Engineering License from California to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance) ↗
A PE license transfers from California to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance), verify your California license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken (references under two years old, transcripts, and verifications in the Record are accepted); Tennessee requires no separate state jurisprudence exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Tennessee grants PE licensure by comity, so a Professional Engineer licensed in California does not start over — but does file a full Tennessee application. Your California license, ABET degree, qualifying experience, and FE and PE results reach the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance) through your NCEES Record; the board's task is to confirm they meet Tennessee's practice act, not to re-test you. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken (references under two years old, transcripts, and verifications in the Record are accepted); Tennessee requires no separate state jurisprudence exam. Two things govern your timeline: keeping your California license active and unencumbered while the Tennessee application is pending, and clearing any Tennessee-specific exam or statutes review before the license issues.
What changes, California → Tennessee
| California (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $175–$250 (Board PE application fee was $175 and rose to $250 effective July 1, 2026 (amended 16 CCR sec. 407); because the 2026-07-21 data date is after that effective date, $250 is the operative amount, though the official fee page still labeled $175 as 'current' at access — confirm the operative amount. Civil applicants also pay the Board's Seismic Principles and Engineering Surveying exam fees ($175 each, rising to $250 each on 7/1/2026). NCEES Record transmittal is $175 first board / $100 each additional, paid separately to NCEES; biennial renewal is $180 (rising to $250 on 7/1/2026)) | $55 (Tennessee 'application by comity' fee; a separate $140 biennial registration fee is collected upon licensure. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 first board / $100 each additional, paid separately to NCEES.) |
| Processing time | No board-published comity turnaround; the application undergoes technical review and the applicant becomes eligible for any required state-specific exams (offered in limited quarterly windows) only after that review is approved, so total time varies widely | No comity turnaround published; complete applications are reviewed by the board (NCEES Record completion itself averages 2-3 weeks). |
| Licensing authority | California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) | Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Meet Tennessee's minimum registration requirements (Tennessee grants comity, not automatic reciprocity).
- Hold an active license in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction (or submit an NCEES Record).
- Submit an NCEES Record, or provide transcripts, license verifications, and employment references.
- Have passed the NCEES PE examination (and the FE where required for the qualifying pathway).
- Pay the fees ($55 (Tennessee 'application by comity' fee; a separate $140 biennial registration fee is collected upon licensure. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 first board / $100 each additional, paid separately to NCEES.)) and allow No comity turnaround published; complete applications are reviewed by the board (NCEES Record completion itself averages 2-3 weeks)..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee accept a California PE license?
A PE license transfers from California to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners (TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance), verify your California license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken (references under two years old, transcripts, and verifications in the Record are accepted); Tennessee requires no separate state jurisprudence exam.
Do I retake the FE or PE exam moving from California to Tennessee?
FE and PE exam results transfer through your NCEES Record and are not retaken (references under two years old, transcripts, and verifications in the Record are accepted); Tennessee requires no separate state jurisprudence exam.
What does the California-to-Tennessee comity application cost?
$55 (Tennessee 'application by comity' fee; a separate $140 biennial registration fee is collected upon licensure. Transmitting an NCEES Record costs $175 first board / $100 each additional, paid separately to NCEES.).
Can I keep my California PE license after I'm licensed in Tennessee?
Yes — PE licenses stack. Keep the California license active (its renewal and continuing-education/PDH clock run separately) and you hold both. Engineers working near state lines or nationally routinely carry several PE licenses at once, all sourced from a single NCEES Record.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- TN Board of Architectural & Engineering Examiners — Engineers (how to get licensed / comity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Board of Architectural & Engineering Examiners — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Application Fees (PE $175, rising to $250 on 7/1/2026; state exam fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Licensee Fee Schedule (renewal $180 -> $250 on 7/1/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — PE Application Instructions (Laws & Rules exam; comity NCEES Record option) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BPELSG — Professional Engineer Application overview (comity applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]