2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 5 - Businesses and Professions
CHAPTER 5-8 - Engineers
§ 5-8-11 - General requirements for registration or certification.

SECTION 5-8-11

   § 5-8-11  General requirements for registration or certification. – (a) Engineer or engineer-in-training. To be eligible for registration as a professional engineer or certification as an engineer-in-training, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and shall submit five (5) references with his or her application for registration, three (3) of which references shall be registered engineers having personal knowledge of his or her engineering experience, or in the case of an application for certification as an engineer-in-training, by three (3) character references.

   (b) The following shall be considered minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for registration as a professional engineer or for certification as an engineer-in-training, respectively:

   (1) As a professional engineer:

   (i) Registration by endorsement. (A) A person holding a current certificate of registration to engage in the practice of engineering, on the basis of comparable written examinations, issued to him or her by either a proper authority of a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or of any foreign country, and whose qualifications meets the requirements of this chapter, based on verified evidence may, upon application, be registered without further examination.

   (B) A person holding a certificate of qualification issued by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, whose qualifications meet the requirements of this chapter, may, upon application, be registered without further examination, provided he or she is qualified.

   (ii) Graduation from an accredited program, experience and examination. A graduate of or senior enrolled in an ABET-EAC accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more approved by the board as being of satisfactory standing, shall be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering. Upon passing this examination and obtaining a specific record of a minimum of four (4) years of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, the applicant may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. The graduate having a specific record of twelve (12) years or more of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, shall be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing that examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of registration to practice engineering in this state, provided he or she is qualified.

   (iii) Graduation from a non-accredited program, experience, and examination. A graduate of or senior enrolled in an engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more other than those approved by the board as being of satisfactory standing shall be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering. Upon passing this examination and obtaining a specific record of a minimum of four (4) years of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, the applicant may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing these examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of registration to practice engineering in this state, provided he or she is qualified.

   (iv) Teaching. Engineering teaching in a college or university offering an ABET-EAC accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more may be considered as engineering experience.

   (v) Engineers previously registered. Each engineer holding a certificate of registration and each engineer-in-training under the laws of this state as previously in effect shall be deemed registered as an engineer or engineer-in-training as appropriate under this chapter.

   (2) As an engineer-in-training: the following is considered as minimum evidence that the applicant is qualified for certification as an engineer in training:

   (i) Graduation and examination. A graduate of an ABET-EAC accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more who has passed the board's eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering shall be certified or enrolled as an engineer-in-training, if he or she is qualified.

   (ii) Graduation from a non-accredited program and examination. A graduate of a non-accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more who has passed the board's eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering and has obtained two (2) years of engineering experience of a grade and character approved by the board shall be certified and enrolled as an engineer in training, if he or she is qualified.

   (iii) Duration of engineer in training certification. The certification or enrollment of an engineer in training shall be valid for a minimum period of twelve (12) years.