General Information

How do I change my address or my name?

You can change your address and/or name by logging into your My BELS Account. A name change will require you to provide the supporting documentation for the name change. Once it’s reviewed and if there are no further documents needed, your name will be changed.

What are your office hours?

Monday through Friday, 7:30 – 4:30 CST

Can I pay by credit card?

We accept credit cards when renewing your license, applications, ALSS exam fees, fines and Board Cost.

Complaints & Enforcement

How do I file a complaint?

Go to Complaints and then File a Complaint. If you do not have a My BELS Account, you’ll create one to start the complaint process.

What if I have a boundary line dispute, can I file a complaint?

The Board does not have the authority to settle boundary line disputes. You must go through your local court system for a resolution

I’m in the process of or anticipating legal action against an engineer of land surveyor. Can I file a complaint?

Yes.

How do I check to see if disciplinary action has been taken on an individual or company?

Check the website under License Search – Individuals or License Search – Firms. If the search finds the name you are searching for, hit the arrow next to their name. Under Disciplinary Action if it shows Yes, there will be a link to the disciplinary action taken. If you have additional questions, Bob Herbert or call (334) 242-5089.

Once I file a complaint, when can I expect a decision from the board?

Approximately several months

What happens when I file a complaint?

A letter is sent to the complainant and the subject of the complaint notifying both that a complaint has been received. The subject is allowed approximately 21 days to respond to the complaint. If a site visit is required, one will be made. If the complaint concerns technical issues, the complaint is forwarded to an outside technical advisor. If the technical advisor provides comments, the subject of the complaint is allowed to respond to the comments. A report is then generated on the facts and responses and forwarded to the investigative committee for its recommendations and then presented to the board at a board meeting. The decision of the board at a board meeting. The decision of the board could take up to 30 days from the date of the board meeting your case was presented at.


Experience

Is experience prior to graduation acceptable?

Only if it was received in a formal co-op program through the school or if it took you 6 years or longer to receive your BS degree and you were working gaining engineering experience if applying for engineering or land surveying experience if applying for land surveying. Either way, the experience must be verified by a PE if for an engineering application or by a PLS if for a land surveying application. You will receive no more than 6 months credit.

Can I get credit for part time work?

Yes, only if that is all you were doing. You would not get credit for working full time and then doing part time work on the side. You would receive approximately less than half credit for the experience and it would need to be verified by a PE for engineering work and LS for land surveying work.

How do I verify engineering or land surveying experience if my supervisor is not licensed?

Engineering Experience – If your supervisor is not a PE but is a graduate engineer, when you complete the work history information in the application and indicate they are not licensed, when the verifier completes the form it will ask for their background information. The board would review their background information to determine that when you were working together if this person would have sent in an application to become licensed would they license them. If so, you would get credit for the experience. If not, then you would not. They must have met the requirements for licensure prior to the time they are verifying.

Land Surveying Experience – If your supervisor is not a PLS but is a graduate land surveyor, when you complete the work history information in the application and indicate they are not licensed, when the verifier completes the form it will ask for their background information. The board would review their background information to determine that when you were working together if this person would have sent in an application to become licensed would they license them. If so, you would get credit for the experience. If not, then you would not. They must have met the requirements for licensure prior to the time they are verifying.

How do I verify experience if my supervisor is deceased?

If your supervisor dies before you make application, you can get another licensed individual in the company to verify your experience. If there is no one inside the company that is licensed or a graduate engineer if engineering experience or graduate land surveyor if land surveying experience that can be reviewed as substantially equivalent, you can get a licensed individual outside the company who is knowledgeable of your experience. You would also be required to specify how this person has knowledge and how often they have reviewed your work.

QBS (Quality Based Selection)

What is QBS?

A process to procure engineering or land surveying services that first determines the qualifications of the engineer or land surveyor prior to entering into fee negotiations.

How does it work?

The basics of QBS are: (1) An engineer or land surveyor submits a statement of qualification and performance data; (2) a determination is made as to the individuals or firms that meet the qualifications for the project (3), the Client and first qualified individual or firm enter into fee negotiations, (4) if no agreement can be reached, the Client moves on to the second qualified firm to begin fee negotiations and the first firm is disqualified.

Is QBS required for private work?

Yes. QBS is required for both private and public work.

Can engineers bid on projects?

No. Simultaneous negotiations or solicitation of fee proposals by the client from two or more engineers constitutes “bidding” and participation by a licensee is prohibited.

Do professional land surveyors have to comply with QBS?

Yes and No.

QBS does not apply to boundary surveys on private land where the survey is not intended for use as a basis for engineering design at the time of preparation.

QBS is required for surveys that are prepared in accordance with the standards specified by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

If not selected after the first fee negotiation, can I be reconsidered?

No. You cannot be reconsidered unless the client disqualifies all individuals or firms and begins a new QBS process.

Is the QBS process required for the Commissioning of Engineering works?

Yes. The Commissioning of Engineering Works is defined as the practice of engineering.

Applications

What if my application or other information is received after the deadline?

If your application has to be reviewed by the Board, it will be processed for the next board meeting.

How can I find out my application status?

You can check your status by Logging in to your My BELS Account. The requirements will be green if all the requirements have been met.

I will be submitting my NCEES Council Record. What other documents will I need to submit?

Comity Applicants Only (we are not accepting NCEES Record for Initial Licensure) – You need to complete only certain questions of the application, $125 application fee and proof of citizenship.

Our law requires that experience be verified by PE’s or by a graduate engineer the board can review to determine if they are substantially equivalent. If the individuals who completed the experience verification form that are contained in your NCEES Record were not PE’s, you may be requested to send additional verification of your experience on Alabama’s experience verification form if there is a deficiency in the experience requirement.

I am registered in Canada. Will I be able to obtain licensure in Alabama?

Yes, if you meet Alabama’s requirements such as education, work experience, you have passed the NCEES FE & PE exams and you have a United States Social Security Number.

Can the FE, PE, FS, or LS application forms be faxed or e-mailed?

No. All forms are electronic and must be completed in the online system.

Do I have to be a resident of Alabama to take an exam?

No for the ALSS exam. The FE, FS, PE, PS and SE exams are administered by NCEES and our computer based tests (CBT). You would need to check with them about registration.

How long will it take to process my comity application or initial application?

We have board meetings approximately every 2 months. Once an application is complete and if there are no anomalies or felonies, a license will be issued in approximately 3-4 weeks. If there are issues with the application, the application will be reviewed at the next board meeting provided everything is in by the deadline.

Education

Are correspondence classes/distance learning degrees acceptable?

No for engineering. We would accept a BS in Geomatics/Surveying from Great Basin College or the University of Maine.

Do I have to have a degree?

Yes, unless you were originally licensed as a PE in another state prior to December 31, 1992 and you are currently licensed in some state and can have at least 8 years of experience prior to December 31, 1992 verified by PE’s or you were originally licensed as a PLS in another state prior to December 31, 2007, and you are currently licensed in some state and you can have at least 8 years of experience prior to December 31, 2007 verified by licensed land surveyors.

Does my transcript have to be mailed directly to you from my school?

Yes or they can be mailed directly to NCEES to be added to your NCEES Account. We cannot accept a transcript from the applicant nor do we accept electronic transcripts.

I received my engineering degree outside the United States. Is that acceptable?

Yes. Your foreign degree will need to be evaluated by NCEES

Does my foreign degree have to be evaluated?

Yes. The Board requires that your education be evaluated by National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Please contact NCEES at www.ncees.org to request an education evaluation packet. There is no waiver to this requirement.

I have an engineering technology or related science degree. Can I apply for engineering licensure in Alabama?

Initial Applicants – Our law changed December 31, 2005. We no longer accept engineering technology or related science degrees unless an ABET accredited MS or PhD in engineering has been received in addition to your BS.

Comity Applicants – If you were originally licensed in another state as a PE prior to December 31, 2005, and you can have at least 8 years of experience prior to December 31, 2005, verified by PE’s and you are currently licensed, you can file an application.

Renewals

Must I renew my license on-line?

Yes. That is the only method for renewing your license.

Does the board pre-approve continuing education courses?

No. It is the licensee’s responsibility to determine if the course meets the requirements.

Can I renew my license before I have completed my continuing education courses?

No. The courses must be completed when the renewal is submitted.

Can I be exempt from continuing education?

Only if you are no longer practicing engineering or land surveying (inactive).

A few exceptions would be: if you are non-career military on active duty for more than 120 consecutive days, overseas job assignment for more than 120 consecutive days or during the past year you had a serious illness or injury that prevents you from obtaining your PDH’s or if this is your first renewal cycle.

