Colorado § 12-120-213 - Qualifications for professional engineer.

§ 12-120-213. Qualifications for professional engineer.

(1) (a) An applicant may qualify for licensing as a professional engineer by endorsement if the applicant is licensed in good standing in another jurisdiction requiring qualifications substantially equivalent to those currently required of applicants under this part 2 or if, at the time of initial licensure in the other jurisdiction, the applicant met the requirements for licensure then in existence under Colorado law.

(b) Upon completion of the application and approval by the board, an applicant qualified pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be licensed as a professional engineer if the applicant is otherwise qualified pursuant to section 12-120-212.

(2) (a) An applicant may qualify for licensing as a professional engineer by graduation, experience, and examination if the applicant passes the appropriate examination as adopted by the board in accordance with section 12-120-104 (2)(b).

(b) In order to be admitted to the examination pursuant to subsection (2)(a) of this section, the applicant must:

(I) (A) Have graduated from a board-approved engineering curriculum of four or more years; and

(B) Have eight years of progressive engineering experience, of which educational study may be a part; and

(C) Have been enrolled as an engineer-intern in this state; or

(II) (A) Have graduated from a board-approved engineering technology curriculum of four or more years; and

(B) Have ten years of progressive engineering experience, of which educational study may be a part; and

(C) Have been enrolled as an engineer-intern in this state; or

(III) (A) Have graduated from an engineering curriculum of four or more years not approved by the board or from a related science curriculum of four or more years; and

(B) Have ten years of progressive engineering experience, of which educational study may be a part; and

(C) Have been enrolled as an engineer-intern in this state; or

(IV) (A) Have graduated from an engineering curriculum of four or more years or from a related science curriculum of four or more years; and

(B) Have twenty years of progressive engineering experience, of which educational study may be a part.

(c) Upon passing the examination and the submission of evidence of experience satisfactory to the board, the applicant shall be licensed as a professional engineer if the applicant is otherwise qualified pursuant to section 12-120-212.

(3) (a) An applicant may qualify for licensing as a professional engineer by experience and examination if the applicant passes the appropriate examination as adopted by the board in accordance with section 12-120-104 (2)(b).

(b) In order to be admitted to the examination pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section, the applicant must:

(I) Have twelve years of progressive engineering experience, of which educational study may be a part; and

(II) Have been enrolled as an engineer-intern in this state.

(c) Upon passing the examination and the submission of evidence of experience satisfactory to the board, the applicant shall be licensed as a professional engineer if the applicant is otherwise qualified pursuant to section 12-120-212.

(4) (a) A professional engineer who has been duly licensed to practice engineering in this state and who is over sixty-five years of age, upon application, may be classified as a retired professional engineer. Individuals who are so classified shall lose their licensure, shall not practice engineering, and shall pay a fee to retain retired professional engineer status.

(b) (I) A retired professional engineer shall be reinstated to the status of a professional engineer upon payment of the renewal fee. No other fee shall be assessed against the retired professional engineer as a penalty.

(II) For any professional engineer who has been retired for two or more years, the board may require reexamination unless the board is satisfied of the retired professional engineer's continued competence.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 887, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2020: (1) amended, (HB 20-1326), ch. 126, p. 533, § 12, effective June 25. L. 2024: (1) repealed and (2)(a) and (3)(a) amended, (HB 24-1329), ch. 342, p. 2313, § 7, effective August 7. L. 2026: (1) RC&RE, (HB 26-1324), ch. 328, p. 1913, § 26, effective August 12.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-25-114 as it existed prior to 2019.

Cross references: For the short title ("Red Tape Reduction Act") and the legislative declaration in HB 20-1326, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 126, Session Laws of Colorado 2020.

ANNOTATION

Law reviews. For note, "Licensing of Occupations and Professions in Colorado", see 35 Dicta 235 (1958).