FE Exam 2026: test dates, format, how to book and free practice tests
The NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the usual first exam on the way to a professional engineer licence in the United States. It is written for people who are close to finishing, or have recently finished, an engineering degree. There is no single FE exam date in 2026: the exam runs year-round at Pearson VUE test centres, and you pick your own day when you register through your MyNCEES account. This guide covers booking, eligibility, the exam pattern, the FE Civil syllabus, and a plan for the weeks before your date.
FE exam at a glance
| Conducting body | NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying) |
| What it is for | The first exam toward licensure as a professional engineer; licensing boards set the rest of the path |
| Mode | Computer-based, closed book, at an NCEES-approved Pearson VUE test centre |
| Questions | 110 in every discipline |
| Time | 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, in a 5 hour 55 minute appointment |
| Marking | One point per correct answer; no negative marking, no partial credit |
| Result | Pass or fail, usually within 7 to 10 days |
| Language | English |
| How often | Year-round |
| Official website | ncees.org/exams/fe-exam |
Test dates and booking
The FE exam has no national exam day. As of 20 October 2026, the NCEES FE exam page says the exam is offered year-round at approved Pearson test centres, and that you register and schedule appointments through your MyNCEES account, choosing a location and then one of the dates that centre has open.
The exam fee shown on the NCEES page on 20 October 2026 is $225, paid to NCEES. Some licensing boards add their own application or fee; check your board's section of the NCEES page.
Retakes: for several boards the NCEES page states one attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in a 12-month period. Your own board's rules apply, so read its section before you plan a second sitting.
How to book
- Check your licensing board's rules on the NCEES FE exam page. Each board decides who may sit and what a pass means for it.
- Create or sign in to your MyNCEES account.
- Choose your discipline (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer, and so on). You choose one discipline per registration.
- Pay the NCEES fee and choose a Pearson VUE test centre and an open date.
- Read the current NCEES Examinee Guide before the day: identification, what you may bring, and the calculator policy.
Keep ready: a government photo ID whose name matches your MyNCEES account exactly, an approved calculator, and any board approval your state needs.
Exam pattern
NCEES gives the FE as seven separate exams: Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, Mechanical, and Other Disciplines. Each has 110 questions. The appointment, as in the May 2026 NCEES Examinee Guide:
| Part | Time |
|---|---|
| Nondisclosure agreement | 2 minutes |
| Tutorial | 8 minutes |
| Exam (all 110 questions, one clock) | 5 hours 20 minutes |
| Scheduled break (optional) | 25 minutes |
Things that change how you work:
- One clock, two halves. Knowledge areas are not timed separately. After about half the questions you review and submit that half, and you cannot return to it.
- Closed book with a supplied handbook. The only reference is the FE Reference Handbook, on screen as a searchable PDF.
- Question types. Mostly single-answer multiple choice, plus multiple-correct, numeric fill-in, point-and-click and drag-and-drop items. Every item is right or wrong.
- No negative marking. A wrong answer scores 0, so never leave a question blank.
- Unscored items. A limited number of the 110 are pretest questions, mixed in and not labelled.
Syllabus (FE Civil)
The FE Civil specification in force began with the July 2020 exams. Its 14 knowledge areas, with the number of questions on a form:
| Knowledge area | Questions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and statistics | 8–12 |
| Ethics and professional practice | 4–6 |
| Engineering economics | 5–8 |
| Statics | 8–12 |
| Dynamics | 4–6 |
| Mechanics of materials | 7–11 |
| Materials | 5–8 |
| Fluid mechanics | 6–9 |
| Surveying | 6–9 |
| Water resources and environmental engineering | 10–15 |
| Structural engineering | 10–15 |
| Geotechnical engineering | 10–15 |
| Transportation engineering | 9–14 |
| Construction engineering | 8–12 |
The four big civil areas (water, structures, geotechnical, transportation) carry up to 59 questions between them, so they deserve most of your time. The full list of subtopics is on our FE syllabus page and in the NCEES FE Civil specification. The other six disciplines have their own specifications on the NCEES site.
A plan for the weeks before your date
Because you choose the date, the best plan starts by booking a date eight to ten weeks away, which gives you a fixed target.
Weeks 1–2: learn the handbook. Download the FE Reference Handbook and find where each knowledge area sits in it. Time spent hunting through the PDF is time taken from solving. Practise using its search for equations you know.
Weeks 3–5: the heavy areas. Work through water resources, structural, geotechnical and transportation, with timed sets of 10 to 15 questions in each. Use only the handbook as your reference while practising.
Weeks 6–7: the smaller areas and full mocks. Revise statics, mechanics of materials, economics and ethics, which are quick marks once learned. Sit a full timed FE Civil mock test at the start of week 6, and another at the end of week 7, on a single 5 hour 20 minute clock with a submit point at the halfway mark.
Final week: review, not new topics. Go through every wrong answer from your mocks, sorted by knowledge area (our guide to analysing a mock test shows how). Confirm your calculator is on the approved list and your ID matches your account.
A useful pace target: 110 questions in 320 minutes is a little under 3 minutes per question. Aim to reach the halfway submit point with time to review, because you cannot go back after it.
Useful links
- NCEES FE exam page: registration, fee and board rules
- FE Civil specification, effective July 2020 (PDF)
- NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF)
- Free FE Civil mock test
- FE exam syllabus
- FE exam dates
- PE exam 2026: test dates, format and how to book
- How to use mock tests
Frequently asked questions
What is the FE exam pass mark?
NCEES does not publish a raw pass mark. Your number correct is converted to a scaled score and compared with a passing standard set by subject-matter experts, and the raw number needed moves slightly between forms. The result is simply pass or fail.
Is there negative marking in the FE exam?
No. A wrong answer scores 0, the same as a blank, and there is no partial credit. Answer every question.
When is the FE exam in 2026?
There is no fixed date. The FE runs year-round at Pearson VUE test centres, and you choose an open date when you register in MyNCEES.
Can I bring my own books to the FE exam?
No. The exam is closed book. The FE Reference Handbook is supplied on screen as a searchable PDF, and that is the only reference.
How many times can I take the FE exam?
For several boards the NCEES page states one attempt per testing window and at most three attempts in 12 months. Your licensing board may set its own limits, so check its section on the NCEES page.
Which FE discipline should I take?
Usually the one that matches your degree. Programs without one of the six named exams use FE Other Disciplines. Our practice test covers FE Civil only.