§34-11-4. General requirements for licensure or certification.

The board may approve engineering, land surveying, and related science programs which shall be accepted under the following criteria:

(1) PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional engineer:

a. Graduation and experience plus examination.

1. Graduation in an approved engineering curriculum plus four years experience. A graduate of an approved engineering curriculum of four years or more from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental engineering subjects and who has a specific record of an additional four years or more of progressive experience in engineering work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be admitted to a board approved examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing this examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice engineering in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

2. Graduation in an unapproved engineering curriculum plus six years experience. A graduate of an unapproved engineering curriculum of four years or more who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental engineering subjects and who has a specific record of an additional six years or more of progressive experience in engineering work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be admitted to a board approved examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing this examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice engineering in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

b. Comity. The board may, upon application, issue a certificate of licensure as a professional engineer to any person who holds a valid professional engineering certificate issued by any jurisdiction of the United States or of any country; provided, that the education, experience, and examination qualifications of the applicant are, in the judgment of the board, of a standard not lower than that specified in the applicable licensure act in effect in Alabama at the time such certificate was issued. The board may authorize an applicant to practice engineering on a temporary basis upon issuance of an interim permit which shall remain in effect until the board acts upon the application. The interim permit may be issued upon submission of documentation and a fee which shall be established by the board, not to exceed fifty dollars ($50).

(2) ENGINEER INTERN. The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for certification as an engineer intern:

a. Graduation and examination. A graduate of an approved engineering curriculum of four years or more from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental engineering subjects shall be certified as an engineer intern, if otherwise qualified.

b. Graduation and examination plus experience. Graduation in an unapproved engineering curriculum plus two years experience. A graduate of an unapproved engineering curriculum of four years or more who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental engineering subjects and who has a specific record of two years or more of progressive experience in engineering work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be certified as an engineer intern, if otherwise qualified.

c. Comity. The education, experience, and examination qualifications of the applicant are, in the judgment of the board, of a standard not lower than that specified in the applicable licensure act in effect in Alabama at the time such certificate was issued. Fundamentals of engineering examinations of comparable character taken and passed in another jurisdiction may be accepted by the board.

(3) PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR. The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional land surveyor.

a. Graduation and experience plus examination.

1. Graduation in an approved land surveying curriculum plus four years experience. A graduate of an approved land surveying curriculum of four years or more including a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of surveying courses from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental land surveying subjects and who has a specific record of an additional four years or more of combined office and field experience in land surveying work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be admitted to a board approved examination in the principles and practice of land surveying and a board approved examination on laws, procedures, and practices pertaining to land surveying in this state. Upon passing these examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

2. Graduation in an approved curriculum related to surveying plus six years experience. A graduate of a curriculum related to surveying of four years or more including a minimum of 15 semester hours or 22.5 quarter hours of surveying courses from a school or college approved by the board and who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental land surveying subjects and who has a specific record of an additional six years or more of progressive office and field experience in land surveying work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be admitted to a board approved examination in the principles and practice of land surveying and a board approved examination of laws, procedures, and practices pertaining to land surveying in this state. Upon passing these examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

3. Graduation in a related science curriculum plus eight years experience. A graduate of a related science curriculum of four years or more from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamental land surveying subjects and who has a specific record of an additional eight years or more of progressive combined office and field experience in land surveying work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be admitted to a board approved examination in the principles and practice of land surveying and a board approved examination of laws, procedures, and practices pertaining to land surveying in this state. Upon passing these examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

b. Comity. The board, upon application, may grant to any person who holds a valid professional land surveying certificate issued by any jurisdiction of the United States or of any country, admission into a board approved examination of laws, procedures, and practices pertaining to land surveying in this state, provided that the education, experience, and examination qualifications of the applicant are, in the judgment of the board, of a standard not lower than that specified in the applicable licensure act in effect in this state at the time such certificate was issued. Upon passing the examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

(4) LAND SURVEYOR INTERN. The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for certification as a land surveyor intern:

a. Graduation plus examination. Graduation in an approved land surveying curriculum. A graduate of a land surveying curriculum of four years or more including a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of surveying courses from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed board approved examination in the fundamentals of land surveying shall be certified as a land surveyor intern, if otherwise qualified.

b. Graduation and examination plus experience.

1. Graduation in an approved curriculum related to surveying plus two years experience. A graduate of a curriculum related to surveying of four years or more including a minimum of 15 semester hours or 22.5 quarter hours of surveying courses from a school or college approved by the board who has successfully passed board approved examination in the fundamentals of land surveying and who has a specific record of an additional two years or more of combined office and field experience in land surveying work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be certified as a land surveyor intern, if otherwise qualified.

2. Graduation in a related science curriculum plus four years experience. A graduate of a related science curriculum of four years or more who has successfully passed a board approved examination in the fundamentals of land surveying and who has a specific record of an additional four years or more of combined office and field experience in land surveying work of a grade and character satisfactory to the board shall be certified as a land surveyor intern, if otherwise qualified.

c. Comity. The education, experience, and examination qualifications of the applicant are, in the judgment of the board, of a standard not lower than that specified in the applicable licensure act in effect in Alabama at the time such certificate was issued. The board may accept fundamentals of land surveying examinations of comparable character taken and passed in another jurisdiction.

(5) CHARACTER. No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional engineer, certification as an engineer intern, licensure as a professional land surveyor, or certification as a land surveyor intern who is not of good character and reputation.

(6) TEACHING CREDITS. In considering the qualifications of applicants, teaching in an engineering curriculum approved by the board may be considered as engineering experience. Teaching land surveying subjects in a land surveying curriculum approved by the board may be considered as land surveying experience.

(7) GRADUATE STUDY. In counting years of experience for professional engineer licensure, the board may give credit, not in excess of one year, for successful completion of graduate study leading to a master's degree in engineering. If a Ph.D. in engineering is completed, a total of two year's experience may be credited. The two-year credit shall include one year for the master's degree. If the Ph.D. is obtained without the master's degree, the credit for experience shall be two years. In counting years of experience for professional land surveyor licensure, the board may give credit, not in excess of one year, for successful completion of graduate study leading to a master's degree in land surveying. If a Ph.D. in land surveying is completed, a total of two years' experience may be credited. The credit of two years shall include one year for the master's degree. If the Ph.D. is obtained without the master's degree, the credit for experience shall be two years.

(8) NONPRACTICING APPLICANTS. Any person having the necessary qualifications prescribed in this chapter to entitle the applicant to licensure shall be eligible for licensure although the applicant may not be practicing engineering or land surveying at the time of making application.

(9) RECOGNITION OF PREVIOUSLY TAKEN EXAMINATIONS. The board may accept fundamentals and principles and practice examinations of comparable character taken and passed in another jurisdiction.

(Acts 1961, Ex. Sess., No. 79, p. 1976, §12; Acts 1967, No. 739, p. 1576, §1; Acts 1984, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 84-792, p. 182, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-282, p. 516, §3; Acts 1997, No. 97-683, p. 1332, §1; Act 2004-501, p. 954, §1; Act 2009-642, p. 1975, §1; Act 2014-375, §1.)