in-20260311-IR-864250478FRA: UPDATES TO BOARD RULES; REQUIREMENTS

TITLE 864 STATE BOARD OF REGISTRATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS Final Rule LSA Document #25-478 DIGEST UPDATES TO BOARD RULES; REQUIREMENTS Amends 864 IAC 1.1-1-1 concerning definitions. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-3 concerning education and work experience requirements to register as a professional engineer. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-4 concerning education requirements for an applicant with a degree in other than approved engineering curriculum. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-6 concerning education and experience requirements for certification as an engineering intern. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-3-2 concerning the application to register as a professional engineer. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-2, 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-5, and 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-7 concerning engineering examination requirements and examination attempts. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-8 concerning terminating applications and reapplications. Amends 864 IAC 1.1-5-1 concerning standards for comity registration. Repeals 864 IAC 1.1-3-4. Effective 30 days after filing with the publisher. HISTORY Notice of First Public Comment Period: 20251015-IR-864250478FNA Regulatory Analysis submitted with Notice of First Public Comment Period: 20251015-IR-864250478RAA Date of First Hearing: November 18, 2025 Notice of Second Public Comment Period: 20251210-IR-864250478SNA Date of Second Hearing: January 13, 2026 CITATIONS AFFECTED: 864 IAC 1.1-1; 864 IAC 1.1-2.1; 864 IAC 1.1-3; 864 IAC 1.1-4.1; 864 IAC 1.1-5 SUMMARY/RESPONSE TO COMMENTS The State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers (board) requested public comment from October 15, 2025, through November 14, 2025, and during the public hearing on November 18, 2025. The comments received and the board's responses to the comments are summarized as follows: Comment from Dr. Vincent P. Drnevich, P.E. and Juliana Pereira: Dr. Vincent Drnevich submitted an email to the board in support of the proposed rule entitled, “An active case for supporting the proposed change of the SBRPE Rules for licensure eligibility.” Dr. Drnevich's email included an email from Purdue PhD student Juliana Pereira. In her email, Ms. Pereira explains that while she was working on her bachelor's degree, she attended universities in three different countries, which would make it difficult or impossible to obtain official transcripts, diplomas, and detailed course descriptions (due to curriculum changes, retirement of faculty and the requirement to obtain certified translations) to satisfy the current requirements in the board's rules. Ms. Pereira states that she successfully completed a master's degree in civil engineering at Purdue University, and she states that this accurately reflects her academic qualifications and her ability to meet the standards of US. Engineering. Dr. Drvenvich's cover email indicates that Ms. Pereira's email accurately explains her plight and is a very strong argument for changing the Indiana Rules of the board to allow her to become eligible for licensure. Board's Response: The board thanks Dr. Drnevich and Ms. Pereira for their comments in support of the proposed rule. Comments by Robert Weissbach, Electrical Engineer and Professor: Robert Weissbach provided comments during the public hearing on November 18, 2025. Mr. Weissbach teaches courses at Purdue University in Engineering Technology. Mr. Weissbach believes that the Engineering Technology degree program, which is an applied engineering program, adequately prepares students to practice as engineers able to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. He believes that graduates of the Engineering Technology program who have passed the P.E. exam should be able to be licensed in Indiana. He is asking that the board use Engineering Technology as a legitimate pathway without a lot of extra hurdles to allow for their inclusion in the engineering and professional engineering practice. Board's Response: The board thanks Mr. Weissbach for providing comments at the public hearing. The comments are outside the scope of the present proposed rule. There is already a pathway for Engineering Technology graduates to become Professional Engineers with six years experience following their baccalaureate degree that includes the required courses. The board stated that this is part of a separate parallel process being worked independently by the board for future consideration. The board did not make any changes to the proposed rule after the first public comment period and after the first public hearing. Because substantive comments were received during the first public comment period and at the public hearing, the board requested a second round of public comments from December 10, 2025, through January 9, 2026, and held a second public hearing on January 13, 2026. No further comments were received by the board. FINAL RULE 864 IAC 1.1-1-1 Definitions; abbreviations Sec. 1. (a) The following definitions apply throughout this title: (b) The terms defined in IC 25-31-1-2 shall have the same definitions meaning when used in this title. Sec. 3. (a) This section and sections 4 and 5 of this rule establish the minimum education and experience requirements under IC 25-31-1-12 for registration as a professional engineer. An applicant shall either have a degree in an approved engineering curriculum or satisfy the requirements of section 4 of this rule to qualify for registration under IC 25-31-1-12. (b) The following table establishes provisions for evaluating combined education and experience to determine if it is sufficient to satisfy the minimum registration requirements under IC 25-31-1-12 for professional engineer registration applicants holding the stated degrees: Education (Qualifying Degree) Minimum Years of Progressive Work Experience Following Baccalaureate Degree Doctorate in an engineering discipline following a baccalaureate degree in an approved engineering curriculum 2 Master of Science degree in an engineering discipline following a baccalaureate degree in an approved engineering curriculum 3 Doctorate in engineering discipline from school with approved engineering curriculum following baccalaureate degree that is not in approved engineering curriculum 2 Master of Science degree in engineering discipline from school with approved engineering curriculum following baccalaureate degree that is not in approved engineering curriculum 3 Doctorate in an engineering discipline from school without approved engineering curriculum following a baccalaureate degree that is not in an approved engineering curriculum 4 Master of Science degree in an engineering discipline from school without approved