The FE exam: length, dates, registration and scoring

How long is the FE exam?

The appointment is about 6 hours (NCEES’s Examinee Guide breaks it down as 5 hours 55 minutes): a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time and a 25-minute scheduled break. So when people ask how long is FE exam time really, the answer is 320 minutes for 110 questions.

You get the entire exam time at the start, with no individually timed sections. You may take the scheduled break after completing, reviewing and submitting approximately half of the questions. Time spent on unscheduled breaks is deducted from your testing time.

Source: NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam dates and FE exam schedule

There is no national test day. The FE is offered year-round, and the dates for FE exam appointments are whatever slots are open at the Pearson test center you choose. After you register you select a location and are shown a list of available exam dates; you must schedule at least one business day in advance.

Your FE exam schedule is limited by the retake rule: one attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in a 12-month period. NCEES’s testing windows are January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December.

Source: NCEES — FE Exam. Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam dates 2026

NCEES’s May 2026 Examinee Guide lists the FE as year-round, so FE exam dates 2026 are available throughout the year rather than on set days. If you plan to test before the end of 2026, the October to December window is the last one of the year; if you need a retake, the next attempt falls in a later window.

Source: NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam registration: how to register for FE exam

You register for FE exam appointments through your MyNCEES account. Eligibility is determined by each licensing board, and many boards require approval before you can schedule. Here is how to sign up for FE exam testing step by step:

• Check your state board’s requirements for taking the FE.
• Create a MyNCEES account and complete the FE exam registration, paying the US$225 fee to NCEES.
• If your board requires approval, wait for it; NCEES then emails that you are ready to schedule.
• Choose a Pearson test center and an available date, at least one business day ahead.

Source: NCEES — FE Exam. Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam passing score

NCEES does not publish an FE exam pass score. Your result is based on the total number of correct answers, with no deductions for wrong answers. That raw score is converted to a scaled score, which adjusts for small differences in difficulty between exam forms, and is compared with the minimum ability level for the exam.

There is no fixed share of candidates who must pass or fail. Results are typically available within 7 to 10 business days and are reported as pass or fail. If you do not pass, you receive a diagnostic report showing your performance in each major topic.

Source: NCEES — Exam scoring. Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam topics: civil

FE exam topics differ by discipline. The FE Civil specification we read on ncees.org (dated effective January 2014; confirm the current version in MyNCEES) lists 18 knowledge areas. Among the FE exam civil topics, geotechnical engineering has the widest range at 9 to 14 questions.

• Geotechnical engineering: 9 to 14
• Hydraulics and hydrologic systems; transportation engineering: 8 to 12 each
• Mathematics; statics; mechanics of materials: 7 to 11 each
• Structural analysis; structural design; environmental engineering: 6 to 9 each
• Probability and statistics, computational tools, ethics, engineering economics, dynamics, materials, fluid mechanics, construction, surveying: 4 to 6 each

Source: NCEES — FE Civil CBT exam specifications. Checked 19 October 2026.

FE exam mechanical topics

The FE Mechanical specification is effective beginning with the July 2020 exams and has 14 knowledge areas:

• Dynamics, kinematics and vibrations; fluid mechanics; thermodynamics; mechanical design and analysis: 10 to 15 each
• Statics; mechanics of materials: 9 to 14 each
• Material properties and processing; heat transfer: 7 to 11 each
• Mathematics: 6 to 9
• Electricity and magnetism; measurements, instrumentation and controls: 5 to 8 each
• Probability and statistics; ethics and professional practice; engineering economics: 4 to 6 each

Source: NCEES — FE Mechanical CBT exam specifications. Checked 19 October 2026.

Passing FE exam questions under time pressure

To pass the FE exam you need speed as much as knowledge: a little under 3 minutes per question, with every formula looked up in the on-screen handbook. Because there are no deductions for wrong answers, answer every question. Certsqill’s FE questions are expert-developed, explain every answer option and give you a readiness score per knowledge area.

Source: NCEES — Exam scoring. Checked 19 October 2026.

FE Exam exam: questions people ask

How long is the FE exam?

5 hours 20 minutes of exam time for 110 questions, in an appointment of about 6 hours including a 25-minute break. Source: NCEES, checked 19 October 2026.

What is the FE exam passing score?

NCEES does not publish it. Scores are scaled and compared with a minimum ability level; results are pass or fail. Source: NCEES, checked 19 October 2026.

When are the FE exam dates?

The FE is offered year-round at Pearson test centers; you pick an available date when you schedule. Source: NCEES, checked 19 October 2026.

How do I register for the FE exam?

Through your MyNCEES account, after checking your board’s requirements. Many boards must approve you before you can schedule. Source: NCEES, checked 19 October 2026.

How many questions are on the FE exam?

110. Source: NCEES FE Exam page, checked 19 October 2026.

When do I get my FE result?

Typically within 7 to 10 business days, as pass or fail, with a diagnostic report if you do not pass. Source: NCEES, checked 19 October 2026.