NCEES specification changes do not happen every year, but when they do, they can change which old prep materials are worth using, how much weight to give each topic, and sometimes the entire structure of the exam. This guide covers the current specification status for every FE and PE exam discipline — what the effective date is, what changed from the previous spec, and what it means for your study plan.
Select your exam below to jump directly to what matters for you.
FE Exam Specifications — All Disciplines
All six FE discipline exams share the same spec effective date: July 1, 2020. The exam format has not changed since the 2014 CBT launch. The biggest variable between FE disciplines is topic weighting — download the spec PDF for your specific discipline and treat it as your topic map.
Exam Format (All FE Disciplines, Unchanged Since 2014)
| Item | Current Value |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 110 |
| Exam time | 5 hours 20 minutes |
| Total appointment | 6 hours |
| Delivery | Computer-based, year-round, Pearson VUE |
| Reference | Electronic FE Reference Handbook (searchable PDF, no personal materials) |
| Current handbook version | v10.5 through June 30, 2026; v10.6 for July 1, 2026 and later exam planning (verify in MyNCEES) |
| Current spec effective date | July 1, 2020 (all six disciplines) |
| Alternate item types | Present since July 2017 — multi-select, fill-in-blank, point-and-click, drag-and-drop |
Specification History — Key Dates
| Date | Change | Study Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2014 Major | FE transitioned to CBT. Became seven discipline-specific exams. Final paper exam was Oct 2013. | All pre-2014 pencil-and-paper prep books assume a different exam structure and format. Use for content only. |
| Jul 2017 | Alternate item types formally introduced to all FE CBT exams (multi-select, fill-in-blank, point-and-click, drag-and-drop). | Practice specifically with non-MC formats. See our alternate item types guide. |
| Jul 2020 Updated | Current spec effective date for all six FE disciplines. FE Electrical & Computer added Electrical Safety and Network Security/Intrusion Detection knowledge areas. | Verify your prep materials are aligned to July 2020 or later specs. Pre-2020 topic lists may be missing or mislabeling some areas. |
FE Discipline Reference Handbook Versions
The electronic reference handbook is updated independently of the exam specification. Always use the version currently loaded in your MyNCEES account for practice — page numbers, table locations, and formula wording can shift between handbook versions. For the July 1, 2026 handbook update, see our FE Reference Handbook 10.6 change summary.
| Version | Released |
|---|---|
| v10.0 / 10.0.1 | 2020 |
| v10.1 | July 2021 |
| v10.2 | 2022 |
| v10.3 | June 2023 |
| v10.4 | July 2024 |
| v10.5 | 2025 |
| v10.6 July 2026 | July 1, 2026 |
By Discipline: What to Know
| Discipline | Current Spec | Questions | Largest Topic Area(s) | Study Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical & Computer | Jul 2020 | 110 | Circuit Analysis, Linear Systems, Signal Processing | Study Guide |
| Civil | Jul 2020 | 110 | Structural Engineering, Transportation, Geotechnical | Study Guide |
| Mechanical | Jul 2020 | 110 | Mechanical Design, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics | Study Guide |
| Chemical | Jul 2020 | 110 | Material/Energy Balances, Thermodynamics, Transport Phenomena | Study Guide |
| Environmental | Jul 2020 | 110 | Water & Wastewater, Air Quality, Solid/Hazardous Waste | Study Guide |
| Other Disciplines | Jul 2020 | 110 | Mathematics, Statics, Dynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Electricity | Study Guide |
PE Civil Exam Specifications
The April 2024 specifications eliminated the old breadth/depth format entirely. Before April 2024, every PE Civil candidate answered a common breadth section plus a discipline depth section. The current exams are 100% depth-only — all 80 questions are specific to your chosen discipline. Old breadth-and-depth prep books are now significantly misaligned.
PE Civil Format (All Disciplines, Unchanged Since 2022 CBT Launch)
| Item | Current Value |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 80 |
| Total appointment | 9 hours |
| Delivery | Computer-based, year-round, Pearson VUE (since April 2022) |
| References | Electronic NCEES reference + listed design standards (searchable PDF, no personal materials) |
| Current spec effective date | April 2024 (all five PE Civil disciplines) |
| Upcoming spec | April 2027 specs already posted (same topic structure, updated code editions) |
PE Civil Specification History — Key Dates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Apr 2015 | NCEES updated all five PE Civil module specifications. Introduced the breadth/depth two-session structure. Many prep books published after 2015 still reflect this format. |
| Apr 2022 Major | PE Civil transitioned to CBT (year-round Pearson VUE). Final paper exam was October 2021. NCEES accelerated the transition from an originally planned 2023 date. |
| Apr 2024 Major | New specs for all five disciplines. Eliminated breadth/depth format — exams are now 100% discipline-specific. Topic areas consolidated and expanded. Updated design standards (e.g., ASCE 7-16 for structural loads). |
| Apr 2027 Upcoming | NCEES has already published the April 2027 spec PDFs. Top-level topic areas are unchanged from April 2024; the main differences are updated referenced code editions. Candidates testing on/after April 2027 should confirm which standards apply. |
PE Civil WRE — What Changed in April 2024
WRE is the clearest example of how the April 2024 changes can mislead candidates using old materials. The pre-2024 WRE spec included broad civil areas (Means and Methods, Structural Mechanics, Geometrics, Site Development) alongside water resources depth. The April 2024 spec dropped all of that and is focused entirely on WRE practice.
| Topic Area | Pre-2024 Spec | April 2024 Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulics — Closed Conduit | 4–6 questions | 7–11 questions |
| Hydraulics — Open Channel | 4–6 questions | 7–11 questions |
| Hydrology | 6–9 questions | 8–12 questions |
| Project Sitework | 4–6 (as Site Development) | 9–14 questions |
| Analysis and Design | 4–6 questions | 6–9 questions |
| Broad civil breadth topics | Present (~30% of exam) | Eliminated entirely |
Current WRE top-level areas: Project Planning • Soil Mechanics • Materials • Analysis and Design • Hydraulics — Closed Conduit • Hydraulics — Open Channel • Hydrology • Groundwater and Wells • Surface Water and Groundwater Quality • Drinking Water Distribution and Treatment • Wastewater Collection and Treatment • Project Sitework
Manning equation, pump curves, mass balance, treatment loading, and groundwater problems from older books are still valid content. What to skip: chapters on structural mechanics, geometrics, or means-and-methods that have no WRE equivalent in the current spec.
PE Civil Transportation — What Changed in April 2024
Transportation saw some of the most significant structural reorganization in April 2024. The spec consolidated from 18 to 10 top-level topic areas and substantially increased question counts per topic.
| Change Area | Before Apr 2024 | April 2024 Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal alignment design | 3–5 questions | 8–12 questions |
| Number of top-level topic areas | 18 areas | 10 areas |
| Breadth questions | Present (shared with all PE Civil) | Eliminated |
| Nonmotorized design coverage | Limited | Expanded (shared-use paths, traffic calming) |
| Traffic Monitoring | Not a topic area | Added as standalone area |
| Referenced design guide | AASHTO Ped Facilities Guide 1st ed. | AASHTO Ped Facilities Guide 2021 (2nd ed.) |
| Pavement design guide | MEPDG 2nd ed. | MEPDG August 2022 (3rd ed.) |
Current Transportation top-level areas: Traffic Engineering • Horizontal Design • Vertical Design • Intersection Design • Roadside and Cross-Section Design • Signal Design • Traffic Control Design • Geotechnical and Pavement • Project Management • Traffic Monitoring and Nonmotorized Design
Check that any prep book or practice problem set you use cites the current AASHTO and MEPDG editions. Problems referencing older code editions may give slightly different answers for pavement design and sight-distance calculations.
PE Civil Structural — What Changed in April 2024
The structural exam saw the same breadth-elimination as all PE Civil disciplines, along with an update to ASCE 7-16 for structural loads (replacing ASCE 7-10). The depth-only format means every one of the 80 questions is structural — the old breadth civil section is gone.
| Change Area | Before Apr 2024 | April 2024 Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Exam structure | Breadth (40 Qs, all PE Civil) + Depth (40 Qs, structural) | 80 Qs, all structural |
| Loads reference | ASCE 7-10 | ASCE 7-16 |
| Steel design | AISC 14th edition | AISC 15th edition (verify current exam page) |
| Breadth civil questions | Present | Eliminated |
Current Structural top-level areas: Loadings and Load Applications • Analysis of Structures • Mechanics of Materials • Materials • Component Design • Foundation Design • Temporary Structures and Other Topics
The biggest study shift is using ASCE 7-16 (not 7-10) for wind, seismic, and snow loads. If you have older Lindeburg or PPI structural prep materials, check which ASCE 7 edition they reference. Seismic and wind provisions have evolved meaningfully between editions.
PE Electrical and Computer: Power
The PE Power spec expanded from 4 to 9 main topic areas and added three entirely new subject areas that did not exist in the previous spec: Electrical Energy Storage, Alternative Power Generation (solar PV and wind), and Inverter-Based Resources. If you have pre-October 2025 study materials, they are missing these topics entirely.
Exam Format
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 80 |
| Appointment | 9 hours |
| Delivery | Year-round CBT, Pearson VUE |
| Current spec effective date | October 2025 |
| References | Searchable PDF chapters for each listed standard (one open at a time) |
What Changed in October 2025
| Area | Before Oct 2025 | October 2025 Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Number of main topic areas | 4 | 9 |
| Electrical Energy Storage | Not a topic | New — batteries, ultracapacitors |
| Alternative Power Generation | Not a topic | New — solar PV, wind power |
| Inverter-Based Resources | Not a topic | New — power electronics, grid integration |
| Electrical code | NEC 2017 | NEC 2020 |
| Electrical safety standard | NFPA 70E 2018 | NFPA 70E 2021 |
| Added standards | — | NFPA 497/499 (2021), NFPA 30B (2023) |
| Reference delivery format | Full open PDFs | Separate searchable PDF chapters, one open at a time |
Current PE Power Topic Areas (October 2025 Spec)
The nine current topic areas are: General Power Engineering • Circuit Analysis • Power Devices • Rotating Machines and Electromagnetic Devices • Transmission and Distribution • Protection • Electrical Energy Storage • Alternative Power Generation • Inverter-Based Resources
If you have study materials from before October 2025, they are likely solid on circuit analysis, rotating machines, T&D, and protection — but missing the three new topic areas entirely. Those three areas represent a meaningful portion of the current exam. Build them into your study plan explicitly.