engineering curriculum following a baccalaureate degree that is not in an approved engineering curriculum 5 Baccalaureate degree in an approved engineering curriculum 4 Baccalaureate degree and completion of specific educational courses as required in section 4 of this rule 6 (c) No degree requirement under this section may be achieved by obtaining an honorary degree. (d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section and section 4 of this rule, an applicant who holds a valid certificate as an engineering intern does not need any additional education beyond that which was required for certification as an engineering intern in Indiana, at the time of when an applicant's applicant first taking takes the engineering intern (fundamentals of engineering) examination, so long as the applicant applies for admission to passes the professional engineer examination no not later than the first examination deadline (as provided for in 864 IAC 1.1-3-4), which is subsequent to date that is ten (10) years after the date the applicant took and passed the engineering intern examination. 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-4 Degree in other than approved engineering curriculum Sec. 4. (a) The education of all applicants, except those who have obtained a baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree in an approved engineering curriculum, must include the following: (b) College courses with substantial duplication of content may be counted only one (1) time toward the requirements of subsection (a). (c) College courses that cover at least two (2) or more categories in subsection (a) shall be are counted only in one (1) category. The appropriate category is that which is the greatest portion of the course. In determining the greatest portion of the course, the board may take into account information from the institution offering the course. 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-6 Engineering intern; education and work experience Sec. 6. (a) This section establishes the minimum education and experience requirements under IC 25-31-1-12 for certification as an engineering intern. (b) The education and experience requirements of sections 3 through 5 of this rule for professional engineer applicants apply for engineering intern applicants, except that but individuals with: 864 IAC 1.1-3-2 Engineer application Sec. 2. (a) The board shall require at least three (3) favorable reports of the engineering applicant's competence from registered professional engineers familiar with the applicant's engineering work before admitting the applicant to registering an applicant as a professional engineer in Indiana, whether through examination or accepting the applicant for registration by comity in engineering. (b) An applicant shall be exempt from taking the fundamentals of engineering portion of the professional engineer examination if the applicant has previously passed the fundamentals of engineering portion of the examination in another state. 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-2 Admission to examinations Sec. 2. (a) The board will admit an applicant to the professional engineer examination only if the applicant otherwise qualifies for registration as a professional engineer, including meeting applicable education and experience requirements established in IC 25-31-1-12 and 864 IAC 1.1-2.1. (b) (a) Except for an applicant who has not passed the fundamentals of engineering examination prior to before applying for admission to the professional engineer examination, an applicant may be admitted to the fundamentals of engineering examination without obtaining approval from the board. Application is only required to the testing service. However, in order to be certified as an engineering intern, the applicant, after passing the fundamentals of engineering examination, must shall subsequently file an application with the board, and to be approved, the applicant must shall meet all of the engineering intern certification requirements, including meeting the applicable education and experience requirements established in IC 25-31-1-12 and 864 IAC 1.1-2.1. (b) Except for an applicant who has not passed the fundamentals of engineering examination before applying for admission to the professional engineer examination or does not have a degree in an approved engineering curriculum, an applicant may be admitted to the professional engineer examination by application to the testing service. All other applicants shall apply to the board using the Professional Engineer by Examination application on the Indiana professional licensing agency's website and demonstrate that they meet the requirements of 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-4 before admission to the professional engineer examination. (c) To be registered as a professional engineer, after passing the fundamentals of engineering examination and professional engineer examination, the applicant shall apply to the board and demonstrate that they meet all the professional engineer registration requirements, including meeting the applicable education requirements established in IC 25-31-1-12 and 864 IAC 1.1-2.1. 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-5 Examination requirements Sec. 5. (a) This section addresses the deadline for an applicant's initial taking of the professional engineer examination after being admitted by the board. All Applicants will be required to take and pass Part II, the principles and practice of engineering examination, and Part III of the examination. Only those applicants who are not certified as an engineering intern or otherwise have not previously passed the fundamentals of engineering examination will be required to take and pass the fundamentals of engineering examination. (b) If admission to the professional engineer examination is granted, those parts of the examination that the applicant will be required to take and pass will be stated on a notice sent to the applicant. (c) An applicant, who has received the notice described in subsection (b) and that notice provides for taking the fundamentals of engineering examination, must take the fundamentals of engineering examination by the end of the testing window that is in effect one (1) year after the issuance of the notice. (d) This subsection and subsection (e) apply to applicants who have received the notice described in subsection (b) and that notice does not provide for taking of the fundamentals of engineering examination. If the applicant is taking the principles and practice examination in a discipline for which computer based testing is offered, the applicant must take the principles and practice examination, and Part III of the examination, by the end of the testing window that is in effect one (1) year after the issuance of the notice. (e) If the applicant is taking the principles and practice of engineer examination in a discipline for which