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FE exam guides

By Dr. Mohamed Elansary, PhD Environmental EngineeringUpdated

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first NCEES exam on the usual path to a professional engineer (P.E.) license. It has 110 questions, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, and a $225 fee, and it is given year-round at Pearson test centers. These guides answer one question each, with the facts restated from NCEES and the source and date on every page.

Start with what the FE exam is and which FE exam to take, then move to the rules and the study plans. For practice, the free FE problems come with full worked solutions.

Exam basics

  • What Is the FE Exam? Format, Fee, and Who Takes ItThe FE exam is the first NCEES exam on the path to a P.E. license: 110 questions, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, $225, year-round at Pearson centers.
  • FE Exam Cost in 2026The FE exam fee is $225 per attempt, paid to NCEES. Here is every other charge that can apply: rescheduling, cancellation, board fees, and international fees.
  • How Long Is the FE Exam? 110 Questions, 5 Hours 20 MinutesThe FE exam has 110 questions and 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, plus a 2-minute agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 25-minute break.
  • Schedule, Reschedule, or Cancel the FE ExamSchedule the FE in MyNCEES at least one business day ahead. Rescheduling or canceling costs $50 and must be done 48 hours before the appointment.
  • When Do FE Exam Results Come Out? Usually 7 to 10 DaysNCEES says FE results are typically available 7 to 10 days after the exam. You get an email and see pass or fail in MyNCEES, with board-specific next steps.
  • FE Exam Retake RulesNCEES allows one FE attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period. Some boards are stricter, and each retake costs the full $225.
  • FE Exam Calculator Policy 2026For 2026, NCEES allows only Casio fx-115 and fx-991 models, the HP 33s and HP 35s, and TI-30X and TI-36X models. One calculator goes in the room, without its cover.
  • How to Use the FE Reference Handbook on Exam DayThe FE Reference Handbook 10.6 is the only reference in the exam, shown on screen as a searchable PDF. Search with the box on the left (Ctrl + F does not work) and know the chapter order.
  • Is the FE Exam Open Book? No, but You Get the HandbookNo. The FE exam is closed book: you cannot bring notes or books, but NCEES gives you the FE Reference Handbook as a searchable PDF on screen for the whole exam.
  • What to Bring to the FE Exam (and What Stays in the Locker)Bring one valid physical photo ID and one NCEES-approved calculator. In the room you may have the ID, the calculator without its cover, your locker key, eyeglasses, and a light sweater.
  • FE Exam Day TimelineArrive 30 minutes early, check in with ID and palm scan, accept the 2-minute agreement, take the 8-minute tutorial, then work about half the questions before an optional 25-minute break.
  • FE Exam Question TypesMost FE questions are multiple choice with one answer. NCEES also uses alternative item types: multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, and fill in the blank, all scored right or wrong.
  • How the FE Exam Is Scored (and Why There Is No Published Cut Score)NCEES counts your correct answers, with no penalty for wrong ones, converts the count to a scaled score, and compares it with the ability level required to pass. It does not publish the passing score.
  • FE Exam Pass Rates 2026 by Discipline (NCEES Data)NCEES's latest FE pass rates (updated July 2026) range from 61% for Other Disciplines to 73% for Mechanical, for first-time takers from EAC/ABET programs who tested within 12 months of graduation.
  • How Hard Is the FE Exam? What the Numbers ShowNCEES's July 2026 first-time pass rates run from 61% to 73% by discipline. The breadth of the topic list and the clock are the main challenges, and both can be trained.
  • FE Exam AccommodationsRequest reasonable accommodations during FE registration in MyNCEES. Pearson manages the request, and you cannot schedule until a decision is made. Missing it at registration means re-registering.

Disciplines and topics

  • Which FE Exam Should You Take? Choosing a DisciplineTake the FE discipline closest to your undergraduate degree, as the Florida board advises. There are seven FE exams; each has its own topic list, but all share math, statistics, ethics, and economics.
  • Topics on Every FE ExamEvery FE exam tests mathematics, probability and statistics, ethics, and engineering economics, under slightly different names. Together they are a reliable base for any discipline.
  • FE Civil ExamThe FE Civil exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Mechanical ExamThe FE Mechanical exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Electrical and Computer ExamThe FE Electrical and Computer exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Chemical ExamThe FE Chemical exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Environmental ExamThe FE Environmental exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Industrial and Systems ExamThe FE Industrial and Systems exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.
  • FE Other Disciplines ExamThe FE Other Disciplines exam has 110 questions across the knowledge areas in the NCEES specification. Here are the areas, their question ranges, and how to prioritize them.

Study plans and technique

  • FE Exam 60-Day Study Plan (Week by Week)Sixty days gives you room for a structured FE review: map your discipline's specification, study the heaviest areas first, and finish with timed practice inside the handbook PDF.
  • FE Exam 30-Day Study Plan for a Short RunwayThirty days can work if you already know the material or can study daily: cut to the heaviest areas of your spec, practice in the handbook, and keep the last week for timed sets.
  • The Last 7 Days Before the FE ExamIn the last week, stop learning new topics. Do timed sets in the handbook PDF, review your error log, confirm your appointment and ID, and check your calculator against the approved list.
  • FE Exam Day Checklist (Printable List)Your FE checklist: valid physical photo ID that matches your appointment name, one approved calculator, printed confirmation, arrival 30 minutes early, and nothing else you need in the room.
  • FE Exam Time per QuestionThe FE gives you 5 hours 20 minutes for 110 questions, about 2.9 minutes (2 minutes 55 seconds) per question. One clock covers the whole exam, so pace each half.
  • lbm vs lbf and gc on the FE ExamIn US units, pound-mass (lbm) and pound-force (lbf) are different. Use gc = 32.174 lbm-ft/(lbf-sec²) to convert, and do not confuse gc with g, the acceleration of gravity.
  • Significant Figures on the FE ExamKeep 3 to 4 significant figures in final answers, as the FE Reference Handbook notes is customary, and carry more digits through intermediate steps so rounding does not push you off the right choice.
  • FE Exam Mistakes That Cost Points (and How to Avoid Them)The error types that cost points on FE problems, each with a simple check: mixing lbm and lbf, rounding too early, the wrong handbook equation, misreading the question type, and pacing.

Your situation

  • Taking the FE Exam Years After GraduationYour licensing board decides whether you can sit. NCEES designs the FE for recent graduates and publishes pass rates only for first-time takers within 12 months of graduation, so plan a longer review.
  • FE Exam With a Foreign Engineering DegreeYes, if your licensing board approves you. Boards often require an evaluation of a degree from a non-EAC/ABET program, commonly through NCEES Credentials Evaluations. The exam itself is in English only.
  • FE vs PE ExamThe FE tests fundamentals for recent graduates: 110 questions, 5 hours 20 minutes, $225. The PE tests competency in one discipline after about four years of experience: 80 questions, 8 hours, $400 for most PE exams.
  • EIT and EI CertificationEIT (engineer in training) or EI (engineer intern) is the title your state board gives after you pass the FE and meet its education rules. You apply to the board, not to NCEES.

Frequently asked questions

How many FE exams are there?

There are seven: Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, Mechanical, and Other Disciplines. Each has its own specification, and all of them share mathematics, statistics, ethics, and engineering economics.

How long is the FE exam?

The exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes for 110 questions, plus a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 25-minute scheduled break.

Where do I register?

In MyNCEES, after you check your licensing board’s rules. NCEES sends a ready-to-schedule email once you are approved, and you then book a Pearson appointment.

Sources

  1. NCEES: FE exam. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  2. NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.