Can I renew even though I do not have 30 PDH’s?

No. You must have completed the 30 PDH’s when you renew.

When will I receive renewal notification?

Renewal reminders are normally emailed around the first of October. No paper renewal forms will be available, you are required to renew online.

How can I get a copy of my pocket card?

After you renew online and the renewal has been approved, a simulated pocket card receipt showing your license status and when the license expires can be printed from your My BELS account. Login and under the Professional Engineer or Professional Land Surveyor in the center section of your profile, hit the arrow next to Professional Engineer or Professional Land Surveyor scroll down and you will see Download Pocketcard.

What if I renew after December 31?

If you wait until after December 31 to renew, you will have to pay a $250 late fee in addition to the $100 renewal fee.

Can I practice after December 31 if I have not yet renewed?

No. After December 31, your license is expired and you cannot practice until you renew your license. If you practice on a expired license, you are subject to enforcement action being taken against you.

My license has expired. What can I do to reinstate it?

If you are expired no longer than 2 years, you must apply for reinstatement. You will be required to earn the PDH’s to get your license reinstated up to the current year and then earn the PDH’s to get you renewed for the current year. There is also a reinstatement fee. The hours and fee would depend on how long your license has been expired. You would be required to provide documentation of your continuing education. Login to your My BELS Account to reinstate.

If you are expired more than 2 years, you are not eligible to reinstate and you must make application for licensure again. That would involve the verification of exams, transcripts, verifications and references. You must meet the requirements of the law at the time of reapplication.

I am inactive. Do I still have to pay a renewal fee?

Yes if you are in an inactive status. Being inactive only exempts you from the continuing education.

What is inactive?

Inactive – a person who is not engaged in the engineering or land surveying practice which requires licensure in Alabama.

Does Alabama require continuing education in order to renew my PE or LS license?

Yes. 30 PDH’s every 2 years.

I am a new licensee in Alabama. Am I exempt from the continuing education requirements for my first renewal period?

Yes. New licensees are awarded 30 pdh to be used for their first renewal.

How many PDH’s can be carried to the next renewal cycle?

A maximum of 15 PDH hours can be carried from the one year into the next renewal cycle.

Do all of my continuing education courses have to take place in Alabama?

No.

Are internet or self-study courses acceptable?

For meeting the continuing professional competency requirements through correspondence, video, audio or online courses, the course must require the participant to show evidence of completion.

Self-study courses are not accepted.

What happens if I do not renew my license?

Your license will be placed in an expired status for 2 years. If you do not reinstate your license within 2 years, you must go through the application process in order to be licensed again.

Do I send in proof of my continuing education courses with my renewal?

If you are selected for audit, you would be required to upload your certificates at the time you are renewing.

If you are NOT selected for audit, you have the option to upload your certificates if you wish.

If you are reinstating your license, you will be required to upload your certificates at the time you are reinstating your license.

Am I required to go back to college to fulfill the continuing education requirements?

No. You can attend company-sponsored courses, engineering or land surveying society meetings, seminars, etc.

If I am “inactive”, what must I do in order to practice engineering and/or land surveying again?

In the event you elect to return to an active status, you would be required to earn the PDH’s for each year your license was in inactive status not to exceed the annual requirement for 2 years. You would also have to obtain the required 30 PDH to renew the license in active status for the next renewal year.

Do you have an age exemption?

No.

If I have met the continuing education of my home state, is that acceptable for meeting Alabama’s continuing education requirement?

No. You must have 30 PDH’s and meet our requirements.

Certificate of Authorizations

Does my corporation, LLC, or LLP need a CA?

If your corporation, LLC or LLP offers to perform or performs engineering and/or land surveying work, you will be required to have a CA.

I practice in my own name, do I still need a CA?

If you practice under your name (i.e. John Doe, PE), you do not need a CA. If you practice as John Doe Engineering, you will need a CA.

My corporation, LLC, or LLP is changing the person in charge. What documentation must we submit?

Login to your My BELS Account (company account, not an individual account) and select the CA amendment and complete within 30 days of the change. There is no charge to amend your CA.

My corporation, LLC or LLP is adding a branch office. What documentation must we submit?

Login to your My BELS Account (company account, not an individual account) and select the CA amendment and complete within 30 days of the office being opened. There is no charge to amend your CA.

