How to Verify an Engineer's Licence Before Hiring | Nevrica

You've found a candidate whose resume looks promising. They have the engineering degree, the right industry experience and several projects that seem relevant to your vacancy.

Then you notice the job requires a PE or P.Eng licence.

Before moving forward, there's one important question to answer: does the candidate hold the professional licence your position actually requires?

It sounds straightforward, but engineering credentials can be confusing, especially when you're hiring across different states or provinces. A candidate might have an engineering degree, be working towards professional registration or hold a licence in another jurisdiction. Those are not necessarily the same thing.

Getting this right matters. It helps you assess candidates fairly, avoid unnecessary delays and confirm that the person you hire meets the professional requirements of the position.

Here's a practical guide to checking engineering credentials before making your next hire.

1. Understand the difference between PE, P.Eng and EIT

The first step is knowing what each designation means.

Although these abbreviations all relate to engineering, they should not be treated as interchangeable.

PE: Professional Engineer in the United States

PE stands for Professional Engineer. In the United States, engineering licensure is administered by individual state and territorial licensing boards.

The requirements depend on the jurisdiction and can include education, examinations and qualifying work experience. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) provides information about the general licensing process, but the relevant licensing board is the authority you should consult for a particular candidate.

You can start with the official NCEES licensure guidance.

P.Eng: Professional Engineer in Canada

P.Eng is the designation commonly used for a licensed Professional Engineer in Canada. Engineering licences are issued by provincial and territorial regulators, not by Engineers Canada itself.

This distinction matters when you're hiring someone for a role in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia or another Canadian jurisdiction. A candidate's licence and eligibility must be checked against the requirements applicable to the position.

You can use Engineers Canada's official licensing overview to understand the process and find further guidance.

EIT: Engineer-in-Training

EIT generally refers to an Engineer-in-Training, although the exact designation and program vary by jurisdiction.

An EIT may be progressing towards professional licensure, but you should not treat EIT status as equivalent to holding a full professional engineering licence.

That doesn't mean an EIT is unsuitable for your vacancy. Many engineering roles are appropriate for professionals who are still developing their experience. The important thing is to distinguish between positions that require an existing licence and those that do not.

2. Start with the requirements of the job

Before checking a candidate's credentials, make sure your own requirements are clear.

Does the position genuinely require an active PE or P.Eng licence? Or would an engineering graduate with relevant experience be suitable under the role's supervision and regulatory arrangements?

The answer affects the entire recruitment process.

For example, a senior engineer responsible for regulated design work may need a professional licence in the relevant jurisdiction. An entry-level design position may have different requirements.

Write down the non-negotiables before reviewing applications:

• Required professional licence or registration.

• State, province or territory where the candidate will work.

• Relevant engineering discipline, such as civil, mechanical, electrical or structural.

• Project experience and technical responsibilities.

• Any role-specific requirements involving supervision, signing or approving engineering work.

This also helps you avoid rejecting candidates who lack a preferred qualification that isn't actually essential.

For jurisdiction-specific guidance, refer to the relevant regulator. In Canada, Engineers Canada lists the provincial and territorial regulators.

3. How to verify an engineer's licence

Once you know what the job requires, follow a consistent verification process.

Step 1: Ask for the candidate's licence details

Ask the candidate to provide their professional designation, licensing jurisdiction and licence or registration number where applicable.

You can also ask whether the licence is currently active and whether any conditions or restrictions apply.

Keep the request professional. You're confirming that the candidate meets the role's requirements, not making assumptions about their background.

Step 2: Use the official licensing authority

Whenever possible, verify the information through the relevant official licensing board or regulator.

For a US position, begin with the licensing board for the state in which the candidate will practise. NCEES provides useful background, but individual boards administer licensure.

For a Canadian position, consult the regulator for the province or territory concerned.

Do not rely solely on a resume, LinkedIn profile, certificate image or an email signature. Those can help you identify what to check, but they are not a substitute for official verification.

Step 3: Check the status and jurisdiction

Confirm that the record matches the candidate and that the licence status satisfies the requirements of your position.

Check the jurisdiction carefully. A professional licence issued in one state or province should not automatically be assumed to authorise practice in another.

The applicable rules may allow certain mobility arrangements or additional licensing pathways, so check the relevant regulator rather than making assumptions.

Step 4: Confirm any restrictions or conditions

Where the official register or regulator provides this information, check whether the licence has conditions that affect the work the candidate would perform.

If anything is unclear, contact the licensing authority directly.

Record when the verification was completed, the source used and any follow-up needed. This creates a consistent process for your hiring team.

4. A professional licence is only one part of the hiring decision

Here's where employers sometimes miss an important detail.

A candidate can have the correct licence and still be a poor fit for the position.

Imagine you're hiring a senior electrical project manager. The candidate holds the required licence, but most of their experience has involved smaller projects, while your role requires leadership on major commercial projects with complex budgets, contractors and delivery schedules.

The licence addresses one requirement. It doesn't establish that the candidate has the project experience needed for the job.

The same applies to mechanical, civil and structural engineering positions.

After checking credentials, assess:

• Technical experience: Have they worked on projects similar to yours?

• Responsibility: What decisions did they personally own?

• Project scale: Does their experience match your project's size and complexity?

• Tools and systems: Do they have the software or technical knowledge genuinely needed?

• Communication: Can they explain engineering decisions to clients, colleagues and other stakeholders?

• Availability and expectations: Do their location, salary expectations and potential start date fit the opportunity?

These questions help you make a more informed decision without turning the hiring process into a checklist of unnecessary qualifications.

5. Common mistakes employers should avoid

Even a well-planned recruitment process can become unnecessarily complicated. Here are some mistakes worth avoiding.

Assuming an engineering degree means professional licensure.

A degree and a professional licence serve different purposes. Check the requirement that applies to your vacancy.

Treating EIT and PE or P.Eng as equivalent.

An engineer-in-training may be an excellent candidate for a suitable position, but their status should be assessed accurately against the role's requirements.

Assuming a licence automatically transfers across jurisdictions.

Licensing arrangements differ. Verify the candidate's status with the regulator relevant to the work.

Focusing on credentials while overlooking experience.

Professional registration matters when required, but the candidate must also be able to perform the actual job.

Making every preferred qualification mandatory.

A long list of requirements can exclude capable candidates unnecessarily. Separate legal or essential requirements from preferences that can be assessed more flexibly.

A better hiring process checks the qualifications that matter, verifies them through appropriate sources and then looks at the person's ability to do the work.

6. An engineering licence verification checklist for employers

Use this simple checklist when reviewing your next engineering candidate.

This checklist is a recruitment aid, not a substitute for the licensing authority's requirements or your organisation's compliance procedures.

7. Finding qualified engineering candidates takes more than reviewing resumes

When a vacancy requires a specific professional licence, technical background and project history, the search can become quite narrow.

You may receive plenty of applications but find that only a small number meet the essential requirements. Or you may find someone with the right experience who needs further verification before moving to the next stage.

That is why the hiring brief matters.

Before starting the search, clarify the required licence, jurisdiction, engineering discipline, project experience, location and compensation. These details help focus the search on candidates who are genuinely relevant to the vacancy.

At Nevrica, we support employers looking for specialist engineering talent, including PE, P.Eng and EIT profiles, alongside civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, HVAC and BIM professionals.

Our approach is to understand the vacancy, assess candidates against the agreed criteria and help employers move forward with a more focused shortlist. We aim to deliver a qualified shortlist within 72 hours after the hiring brief and essential criteria are agreed. Timing depends on the role, the market and candidate availability; this is a shortlist target, not a guarantee of a completed hire.

If you're hiring for an engineering position and need help identifying suitable candidates, share your vacancy with Nevrica.

You can also learn more about our engineering recruitment services.

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a PE licence in the USA?

Start with the licensing board for the state where the candidate will practise. Use its official verification service where available, and confirm the record matches the candidate and the requirements of the position.

How do I verify a P.Eng licence in Canada?

Identify the province or territory relevant to the role, then use its engineering regulator's official resources. Engineers Canada provides an overview of the Canadian licensing system and links to the regulators.

Is an EIT the same as a licensed Professional Engineer?

No. EIT generally refers to an engineer-in-training status. It should not be treated as equivalent to a full PE or P.Eng licence. The applicable jurisdiction and role requirements determine what qualifications are necessary.

Can an engineer licensed in one state or province work in another?

Not automatically in every situation. Requirements and mobility arrangements vary by jurisdiction. Check with the regulator responsible for the location where the work will be performed.

Should employers verify an engineer's licence before the interview?

You can decide when to conduct the check based on your hiring process and the role's requirements. For a position where an active licence is essential, verifying it early can prevent wasted interview time. Ensure you complete the necessary checks before making a decision that depends on the credential.