliance with another prerequisite, such as professional examination.

(3) Comity application process.

a. An applicant for licensure by comity from a jurisdiction other than Iowa meets or exceeds the education requirements set forth in Iowa Code section 542B.14 and subrule 4.1(1).

b. An applicant successfully completes the Fundamentals of Engineering examination. An applicant who graduated from a satisfactory engineering program and who has ten years or more of work experience satisfactory to the board is not required to take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination.

c. The applicant successfully completes the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination.

d. The applicant has satisfactory practical experience under paragraph 4.1(3)"a."

e. While the board will consider evidence presented by a comity applicant on non-NCEES examinations successfully completed in a foreign country, the non-NCEES examination will be compared with the appropriate NCEES examination. A non-NCEES professional examination, for instance, must be designed to determine whether a candidate is minimally competent to practice professional engineering in a specific branch of engineering, such as civil, structural, electrical, or mechanical engineering. The examination must be written, objectively graded, verifiable, and developed and validated in accordance with the testing standards of the American Psychological Association or equivalent testing standards. Free-form essays and oral interviews are not equal or superior to NCEES examinations.

(4) Education and experience requirements.

a. For applicants who were originally licensed in a jurisdiction other than Iowa prior to July 1, 1988, the board will employ the following chart to determine if the applicant's licensure was granted after satisfaction of requirements substantially equivalent to those that were required by Iowa Code section 542B.14 at the time of the applicant's original licensure. Column 1 indicates the years of practical experience that were required prior to the Fundamentals of Engineering examination in addition to the completion of the required educational level. To determine the total years of practical experience that were required prior to taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination, column 2 is added to column 1.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMITY APPLICANTS Who were licensed prior to July 1, 1988

If the applicant's educational level was:

The applicant has had the following additional years of experience prior to taking the Fundamentals of Engineering examination:

The applicant has had the following years of experience after receipt of the qualifying degree and prior to taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination:

No post-high school education

8

4

Postsecondary study in mathematics or physical sciences

One year

7

4

Two years

6

4

Three years

5

4

Four years

3

4

Four-year BS degree in mathematics or physical sciences plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

Postsecondary study in engineering technology programs and architecture

One year

7

4

Two years

5.5

4

Three years

4

4

Four-year degree in a nonaccredited engineering technology program or BA in architecture

2.5

4

Four-year degree in an accredited engineering technology program

2

4

Bachelor of architecture, four years or more

2

4

Four-year degree in engineering technology or architecture plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

Postsecondary study in a nonaccredited engineering program

One year

7

4

Two years

5

4

Three years

3

4

Four-year BS degree

1

4

Four-year degree in a nonaccredited engineering program plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

Postsecondary study in an accredited engineering program

Two years

6

4

Three years

3

4

Four-year degree in an accredited engineering program

0

4

b. For applicants who were originally licensed in another jurisdiction and who meet the requirements of Iowa Code section 542B.14(1) "a"(1) (c), the board will employ the following chart to determine if the applicant's licensure was granted after satisfaction of requirements substantially equivalent to those that were required by Iowa Code section 542B.14 at the time of the applicant's original licensure. Column 1 indicates the years of practical experience that were required prior to the Fundamentals of Engineering examination in addition to the completion of the required educational level. To determine the total years of practical experience that were required prior to taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination, column 2 is added to column 1.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMITY APPLICANTS Who meet the requirements of Iowa Code section 542B.14(1) "a"(1)(c)

If the applicant's educational level was:

The applicant has had the following additional years of experience prior to taking the Fundamentals of Engineering examination:

The applicant has had the following years of experience after receipt of the qualifying degree and prior to taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination:

College or junior college (mathematics or physical sciences)

Two years

6

4

Three years

5

4

Four-year BS degree

3

4

Four-year BS degree plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

All engineering technology programs and architecture

Two years

6

4

Three years

5

4

Four-year degree, nonaccredited technology or BA in architecture

3

4

Four-year degree, accredited technology

2

4

Four-year degree or more, bachelor of architecture

2

4

Four-year BS degree, technology or architecture plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

Engineering program, nonaccredited

Two years

6

4

Three years

3

4

Four-year BS degree

1

4

Four-year BS degree plus master's degree in engineering

0

4

Engineering program, accredited

Two years

6

4

Three years

3

4

Four-year BS degree

0

4

c. For all other applicants who were originally licensed in a jurisdiction other than Iowa on or after July 1, 1988, the board will employ the chart found at subrule 4.1(5) to determine if the applicant's licensure was granted after satisfaction of requirements substantially equivalent to those that are required by Iowa Code section 542B.14.

d. For purposes of this subrule, an applicant's master's degree in engineering is to be from an institution in the United States of America with an accredited bachelor's degree in the same curriculum, and the master's degree candidate is required to fulfill the requirements for the bachelor's degree in the same area of specialization.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Iowa may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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