My corporation, LLC, or LLP is changing its name. What documentation must we submit?

Login to your My BELS Account (company account, not an individual account) and select the CA amendment and complete within 30 days of the change. There is no charge to amend your CA. You will also need to contact the Secretary of State’s office to change your company name.

Exams

What can I bring into the exam?

Since NCEES administers the exam for us, you need to contact NCEES at (877) 536-7729 or www.ncees.org.

Can my exam fee be refunded or applied to another exam?

ALSS Exam – there are no exceptions. Our law does not provide for either.
PE & PLS Exams – you must contact NCEES about their refund policy.

What happens if I fail the ALSS exam in my alloted time?

You will be notified that your application is closed and you will be required to file another application and meet the requirements at the time of reapplication.

Does me not showing up at the exam count as a failure?

No. It only counts if you show up and fail.

Can the FE and/or PE exams be waived?

No. Our law has no provisions to waive either exam.

Can I have my exam regraded?

Yes. NCEES charges to regrade an exam. You must contact NCEES for the regrade within 30 day of your exam results. NCEES will take the scoring template and place it over your answer sheet to ensure the computer scored your exam correctly. There has never been a change in exam scores based on this regrade method.

Why can’t I review my exam?

NCEES and the Alabama Board reserves the right to repeat questions, and the integrity of the questions is compromised by overexposure. If some examinees are allowed to review questions, it may give them an unfair advantage over other examinees.

How does NCEES set the passing score on its exams?

Go the NCEES’ website – www.ncees.org under “Exams” to answer questions concerning scoring of the exams.

Can I find out my ALSS score?

No. We only release the results as pass or fail.

What is the difference between the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) and the EIT (Engineer in Training) exams?

None. It is simply a different name for the same exam.

When are admission cards mailed?

NCEES will notify you by email approximately 21 days prior to the exam that you can download your admission notice from your NCEES account.

Where can I find study material?

NCEES has study material for the FE, PE, FS, and PS exams on their website. The Alabama History & Law study material can be found on our website under Applications then under ALSS Study Material.

When will I receive my exam results?

The FE, PE, SE, FS & PS exam results are released by NCEES into your NCEES Account. The ALSS exam is a computer based exam (CBT), the results are immediate.

What is covered on the exams?

NCEES has available on the website all the exam content information for the FE, PE, FS, and PS exams. For the ALSS Exam, go to the website under Applications then under ALSS Study Material.

Do I have to take the exam in the same discipline I received my degree in?

No.

Can I apply in Alabama to take the exam even though I don’t live there?

The ALSS exam is a computer based exam.

Can my exam be proctored?

The FE, PE, SE, FS and PS exams are administered by NCEES and they are computer based tests (CBT). You would need to check with them about where you can sit for the exam. The ALSS exam is a computer based exam.

Does Alabama accept Veteran’s Preference Points?

No. If you had Veteran’s Preference Points added to your exam score to give you a passing grade, we cannot accept that exam. Georgia adds Veteran’s Preference Points to scores. If you are a veteran and took the exam(s) in Georgia, you may need to check with the Georgia Board to see if Veteran’s Preference Points were added to your score.

I applied for the exam and have not received my admission card. Why?

Is it 21 days prior to the exam? NCEES notifies you by email 21 days prior to the exam to download your admission notice from your NCEES account. Contact NCEES at (877) 536-7729 if you have not received an email. You can also log back into your NCEES Account to see if the admission card is available to be downloaded.

I have a disability or a religious conflict with the exam date and need special accommodations, what do I need to do?

When you register with NCEES, there is an option for Special Accommodations. If you need more information, you would need to contact NCEES directly.

Sealing of Documents & Stamps

Where do I get a stamp made?

Most local office supply companies provide this service.

What does my stamp need to look like?

The stamp needs to be circular in form and not less than 1 & 5/8 inches nor greater than 2 inches in diameter.

It is not necessary to have the PE or PLS in front of your number as long at the stamp reads Professional Engineer or Professional Land Surveyor.

Can I put an electronic seal on engineering or land surveying documents?

You may, as long as you put an original signature and date on your documents.

Can I electronically transmit documents with an electronic signature in place of an original seal, signature and date?

You may, as long as it meets the criteria established by the Board. See Administrative Code 330-X-2-(10)(b) for the criteria.