PE-S Certification

What the PE Structural Credential Actually Is

PE-S, as used on this site, refers to the Principles and Practice of Engineering - Structural examination written and scored by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). NCEES labels it "PE Structural," and many engineers search for it as the "SE exam." It is the structural engineering licensure exam, and it is distinct from the PE Civil: Structural exam. If you need the terminology sorted out first, see our explainers on what PE-S is and what PE-S stands for.

The exam is built for engineers who design buildings, bridges, and other structures where the consequences of an error are severe. It covers both gravity-type loading (the Vertical component) and wind and earthquake loading (the Lateral component), and it expects you to carry that knowledge into a specialty of your choosing in the depth sections.

Four Sections, Four Sittings: How the Exam Is Built

The structure is the first thing candidates misunderstand. PE-S is delivered by Pearson VUE as four separately scheduled computer-based sections:

• Vertical breadth (Vertical Forces and Incidental Lateral)
• Vertical depth
• Lateral breadth (Wind and Earthquake)
• Lateral depth

Both the Vertical and Lateral components must be completed with acceptable results. An acceptable result on a completed component does not expire, which means you can spread the work across multiple administrations rather than attempting everything at once.

Each appointment also includes a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 20-minute scheduled break. The 23-hour figure is cumulative across four sittings. It is not a single marathon exam, a distinction that matters when you plan time off work. For a broader look at difficulty, see how hard the PE-S exam is.

What Breadth Tests: Vertical and Lateral Domains

Breadth sections are multiple-choice, single-response, and cover both Buildings and Bridges. They are intentionally wide: every candidate sits them regardless of depth choice. The published outlines use the same structural headings in both components, which is why our domain list repeats the same names for Vertical (Domains 1-12) and Lateral (Domains 13-24).

In both breadth outlines, Design and Details has the larger question range, so material-specific design knowledge carries more total exposure than load generation alone. Treat the ranges as published bounds, not fixed percentage weights, and do not assume any exact split. The subordinate examples in the specifications are illustrative, not exhaustive.

The 54 headings we track are a flattened list of the published breadth and depth outline entries, not 54 independent NCEES-declared domains. For the complete walk-through, read our PE-S exam domains guide.

Choosing Buildings or Bridges for Depth

Depth is where PE-S becomes a specialty exam. You select either Buildings or Bridges, and you must use that same option in both the Vertical and Lateral depth components. You do not take both tracks.

Vertical depth topics

Lateral depth topics

Your day-to-day practice should drive the choice. A building designer who rarely touches bridge loading will find the Bridges option a steep climb, and the reverse is also true. The pass-rate table below shows that the options draw different populations, but those numbers are not a reason to pick one track over another.

Question Formats and Scoring

Breadth uses standard multiple-choice, single-response items. Depth is different. Each 2026 depth section contains five 12-item alternative-item-type scenarios. Four of those scenarios hold 10 scored and 2 pretest items each; one holds 12 pretest items. Alternative item types receive no partial credit, so a multi-part response is right or wrong.

The pretest items, 60 across a full attempt, do not count toward your result, but you cannot tell which ones they are. Treat every question as scored.

NCEES uses an equated minimum-competence standard and does not publish a universal passing score. That means there is no fixed "percent correct" to chase, and any figure you see quoted as a magic cutoff should be treated skeptically. Our passing score explainer covers what is and is not knowable.

Fees, Scheduling and Testing Logistics

The exam fee is USD 350 per section. One attempt at all four sections is therefore USD 1,400, which excludes board application charges, preparation materials, and any retakes. Because each section is registered and scheduled separately, you pay as you go rather than all at once. Full pricing detail lives in our PE-S certification cost breakdown.

• Breadth: offered year-round.
• Depth: offered twice yearly, in April and October.
• Next administrations: Lateral depth on October 27, 2026 and Vertical depth on October 28, 2026.

Because depth is only available twice a year, a missed or failed depth section carries a long wait. That makes depth the schedule-critical piece of your plan. See PE-S exam dates and scheduling for deadlines and windows.

Reading the Published Pass-Rate Table

NCEES publishes pass rates by section and option, updated July 2026. The figures below are first-time versus repeat cohorts, and each is a separate population rather than a combined SE pass rate.

Two cautions. First, the Bridges cohorts are small, so their percentages swing with a handful of candidates. Second, these are not October 2026 outcomes and cannot be averaged into one overall pass rate. Read them as section-level context, then see our PE-S pass rate analysis for more on interpretation.

Closed Book, Electronic Reference

PE-S is closed book. You get the supplied electronic NCEES PE Structural Engineering Reference Handbook and the specified electronic design standards. No personal references are allowed. Units are USCS, and only approved calculators may be used. The searchable standards are presented by chapter, and the applicable 2026 code editions are listed in the specifications.

A quick-reference summary is helpful for orientation, but it cannot replace familiarity with the actual handbook and codes. Our PE-S cheat sheet is a review aid, not something you can bring into the exam.

The April 2027 Depth Format Change

Starting April 2027, each depth section changes to 48 questions, comprising 40 scored and 8 pretest. Actual testing time stays at 6 hours, and the format includes multiple-choice plus alternative item types. NCEES posts separate 2027 specifications and standards.

Everything in this article about 60-question depth sections, the 230-question total, and the 23-hour total describes the current 2026 format. If you plan to sit depth in April 2027 or later, work from the 2027 specifications instead. Note that the NCEES Examinee Guide's summary table lists 60 depth questions alongside 2027 dates, but the dedicated Structural page specifies 48 beginning April 2027, and that version-specific notice governs.

Sequencing the Four Sections

Generic study habits matter less than ordering. Because breadth is offered year-round and depth only in April and October, a sensible plan anchors on the depth dates and works backward.

Many candidates pair breadth and depth within the same component so the material is fresh, but the right order depends on your work experience. For a fuller schedule, see our PE-S study guide, and for structured preparation options visit our PE-S training overview. When you want to test yourself, the PE-S practice tests let you check weak domains before you commit to an exam date.

Where the Credential Matters Professionally

The credential is most relevant in structural engineering consulting, where firms design buildings, bridges, and special structures and often require or strongly prefer licensed structural engineers to take responsibility for designs. Departments of transportation and bridge-focused practices value the Bridges option, while building-focused structural firms align with the Buildings option. Contractors, forensic and existing-structure specialists, and public agencies also employ licensed structural engineers.

Whether the investment pays off depends on your career path and jurisdiction. We avoid quoting salary numbers here because we do not want to import unverified figures; for a qualitative discussion, see the salary guide, PE-S jobs overview, and our analysis of whether it is worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions