Texas. Board of Professional Engineers

In March 1937, a faulty gas connection caused a school explosion in New London, Texas that killed an estimated 298 people. Public pressure called for legislation to register engineers since it was believed that poor engineering had been at least partly to blame for the accident. The Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers was created by Senate Bill 74, 45th Legislature, Regular Session, in 1937. This law, named the Texas Engineering Practice Act, prohibited any person from practicing or offering to practice as an engineer unless licensed by the board.

The board continues to examine and license applicants as professional engineers and to enforce the rules and regulations established and defined by the act. The board has two certification levels: Engineer-in-Training and Registered Professional Engineer. The education and professional qualifications of applicants are examined through reviews of documents and records, by written and oral examinations as needed, and by the evaluation of reference statements. Graduates with approved engineering degrees are required to pass examinations and have four years of engineering experience, and graduates of other engineering-related programs must pass examinations and have eight years of engineering experience to obtain licenses.

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