PE Petroleum
Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Petroleum Exam
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Petroleum exam is NCEES's discipline-specific licensure examination for petroleum engineers. It tests for a minimum level of competency expected of an engineer practicing independently, and it is designed for engineers with at least four years of post-college work experience in the discipline. The exam is computer-based and, because petroleum has a comparatively small examinee population, it is administered on a single day, once per year; the next scheduled date is October 27, 2026. Candidates may reserve a Pearson test-center seat up to a year in advance once they have registered with NCEES and been approved by their licensing board, and early reservation is encouraged. The exam contains 85 questions, including multiple-choice items and alternative item types, delivered across 8.5 hours of testing time inside a 9.5-hour appointment that also contains a nondisclosure agreement, a tutorial, and a 50-minute scheduled break. Content spans reservoir engineering, drilling and completion engineering, and production and facilities engineering. Preparation should start with the official exam specifications, then the supplied electronic reference handbook and design standards, followed by timed practice. Results typically post 7–10 days after testing. This page is published by an independent study platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES.
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About PE Petroleum preparation
How long is the PE Petroleum exam, and how many questions does it have?
The exam includes 85 questions, delivered as multiple-choice items and alternative item types. The exam appointment time is 9.5 hours, which includes 8.5 hours of actual exam time plus a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 50-minute scheduled break. Plan your pacing around the 8.5 hours, not the full appointment.
How often can I take it, and how do I get a seat?
It is a single-day event administered once per year, and the next scheduled test date is October 27, 2026. Once you are registered with NCEES and approved by your licensing board, you may reserve a Pearson test-center seat up to a year in advance. Reserve as early as possible; single-day events have limited capacity.
What does registration cost?
A $400 exam fee is payable directly to NCEES. Some licensing boards also require a separate application and an application fee as part of their approval process. Check your board's registration procedures before you register, because board requirements vary and can affect your seat eligibility.
What reference material is allowed in the exam room?
NCEES provides an electronic reference handbook and all specified design standards during the exam. That handbook plus the standards listed on the exam specifications are the only references permitted. Personal copies of any material are not allowed in the exam room. The handbook and standards are searchable PDFs, so practice searching them before test day.
When will I get my results?
Computer-based exam results are typically available 7–10 days after you take the exam. NCEES emails you instructions to view them in your MyNCEES account, and the report includes information specific to your licensing board on how to proceed based on your performance.
How difficult is the exam, based on published pass rates?
The most recent published data on the NCEES page show Petroleum with 62 first-time examinees at a 53% first-time pass rate, and 22 repeat examinees at a 55% repeat pass rate, updated January 2026. Those figures reflect performance under NCEES member boards and vary year to year, so treat them as context rather than a forecast.
Is there a limit on retaking the exam if I fail?
The NCEES Petroleum page does not state a retake limit or waiting period. Retake rules, and any restrictions on how often you may sit, are set by your licensing board and are addressed in the NCEES Examinee Guide. Confirm the specifics with your board before scheduling a second attempt.
What order should I study in?
Start with the exam specifications so you study the topics actually listed rather than general petroleum engineering. Next, build fluency in the supplied handbook and design standards, since they are your only in-room references. Then work timed practice problems under an 8.5-hour-style clock, and log every error by topic rather than by question.
What are common failure modes for candidates?
Three recur: under-preparing on the reference handbook and losing minutes hunting for equations, spending too long on early questions and running short at the end, and studying broadly instead of to the published specifications. Practice the search function, set a per-question time budget, and rehearse a full-length timed session before test day.
Are accommodations available?
Reasonable accommodations are available for examinees who meet certain eligibility criteria and sufficiently document their request, and NCEES also describes military exceptions. Accommodation requests typically need to be filed well ahead of a single-day event, so start the process early rather than after you book a seat.