Applicants FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions for applicants seeking licensure

Technical Exams

No. Candidates can choose any exam from any discipline. They must select two exams from A, one from B and one from Complementary Studies. 

All exam purchases are final sale and non-refundable. If you do not wish to attend an exam after purchase, you may request to be marked as a ‘no show/withdrawal’ via email to [email protected] and this will allow you to purchase another exam in a future sitting.

If the exams that candidates plan to write at the upcoming sitting are not listed on the portal, they may contact [email protected] and the exam may be made available at the following sitting. Please find the complete list of exams here

Candidates have unlimited attempts to pass technical exams until they pass the required number of technical exams to apply for a licence.

Candidates should mark the ‘Academics’ section as “Complete” via the application portal.

You will receive an email indicating the result of each exam.

Exams are offered twice a year.

Registration for the Spring/Summer session opens in January.

Registration for the Fall/Winter session begins in July.

Candidates will receive their Technical Exam results via email as soon as they become available.

Candidates are welcome to register for exams prior to PEO receiving their required academic document. Please note however that it is up to the candidate to ensure that the program that is added to the application matches the program information on the document, which will be reviewed after the application is submitted. 

It is up to the candidate to decide which sittings they will attend to meet PEO’s technical exam requirement. Sittings are offered twice a year. 

Exams cannot be transferred from one sitting to another. Candidates should be prepared to write exams in the sitting they have registered for. 

There is no Good Performance Policy under the current process and no waiving of exams due to experience. Candidates must meet PEO’s Academic Requirement via completion of four technical exams. 

Candidates are not required to re-write a failed exam, and may purchase a different exam in a future session. 

Candidates decide how to prepare for technical exams (e.g., self-study, taking a course or finding a tutor). They may refer to the  Recommended Textbooks and PEO Syllabus of Examinations.

Yes. Technical exams are written online. Candidates may write technical exams outside Canada if they have high-speed internet and a webcam. 

National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE)

Yes, candidates must complete a licence application to register for the NPPE.

Yes. Applicants must take the NPPE by the date PEO specifies. This deadline ensures an application can be processed within 180 days, including exam-processing time.  

Applicants can take the NPPE after PEO confirms their application is complete. After the applicant receives notification from PEO confirming their application is complete, including instructions for writing the exam and the date before which they must take it, the NPPE registration tab will appear on the application homepage. Applicants can use the registration tab to register for an upcoming exam within the current registration window.

The NPPE sitting schedule is available on the application portal and PEO’s website.

There are five exam sittings per year. Please check the NPPE webpage for the schedule of upcoming sittings. 

No. The results from the previous application will be transferred/valid to the new application.

Applicants can take the NPPE after PEO confirms their application is complete. After the applicant receives notification from PEO confirming their application is complete, including instructions for writing the exam and the date before which they must take it, the NPPE registration tab will appear on the application homepage. Applicants can use the registration tab to register for an upcoming exam within the current registration window.

NOTE that applicants must take the NPPE by the date PEO specifies. This deadline ensures an application can be processed within 180 days, including exam-processing time. 

Candidates who register to write the NPPE should receive a booking confirmation email from Meazure Learning (formerly Yardstick) with their exam date and time approximately three to four weeks from the scheduled NPPE date. 

Please get in touch with Meazure Learning at [email protected] if you have not received this confirmation within three weeks of the scheduled NPPE date.

Read about the NPPE syllabus.

Three textbooks and several free resources are recommended as study materials to prepare for the NPPE:

Read about recommended study materials.

Several practice tests are available to help you prepare for the NPPE. These practice test questions are taken from previously held NPPE exams.

The practice test site has an NPPE preparation package available for purchase:

Order practice tests

Order an NPPE preparation package

The NPPE is a 2.5 hour, closed-book, online exam on ethics, professional practice, engineering law and professional liability. The exam has 110 multiple-choice questions based on six subject areas.

Academic Requirements

To be eligible, your degree program must be on PEO’s Recognized Programs List.

Yes. PEO does not accept previously obtained WES reports or documents sent directly from candidates. PEO requires the WES ICAP Course-by-Course report to be submitted as part of the application. Click here for more information.

No. Under the new application process, PEO only accepts WES ICAP course-by-course evaluation reports.

Candidates from bachelor of engineering programs not listed on PEO’s Recognized Programs List can request further verification of their academic qualifications through the PEO Application Portal. Alternatively, candidates can consider applying for a limited licence if they meet the submission requirements.

No. PEO does not accept licence transfers from the USA. 

No. The academic requirement to apply for a P.Eng. licence is a bachelor’s degree in an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) or a bachelor's degree listed on PEO's Recognized Programs List plus successful completion of a technical examination program.

PEO’s academic requirement for a P.Eng. is a bachelor’s degree in an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) or one listed on PEO's Recognized Programs List plus successful completion of a technical examination program. If you do not meet this requirement, consider applying for a limited licence if you meet the submission requirements. 

Please monitor the ‘Documents Received’ section under ‘Programs’ in the application portal. The status of this section will update from “No” to “Yes” when the required document is received. 

Identification

Yes, if you are eligible to apply. During the application process, you will be presented with the accepted forms of ID.

General application questions

Yes. You may request a registration hearing after receiving a notice of proposal.

PEO does not require specific English, French or other language proficiency testing, and applicants are not required to be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to become licensed.