Which PE Civil exam should you take?

Take the PE Civil module that matches the work you do and the design standards you already use. NCEES offers five: Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, and Water Resources and Environmental. Each is computer-based and year-round, with 80 questions and the same 9-hour appointment. The knowledge areas, the supplied references, and the July 2026 pass rates differ by module.

The five modules side by side

The appointment is the same on every module: 2 minutes for the nondisclosure agreement, 8 minutes for the tutorial, 8 hours for the exam, and a scheduled break of 50 minutes. The knowledge areas below come from the specifications effective April 2024, and the counts are ranges, so a given form can land anywhere inside the band.

What each module emphasizes

PE Civil Construction

The PE Civil Construction exam leans on temporary works and field methods: Design for Support of Construction Loads covers forms, shores, bracing, excavation support, and construction loads on the permanent structure, while Construction Operations and Methods covers lifting and cranes, dewatering, equipment choice, deep foundation installation, and earthwork quantities. Project Planning and Scheduling, Material, Production, and Execution Quality Control, and Structural Mechanics are 7 to 11 questions each, while Estimating Quantities and Costs and Soil Mechanics are 6 to 9 each. Site Layout and Development and Material Properties are 5 to 8 each, and Hydraulics and Hydrology and Health and Safety are 4 to 6 each. Health and Safety includes OSHA construction rules and work-zone protection for the public.

April 2024 design standards on this module are ACI 347R (2014), ACI SP-4, 8th edition (2014), the AISC Steel Construction Manual, 15th edition (2017), ASCE 37-14 (2015), CMWB bracing masonry walls (2012), PCA EB001, 17th edition (2021), MUTCD Part 6 (2009, Revisions 1 and 2, May 2012), and CFR Title 29 Parts 1903 and 1926 (July 2020).

PE Civil Geotechnical

The PE Civil Geotechnical exam is ground, walls, and foundations, with Retaining Structures (ASD or LRFD) and Deep Foundations (ASD or LRFD) as the two largest areas. Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement is 9 to 14 questions and covers slopes, embankments, levees, landfills, pavement, geosynthetics, and ground improvement, while Site Characterization and Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis are 8 to 12 each, from exploration planning and soil and rock classification through strength, permeability, and effective stress. Shallow Foundations (ASD or LRFD) and Construction Observation, Monitoring, and Quality Assurance/Quality Control are 6 to 9 each, Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads is 5 to 8, and Groundwater and Seepage and Problematic Soil and Rock Conditions are 4 to 6 each.

April 2024 design standards are ASCE 7-16, USACE EM 1110-2-1902 Slope Stability (2003), FHWA NHI-05-037 (2006), FHWA NHI-06-088 and NHI-06-089 Soils and Foundations (2006), FHWA-NHI-11-032 GEC No. 3 (2011), FHWA NHI-16-009 and NHI-16-010 GEC No. 12 driven piles (2016), FHWA NHI-16-072 GEC No. 5 site characterization (2017), FHWA NHI-18-024 GEC No. 10 drilled shafts (2018), NAVFAC DM-7.02 (1986), UFC 3-220-05 (2004), UFC 3-220-10 (2022), and CFR Title 29 Part 1926 (July 2020).

PE Civil Structural

The PE Civil Structural exam puts the largest share of questions on member design and on analysis of forces: component design runs through horizontal and vertical members, systems, connections, shallow and deep foundations, and retaining walls, while forces and load effects include shear and moment, axial force, flexure, combined stress, and deflection. Analysis of Structures-Loads and Load Applications is 12 to 18 questions and covers gravity, wind, seismic, and other loads, plus load paths and combinations, and Design and Details of Structures-Materials and Material Properties is 10 to 15 questions across concrete, steel, timber, masonry, and soil. Temporary Structures and Other Topics is 5 to 8 questions, and in the supplied standards, wood is ASD only.

April 2024 design standards are the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 8th edition (2017), IBC 2018, ASCE 7-16, ACI 318-14, the AISC Steel Construction Manual, 15th edition (2017), the AWC NDS 2018 package, CFR Title 29 Parts 1910 and 1926 (July 2020), the PCI Design Handbook, 7th edition (2010), and TMS 402/602-16.

PE Civil Transportation

The PE Civil Transportation exam is highway geometry, traffic operations, safety, and drainage. Horizontal Design, Vertical Design, and Drainage are 8 to 12 questions each, Roadside and Cross-Section Design and Intersection Geometry are 7 to 11 each, and Geotechnical and Pavement and Project Management are 6 to 9 each, with Project Management covering quantities, schedules, and engineering economy. Traffic Signals and Traffic Control Design are 5 to 8 each, and the largest area, traffic engineering, covers uninterrupted and interrupted flow, intersection capacity, safety analysis, and facilities for people walking or biking.

April 2024 design standards are AASHTO GDHS-7 (2018), AASHTO GDPS-4-M (1993 with 1998 supplement), AASHTO GPF-2 (2021), AASHTO HSM-1 (2010 with 2014 supplement), AASHTO MEPDG-3 (2020), AASHTO RSDG-4 (2011), FHWA HIF-12-026 HDS 5 culverts (2012), the HCM, 6th edition (2016), and the MUTCD 2009 (Revisions 1 and 2, May 2012).

