FE exam · registration and cost · checked Oct 29, 2026
FE exam cost and registration, in order
The FE costs $225 per attempt in all seven disciplines, paid to NCEES at registration. Some state boards also charge an application fee before a seat can be booked. No national test day exists: once authorized, you take any open seat at a Pearson VUE center.
Updated Oct 29, 2026 · Not affiliated with NCEES.
- per attempt, any discipline$225
- to reschedule or cancel$50
- retake limit1 per window, 3 in 12 months
- to test after approval12 months
What the FE costs, by discipline
| Exam | Exam fee | Expected attempts in 12 months | Expected exam fees in 12 months | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FE Civil | $225 | 1.66as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | $372as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4] | |
| FE Mechanical | $225 | 1.51as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | $339as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4] | |
| FE Electrical and Computer | $225 | 1.61as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | $362as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4] | |
| FE Environmental | $225 | 1.54as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | $346as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4] | |
| FE Chemical | $225 | 1.53as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | $344as of Oct 29, 2026 · our estimate from NCEES pass rates for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4] |
The fee is the same everywhere; the number of attempts is not. A discipline with lower pass rates costs more on average, because every attempt is charged the full fee.
How to register, step by step
- Open a MyNCEES account under your name exactly as printed on the ID you will bring. The test center checks a current physical photo ID with your signature, such as a government-issued ID, passport or U.S. military ID, in that same name; student and phone IDs are turned away.
- Ask for accommodations at this step, if you need them. The request is part of the registration itself and Pearson VUE decides it; a need you did not flag means canceling and registering again.
- Check whether your board wants its own application first. Where it does not, you register directly. Where it does, the board sets the fee and the approval (varies by board).
- Register for your discipline and pay $225. Not sure which discipline? The FE exam overview compares them.
- Book a seat with Pearson VUE once you are authorized, at least one business day ahead (NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026). You then have 12 months to sit; test or cancel inside that period, or the fee is lost.
FE test dates: any open seat
The FE runs year-round on computers at Pearson VUE centers, so a test date is whichever open seat suits you. The calendar only matters for a second attempt: the year is divided into four quarterly windows, January–March through October–December, and the rule is one sitting per window and three at most in any 12 months. A board may set a tighter limit.
In practice: fail in February and the earliest retake is in April; three attempts inside twelve months use up the allowance until the first one is a year old.
When to sit: near graduation, if your board allows it. Across all disciplines, first-time takers who sat before graduating or within a year of it passed noticeably more often than those who waited longer; the numbers are on FE pass rates.
Rescheduling, canceling and refunds
- Moving the appointment: $50, paid to Pearson VUE, no later than 48 hours before the start time.
- Withdrawing altogether: you get the fee back minus a $50 administrative charge, waived if you already paid Pearson VUE a cancellation fee.
Costs beyond the fee
- The EI/EIT certificate is a separate application to your state board after you pass, with its own fee; Texas, for example, charges $15. See EIT certification.
- NCEES practice exams: 2 × 50 questions, $50 each, sold in your MyNCEES account. Optional.
- A calculator from the permitted list, if you don't own one: FE exam calculators.
- FE Reference Handbook: free, a PDF in your MyNCEES account (how to use it).
- Prep: books and courses are optional and sold separately; how to plan the hours is on FE exam prep.
Older pages quote a lower fee
The fee has been $225 per attempt for registrations since January 1, 2024. A prep page or book that still shows $175 predates the change. Budget the current fee for each attempt, plus whatever your board adds.
One attempt costs less than two
FE Civil app
FE Civil questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Mechanical app
FE Mechanical questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Electrical and Computer app
FE Electrical and Computer questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Environmental app
FE Environmental questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
FE Chemical app
FE Chemical questions, answers and worked solutions in a study app.
Not affiliated with NCEES.
Source notes
- NCEES: FE exam ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES: new exam prices effective January 1, 2024 ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
- NCEES Squared 2025: pass rates, fiscal year Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (PDF) ncees.org · checked Oct 29, 2026
FE registration questions
Does the FE fee differ between Civil, Mechanical and Chemical?
No. The fee is $225 per attempt whichever of the seven disciplines you register for. Board application fees and the EI/EIT certificate fee are separate and set by each board.
Can I sit the FE in my last semester?
That is your board's call, not NCEES's. The exam is written for students near the end of an EAC/ABET program and recent graduates, and the board says how early you may sit. Read its page before registering.
Is there a remote or at-home FE?
No. Every FE sitting happens on a computer in a Pearson VUE center; there is no online-proctored version.
When can I sit again after a failed FE?
In the next quarterly testing window at the earliest, and three attempts at most in any 12 months. Some boards are stricter, and the full fee applies every time.