FE Exam Practice Test
Practice the NCEES FE exam with original questions written to the official CBT specifications and a worked solution for every answer. FE Civil, FE Mechanical and FE Other Disciplines each have a free drill for every knowledge area and a full 110-question timed practice exam.
110 questions on the real 5 hours 20 minutes clock, weighted to the NCEES specifications, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drill- 603 original FE questions with worked solutions
- 3 disciplines: FE Civil, FE Mechanical and FE Other Disciplines
- 110 questions per full practice exam, on the real clock
Under the NCEES Model Rules and the codes of the major engineering societies, when an engineer's obligations to a client conflict with the safety of the public, which obligation governs?
Choose your FE practice exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first exam toward a professional engineer (PE) license in the United States. NCEES writes it and offers it year-round at Pearson VUE test centers in seven disciplines. Each discipline has its own specification, but every FE exam has 110 questions, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time and the same on-screen FE Reference Handbook.
FE Civil
Civil engineering students and graduates. FE Civil is the most-taken FE exam: 15,586 first-time examinees in 2024.
- Knowledge areas
- 14
- Free drills
- 15
- First-time pass rate, 2024
- 60%
FE Mechanical
Mechanical engineering students and graduates. FE Mechanical is the second most-taken FE exam: 10,584 first-time examinees in 2024.
- Knowledge areas
- 14
- Free drills
- 15
- First-time pass rate, 2024
- 68%
FE Other Disciplines
Engineers whose discipline has no FE exam of its own (for example aerospace, biomedical, petroleum, nuclear or engineering science) and anyone whose board allows it. 2,387 first-time examinees took it in 2024.
- Knowledge areas
- 14
- Free drills
- 15
- First-time pass rate, 2024
- 60%
FE exam format
Every FE discipline shares the same computer-based format. NCEES builds each examinee’s exam from its bank with the same number of questions per knowledge area and the same difficulty, so no two examinees see the same set.
- Questions
- 110 questions: multiple choice plus alternative item types (multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, fill in the blank)
- Time
- A 6-hour appointment: 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time and a 25-minute scheduled break
- Break
- After about half the questions you review and submit them, then you may take the scheduled break; submitted questions close
- Reference
- Closed book. The NCEES FE Reference Handbook appears on screen as a searchable PDF; download your free copy from MyNCEES
- Calculator
- One NCEES-approved calculator; an on-screen TI-30XS is also available
- Units
- Both SI and U.S. Customary units
- Delivery
- Computer-based, year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson VUE test centers
- Fee
- $225, paid to NCEES when you register
- Scoring
- Pass or fail. Every question is scored right or wrong with no partial credit; NCEES does not publish the passing score
- Results
- Typically 7–10 days after the exam in MyNCEES; a failing result includes a diagnostic report by topic
- Retakes
- One attempt per testing window (January–March, April–June, July–September, October–December), at most three in 12 months
FE question types
Most FE questions are multiple choice with four options. The rest are alternative item types, and every question is scored right or wrong with no partial credit:
- Multiple correct: select every correct option. Our drills and practice exams include these.
- Fill in the blank: type a number. Our questions include numeric entries with the exam’s answer units.
- Point and click (click part of a graphic) and drag and drop (match, sort, rank or label). These need graphics; our questions test the same knowledge as multiple choice.
FE exam pass rates
First-time pass rates for 2024, published by NCEES. Repeat examinees passed at 24–38%, depending on the discipline.
| Exam | First-time pass rate | First-time examinees |
|---|---|---|
| FE Civil | 60% | 15,586 |
| FE Mechanical | 68% | 10,584 |
| FE Other Disciplines | 60% | 2,387 |
| FE Electrical and Computer | 62% | 5,323 |
| FE Chemical | 72% | 1,857 |
| FE Environmental | 68% | 2,375 |
| FE Industrial and Systems | 65% | 521 |
Common questions
What is the format of the FE exam?
110 questions in a 6-hour appointment: a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time and a 25-minute scheduled break after about half the questions. Most questions are multiple choice; the rest are alternative item types: multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop and fill in the blank. Every question is scored right or wrong with no partial credit.
How much does the FE exam cost?
$225, paid to NCEES when you register in MyNCEES. Some state boards charge their own application fee on top. NCEES sells its own practice exams separately.
Which FE exam should I take?
The one that matches your degree: FE Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer, Chemical, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, or Other Disciplines for degrees without their own exam (for example aerospace, biomedical, petroleum or engineering science). Your licensing board decides what it accepts.
Can I use a reference on the FE exam?
Only the NCEES FE Reference Handbook, which appears on screen as a searchable PDF. The exam is otherwise closed book. Download the free handbook from MyNCEES and practice with it, so you know where each formula sits.
How often can I take the FE exam?
Once per testing window and no more than three times in 12 months. The windows are January–March, April–June, July–September and October–December. Some boards are stricter.
What is the FE exam pass rate?
In 2024, first-time pass rates were 60% for FE Civil (15,586 examinees), 68% for FE Mechanical (10,584), 60% for FE Other Disciplines (2,387), 62% for FE Electrical and Computer and 72% for FE Chemical. Repeat examinees passed at 24–38%, depending on the discipline.
Are these official NCEES questions?
No. NCEES does not release its exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the published CBT specifications, with a worked solution for every answer. They use the exam’s question types: multiple choice, multiple correct and fill-in numeric answers.
Does one pass cover every FE discipline here?
Yes. The FE exam pass unlocks the full timed practice exams and unlimited drills for FE Civil, FE Mechanical and FE Other Disciplines.
Ready for exam day?
110 questions on the real 5 hours 20 minutes clock, weighted to the NCEES specifications, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillExam format, fees, retake rules, specifications and pass rates checked November 2026: NCEES: FE exam · NCEES: FE Civil CBT exam specifications · NCEES: FE Mechanical CBT exam specifications · NCEES: FE Other Disciplines CBT exam specifications · NCEES: Computer-based testing and alternative item types · NCEES Examinee Guide (November 2026) · NCEES 2025 Engineering Forum: FE exam volumes and pass rates, 2024.
Original independent practice questions written to the published NCEES exam specifications. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying).