Under the Professional Engineers Act, the “practice of professional engineering” means “any act of planning, designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising that requires the application of engineering principles and concerns the safeguarding of life, health, property, economic interests, the public welfare or the environment, or the managing of any such act”.
If you meet any of the following statements, you will need to obtain a professional engineering license (P. Eng.):
- You are planning, designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising, or managing any of these acts
- Engineering principles are required to carry out the act
- The act concerns the safeguarding of life, health, property, economic interests, the public welfare or the environment
If you intend on working in any of the capacities above, you will need to apply for a Professional Engineering License from the regulating body in Ontario.
Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) grants licenses to applicants who meet all criteria outlined by the steps below:
STEP 1
Complete the "Am I ready to apply?" survey found on the PEO website
Am I ready to apply
STEP 2
Academic requirement
Applicants must hold an undergraduate engineering degree from a Canadian Engineering Accreditation board (CEAB)-accredited program, or a bachelor's degree that meets PEO's acceptance criteria with the successful completion of a technical examination program.
Applicants who graduated outside of Canada/USA will need to request World Education Services (WES) to send the course-by-course report for each program as the required academic document to apply for academic requirements.
Prospective applicants with a non-engineering undergraduate degree can explore the option of obtaining a Limited Licence. The Limited Licence is available to those with academic qualifications other than a university engineering degree, such as a B.Tech. A Limited Licence could enable individuals to engage in professional engineering activities within specific and well-defined fields. This route is suitable for individuals who have acquired significant experience under the supervision of a P.Eng. and wish to take on professional responsibilities within the approved scope of their limited licence (Professional Engineers Ontario, 2023).
Experience requirement
All applicants must demonstrate at least 48 months of verifiable, acceptable engineering experience through a competency-based assessment (CBA) model. CBA is a tool to assess readiness for licensure that examines engineering competencies across several categories (technical, communication, project management, professional accountability, etc.
Good Character Assessment
All applicants must submit a good character assessment through the PEO portal
STEP 3
Submit P.Eng. licence application
Applicants will receive an acknowledgement of receipt after submitting the online application to which PEO will review applications and provide a confirmation of completeness within 10 days of submittal.
If the application is incomplete, applicants will get 60 days for a one-time opportunity to complete and re-submit the application.
STEP 4
PEO assessment and National Professional Practice Exam
PEO will assess the above requirements within 180 days after confirmation of completeness. after the application is submitted and deemed complete by PEO, applicants will receive a registration notice in which a button for the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE) registration will appear on the home page of the application portal. Applicants will then be able to register to write the NPPE at the next available time.
The NPPE is held five times a year and is a proctored exam written online from a candidate’s home.
You can find more details on the above information by visiting PEO.