The change to searchable-chapter reference delivery (rather than full open PDFs) changes how you navigate to standards during the exam. Practice locating specific NEC 2020 and NFPA 70E 2021 articles quickly.
PE Electrical and Computer: Computer Engineering
This exam is formally called PE Electrical and Computer: Computer Engineering. A separate exam — PE Electrical and Computer: Electronics, Controls, and Communications (ECC) — launched with an April 2026 spec and begins testing in April 2027. These are distinct exams. Make sure your prep materials match the one you are registered for.
Exam Format
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 85 |
| Appointment | 9.5 hours |
| Delivery | Once per year — next sitting: October 2026 |
| Current spec effective date | October 2025 |
| References | Searchable electronic references provided at exam |
Specification History
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Oct 2025 Updated | Current spec effective date. Published January 2025. Reflects current computer engineering practice areas including systems architecture, networking, software engineering, security, and embedded systems. |
| Apr 2026 | NCEES published specifications for the new PE Electrical and Computer: ECC exam (separate from Computer Engineering). ECC begins testing April 2027. |
Annual Scheduling Note
Unlike FE and PE Power which test year-round, the PE Computer Engineering exam is offered once per year in October. Missing a registration window means waiting a full year. Build your study timeline backward from the October registration deadline, not from a general “when I feel ready” target.
How to Apply This to Your Study Plan
- Confirm your exact exam and test date. The applicable spec depends on when you test, not when you start studying. PE Civil candidates testing after April 2027 need the 2027 spec PDFs.
- Download the current spec PDF from ncees.org. Write the top-level topic areas into your study tracker. These are your categories for every practice session.
- Audit your prep materials against the spec. For PE Power, flag any pre-October 2025 material as missing the three new topic areas. For PE Civil, any pre-April 2024 book that discusses a breadth section is describing an exam that no longer exists.
- Verify referenced code editions. PE Power now uses NEC 2020 and NFPA 70E 2021. PE Civil Structural uses ASCE 7-16. PE Civil Transportation uses MEPDG 3rd ed. and AASHTO Ped Facilities 2021. Equations and table values can differ between editions.
- Practice with the electronic reference, not a paper copy. Navigation speed matters. Time yourself finding a specific equation in the handbook or a specific article in NEC 2020 under exam conditions.
- Include alternate format question practice. All CBT exams include multi-select, fill-in-blank, point-and-click, and drag-and-drop items since 2017. See our alternate item types guide for format-specific strategies.
Current FE exam page • 2014 FE CBT announcement • Current PE Civil page • 2024 PE Civil spec announcement • 2022 PE Civil CBT transition • PE Civil WRE April 2024 spec PDF • PE Civil Transportation April 2024 spec PDF • PE Civil Structural April 2024 spec PDF • Current PE Electrical and Computer page • PE Power October 2025 spec PDF • PE Computer Engineering October 2025 spec PDF
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current FE exam specification effective date?
All six FE discipline exams share a current spec effective date of July 1, 2020. The exam format — 110 questions, 5 hours 20 minutes, CBT — has not changed since the 2014 launch.
What changed in the PE Civil exam in April 2024?
The April 2024 update eliminated the breadth/depth two-session format. All 80 questions are now discipline-specific. Any prep material that describes a breadth section is describing an exam that no longer exists.
What changed in the PE Electrical Power exam in October 2025?
The spec expanded from 4 to 9 topic areas and added three new subjects: Electrical Energy Storage, Alternative Power Generation (solar/wind), and Inverter-Based Resources. Updated codes: NEC 2020, NFPA 70E 2021. Pre-October 2025 materials are missing these topics.
When do the April 2027 PE Civil specs take effect?
Candidates testing on or after April 2027 should use the 2027 spec PDFs. The top-level topic areas are unchanged from April 2024; the main differences are updated referenced code editions. Candidates testing before April 2027 use the current April 2024 specs.
Does the FE Reference Handbook changing mean the spec changed?
No. Handbook versions and exam specifications are updated independently. A new handbook version can change page numbers, table values, and formula wording without any change to topic weights. Always practice with the version currently available in your MyNCEES account.
Practice Against the Current Blueprint
FE Test Prep tracks topics by discipline, gives you timed sets, and surfaces weak areas so you can study the current FE and PE scope — not an outdated outline.