PE Civil Water Resources and Environmental

The PE Civil Water Resources and Environmental exam mixes treatment and collection systems with a large sitework block. Hydrology covers storm frequency, runoff, hydrographs, and detention, while Hydraulics-Closed Conduit, Hydraulics-Open Channel, and Wastewater Collection and Treatment are 7 to 11 questions each. Drinking Water Distribution and Treatment and Analysis and Design are 6 to 9 each, with Analysis and Design centering on mass balance, hydraulic and solids loading, and flow measurement. Surface Water and Groundwater Quality is 5 to 8, Project Planning, Materials, and Groundwater and Wells are 4 to 6 each, and Soil Mechanics is 3 to 5. Project Sitework, the largest area, covers grading, layout, erosion and sediment control, basic curve elements, retaining walls, and construction safety.

The only April 2024 design standards on this module are TSS Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities (2014) and TSS Recommended Standards for Water Works (2018).

July 2026 pass rates by module

NCEES last updated these results in July 2026. Across the five modules, first-time pass rates run from 60% (Construction) to 71% (Water Resources and Environmental), and repeat pass rates run from 38% to 49%, with the repeat rate under the first-time rate on every module. That reflects the record of people who chose each module. The PE exam pass rate page sets these figures next to other disciplines.

How to choose your module

Choose the module whose large knowledge areas are tasks you already do, and whose design standards are manuals you already open. Construction fits estimating, scheduling, quality control, temporary structures, and field operations, while Geotechnical fits subsurface exploration, retaining structures, foundations, and ground improvement. Structural fits loads, member design, and connections in concrete, steel, timber, and masonry, Transportation fits alignment, capacity, roadside design, signals, and drainage, and Water Resources and Environmental fits hydraulics, hydrology, drinking water, wastewater, and site civil work.

If two modules both look like your job, compare the question share in the table above: Structural concentrates the most questions in component design and detailing, Construction splits its largest blocks between temporary support of construction loads and construction operations, and Geotechnical splits its largest areas evenly between retaining structures and deep foundations.

You can change the module after you register by canceling that registration and registering again; the refund is the fee less the $50 administrative fee. Changing the licensing board uses that same cancel and re-register step.

What changes in the design standards in April 2027

The knowledge areas on this page are the April 2024 specifications, and design standards also have an April 2027 set. For Construction and Structural, the cell is the full April 2027 list; for the other three modules, the cell is only the listed change from April 2024. Study the set that will be in effect on your exam date.

What the Florida board says about the PE

The Florida board’s engineering exams page requires an ABET-accredited degree and a passed FE before the PE, and states that experience is not required to sit for the exam. It also notes that NCEES data show first-time examinees with at least four years of experience are more likely to pass. Those points come from Florida’s page alone; other states write their own rules.

Frequently asked questions

Which PE Civil module is easiest?

NCEES does not label any of the five modules as the easiest. In the July 2026 results, first-time pass rates run from 60% on Construction to 71% on Water Resources and Environmental, and repeat pass rates run from 38% to 49%. A higher rate describes the people who selected that module. Choose the module whose knowledge areas match the work you do.

Can I switch PE Civil modules?

You change the module by canceling the registration and registering again; the refund is the fee less the $50 administrative fee. The same cancel and re-register step is how you change licensing boards, and the new registration then uses the knowledge areas and design standards of the module you select.

Do all PE Civil modules have the same format?

Yes, each module is computer-based, offered year-round, and has 80 questions. The appointment is 9 hours: 2 minutes for the nondisclosure agreement, 8 minutes for the tutorial, 8 hours for the exam, and a 50-minute scheduled break. The knowledge-area mix and the design standards are what change.

Do PE Civil design standards change in April 2027?

Yes, Construction and Structural have full April 2027 lists, including the AISC Steel Construction Manual, 16th edition (2022), and ACI 318-19 (2022). Geotechnical replaces ASCE 7-16 with ASCE 7-22. Transportation replaces the HCM 6th edition with the 7th edition (2022) and the 2009 MUTCD with the 11th edition (2023). Water Resources and Environmental moves TSS Recommended Standards for Water Works from 2018 to 2022 and adds several references, including CFR Title 29 Part 1926 (2024).

Does Florida require experience before the PE exam?

The Florida board’s engineering exams page says you must hold an ABET-accredited degree and have passed the FE before the PE, and that experience is not required to sit for the exam. The board notes that NCEES data show first-time examinees with at least four years of experience are more likely to pass. That note is Florida’s statement, not a rule to assume for every state.

Sources

1. NCEES: PE Civil exam. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
2. NCEES: PE exam. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
3. NCEES PE Civil: Construction exam specifications, effective April 2024 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
4. NCEES PE Civil: Geotechnical exam specifications, effective April 2024 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
5. NCEES PE Civil: Structural exam specifications, effective April 2024 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
6. NCEES PE Civil: Transportation exam specifications, effective April 2024 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
7. NCEES PE Civil: Water Resources and Environmental exam specifications, effective April 2024 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
8. Florida board: Engineering exams. Retrieved October 3, 2026.