Licensing · California
California Engineer Lookup
Look up California Professional Engineers and verify PE license status with the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG).
How California PE licensing works
California regulates Professional Engineers through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG), part of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). PE licenses are issued by discipline branch — civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, industrial, control systems, fire protection, and others.
California is a practice-act state for civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering — only PEs licensed in those branches may perform that engineering work or offer it for compensation in California. For other branches it is a title-act state: the branch title is restricted, but the practice itself is not.
Verify a California PE
- Search the DCA BPELSG license database by name or license number.
- Confirm "Active" status and license discipline branch.
- Check for disciplinary actions, restrictions, or pending citations.
- Confirm the engineer's discipline matches the work to be stamped.
EngineerMint shows verified BPELSG data on every California engineer profile.
Related pages
FAQ
Who licenses engineers in California?
The California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) licenses Professional Engineers. California issues practice-act licenses for civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and title-act licenses for other branches.
What's the difference between a practice-act and title-act license?
Practice-act licenses (civil, electrical, mechanical in California) restrict who can perform that engineering work — only licensed PEs in the discipline. Title-act licenses (e.g., industrial, control systems) restrict who can use the title 'Professional Engineer' in that branch, but not the underlying practice.
How do I verify a California PE license?
Use the BPELSG DCA License Search to verify license status, discipline branch, and any disciplinary actions. EngineerMint also surfaces verified BPELSG data on individual engineer profile pages.
Can an out-of-state PE work on California projects?
No. Engineering work that requires a stamp on California projects must be sealed by a PE licensed in California. Comity (reciprocity) is available for licensed PEs in other states meeting California's requirements, but they must apply and be issued a California license before stamping.
What disciplines can be stamped in California?
Civil (including structural, geotechnical, traffic), electrical, mechanical, chemical, industrial, metallurgical, nuclear, petroleum, control systems, fire protection, and agricultural — each issued separately.