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Fire Protection Engineers

Certification, Licensing, and Special Requirements

Certification or Licensing

The National Fire Protection Association offers the certified fire protection specialist credential to applicants who meet educational and experience requirements and pass an examination. Contact the association to learn more.

Engineers whose work may affect the life, health, or safety of the public must be registered according to regulations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Licensing requirements vary by state. In general, however, they involve graduating from an accredited college, having four years of work experience, and passing the six-hour Fundamentals of Engineering exam and the 9.5-hour Fire Protection Principles and Practice of Engineering exam (which covers four main areas: Fire Protection Analysis, Fire Dynamics Fundamentals, Active and Passive Systems, and Egress and Occupant Movement). Depending on your state, you can take the Fundamentals exam shortly before your graduation from college or after you have received your bachelor’s degree. At that point you will be an engineer-in-training. Once you have fulfilled all the licensure requirements, you receive the designation professional engineer. Visit the NCEES Web site, https://ncees.org/exams, for more information on licensure.