computer based testing is not offered, the applicant must take the principles and practice of engineering examination, and Part III of the examination, no later than the third time it is offered after issuance of the notice. (f) If the applicant fails to sit for an examination by a deadline provided in subsection (c), (d), or (e), the application for registration as a professional engineer shall be deemed terminated and, if the applicant thereafter desires to seek registration as a professional engineer, a new application must be filed with, and approved by, the board. (g) This subsection applies only to individuals who apply for registration as a professional engineer without first having been certified as an engineering intern or otherwise having passed the fundamentals of engineering examination. An individual who passes the fundamentals of engineering examination as a professional engineer applicant must take the principles and practice examination and Part III of the examination no later than the third time it is offered after the applicant passes the fundamentals of engineering examination. However, if the applicant is taking the principles and practice of engineering examination in a discipline for which computer based testing is offered, the deadline shall be the end of the testing window that is in effect one (1) year after the applicant passes the fundamentals of engineering examination. If the applicant fails to meet the deadline under this subsection, the applicant's application shall be deemed terminated and, therefore, the applicant shall be required to reapply as a professional engineer applicant and meet the requirements for examination admission before taking the principles and practice examination and Part III of the examination. 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-7 Examination attempts for registration as a professional engineer Sec. 7. (a) This section applies to the examination for registration as a professional engineer. (b) An applicant who does not pass the fundamentals of engineering examination (Part I of the examination for examination for registration as a professional engineer) in the first attempt shall be is entitled to take the examination two (2) additional times, as long as they are taken no not later than the end of the testing window that is in effect two (2) years after the applicant took the examination the first time. (c) Upon the exhaustion of After exhausting the examination attempts allowed under subsection (b), the application shall be is deemed terminated. (d) An applicant who does not pass the principles and practice examination (Part II) and Part III of the examinaton on the first attempt shall be is entitled to take the examinations two (2) additional times. as long as they are taken no later than: (e) If the applicant passed Part II or Part III of the examination on the first or second attempt, the applicant will not be required to retake the passed part in the second or third examination allowed by subsection (d). (f) Upon the exhaustion of After exhausting the examination attempts allowed by subsection (d), the application shall be is deemed terminated. (g) If an application is terminated under subsection (f), the applicant shall not lose credit for a previous previously passing of the fundamentals of engineering examination. However, the applicant shall lose credit for passing either Part II or Part III. (h) For purposes of this section, examination attempts out of state count. 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-8 Terminated applications; reapplication for admission, qualifications Sec. 8. (a) An individual whose application has been deemed terminated under section 7(c) or 7(f) of this rule may reapply for admission to not take any part of the professional engineer examination without first receiving approval from the board. (b) In order For readmission approval to be granted, the applicant shall: (c) An applicant who is readmitted to an examination under this section shall be treated as if the applicant had not previously taken the examination for all the purposes under sections 5 and 7 of this rule. (d) Individuals may be deemed terminated partially or completely because of out-of-state examination attempts. Therefore, an applicant will be required to comply with subsection (b) even if the first, second, third, or all examination attempts are out of state. (e) Individuals shall be are deemed terminated under section 7(c) of this rule on the basis of all fundamentals of engineering examination attempts. Therefore, applicants will be required to comply with subsection (b) (a) once the applicant has had three (3) unsuccessful fundamentals of engineering examination attempts regardless of whether the examination attempts were as: (f) For purposes of this section and section 7 of this rule, an examination attempt: 864 IAC 1.1-5-1 Comity registration standards Sec. 1. (a) This rule addresses the requirements for registration of professional engineers who are registered in another state, territory, or possession of the United States. These applicants are also known as comity applicants. (b) Under IC 25-31-1-21, one (1) requirement for an individual described in subsection (a) to become registered in Indiana is that the requirements under which the individual's registration was issued do not conflict with IC 25-31-1. (c) In determining whether there is conflict under IC 25-31-1-21 and subsection (b), the board will evaluate whether the applicant meets the educational, experience, and examination requirements found in IC 25-31-1 and this title. This includes the educational and experience requirements found in 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-3 through 864 IAC 1.1-2.1-5, and the passing of the fundamentals of engineering examination and the principles and practice of engineering examination as required by IC 25-31-1-14 and 864 IAC 1.1-4.1-3. The board, in its discretion, may waive the requirement that an applicant for registration by comity pass the fundamentals of engineering examination. (d) Unless the applicant does not qualify for registration for some other appropriate reason, if the educational, experience, and examination requirements described in subsection (c) are met at the time the applicant files the applicant's application with the board, the applicant will qualify for registration. LSA Document #25-478 Notice of First Public Comment Period: October 15, 2025 Last Hearing Held: January 13, 2026 Approved by Attorney General: February 6, 2026 Approved by Governor: February 9, 2026 Filed with Publisher: February 9, 2026, 4:40 p.m. Documents Incorporated by Reference: None Received by Publisher Small Business Regulatory Coordinator: Elizabeth Walker, Small Business Regulatory Coordinator, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, 402 West Washington Street, Room W072, Indianapolis, IN 46204, (317) 234-2912, elwalker@pla.IN.gov