Section 1480.140  Application for Licensure by Acceptance of Examination

a)         An applicant shall have acquired the experience required by Section 1480.130 and passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (Part I) and the 16-hour Structural Engineering (Part II) examinations in compliance with Section 1480.150 prior to making application to the Division.

b)         An applicant must satisfy one of the following options when applying:

1)         Applicant Enrolled as an Illinois Structural Engineer Intern. An applicant who is enrolled as an Illinois structural engineer intern shall file an application on forms supplied by the Division and shall include, in addition to the requirements of Section 9 of the Act, the following:

A)        An official copy of his or her Illinois structural engineer intern certificate indicating prior Board approval of the baccalaureate degree and passage of Part I of the required examinations.

B)        Official certification for successful passage of Part II of the examination requirement as specified in Section 1480.150.

C)        Experience verification forms completed by the supervisor, indicating the required experience earned as specified in Section 1480.130.

i)          Applicants desiring to use post-graduate degrees as experience credit as specified in Section 1480.130 must submit an official conferred transcript for review and acceptance.

ii)         Applicants claiming credit for participation in a cooperative program, as described in Section 1480.130(a)(2), must submit certification of participation with a brief description of the program, from the university and verification of supervision.

D)        The required fee specified in Section 1480.195.

E)        In lieu of the documentation specified in subsection (b)(1)(A), (B), and (C), an applicant may submit a current NCEES Record.

2)         Applicant Not Enrolled as an Illinois Structural Engineer Intern. An applicant not enrolled or as an Illinois structural engineer intern shall file an application on forms supplied by the Division and shall include, in addition to the requirements of Section 9 of the Act, the following:

A)        An official transcript showing conferral date for a degree from an approved structural engineering program as specified in Section 1480.110 or a non-approved program as specified in Section 1480.120.

B)        Official certification for successful passage of the required examinations for licensure as specified in Section 1480.150.

C)        Experience verification forms completed by the supervisor, indicating the required experience earned as specified in Section 1480.130.

i)          Applicants desiring to use post-graduate degrees as experience credit as specified in Section 1480.130 must submit an official conferred transcript for review and acceptance.

ii)         Applicants claiming credit for participation in a cooperative program, as described in Section 1480.130(a)(2), must submit certification of participation with a brief description of the program, from the university and verification of supervision.

D)        The required fee specified in Section 1480.195.

E)        In lieu of the documentation specified in subsection (b)(2)(A), (B) and (C), an applicant may submit a current NCEES Record.

c)         If an applicant has ever been licensed to practice engineering in another jurisdiction, certification from the jurisdiction of original licensure and any other jurisdiction in which the applicant is or has ever been licensed, including the following:

1)         The date of issuance of the applicant's license and the current status of the license;

2)         The basis of licensure and a description of the examination by which the applicant was licensed, if any; and

3)         Whether the records of the licensing authority contain any record of disciplinary action taken or pending against the applicant.

d)         Applicants not enrolled as a structural engineer intern in Illinois who received their baccalaureate education in a foreign country other than Canada, shall have the education evaluated at their expense.  Applicants shall obtain the forms from NCEES Credentials Evaluations, 200 Verdae Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29607.  Evaluations completed prior to October 30, 2006 from Engineering Credentials Evaluation International (ECEI) are also accepted.  The Board has only approved NCEES and ECEI as evaluators for degrees.  The Board will review all transcripts and the evaluation submitted to the Division to determine if the education meets the requirements set forth in Sections 1480.110 and 1480.120.

e)         Applicants not enrolled as a structural engineer intern in Illinois, who graduated from a program outside the United States or its territories, and whose first language is not English must provide the Division proof of passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL-iBT) with a minimum score of 26 on the speaking module and a total minimum integrated score of 88.  In order to determine applicants whose first language is English, the applicant shall submit verification from the school that the engineering program from which the applicant graduated was taught in English.  However, any applicant who subsequently earned a post-graduate degree with an emphasis in structural engineering from an accredited educational institution in the United States or its territories shall not be subject to this requirement.

f)         Upon receipt of the application and all supporting documentation in complete order,

1)         The applicant's file will be presented to the Board for evaluation of the required education, examinations and experience as specified in this Section.  Once the application has been approved, those persons if otherwise qualified, shall be granted a license to practice structural engineering in this State.

2)         Applicants who are reviewed by the Board and not approved, based on requirements specified in this Section, shall be deferred licensure as an Illinois structural engineer until applicant meets the requirements.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 946, effective January 5, 2023)