NCEES
FE Civil
Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Civil Exam
The discipline-specific FE exam for civil engineers, usually taken near graduation. Passing the FE is the required first step toward Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in the United States.
Full program: 14 decks, 867 cards.
What's on the exam
FE Civil CBT Exam Specifications (effective July 2020)
Mathematics and Statistics
8–12 questionsAnalytic geometry · Single-variable calculus · Vector operations · Statistics (distributions, mean, standard deviation, confidence intervals, regression and curve fitting)
Ethics and Professional Practice
4–6 questionsCodes of ethics · Professional liability · Licensure · Contracts and contract law
Engineering Economics
5–8 questionsTime value of money · Cost types · Break-even, benefit-cost, and life-cycle analyses · Uncertainty and expected value
Statics
8–12 questionsResultants of force systems · Equivalent force systems · Equilibrium of rigid bodies · Frames and trusses · Centroid of area · Area moments of inertia · Static friction
Dynamics
4–6 questionsKinematics · Mass moments of inertia · Force and acceleration · Work, energy, and power
Mechanics of Materials
7–11 questionsShear and moment diagrams · Stresses and strains · Deformations · Combined stresses, principal stresses, and Mohr's circle
Materials
5–8 questionsMix design of concrete and asphalt · Test methods and specifications · Physical and mechanical properties of metals, concrete, aggregates, asphalt, and wood
Fluid Mechanics
6–9 questionsFlow measurement · Fluid properties · Fluid statics · Energy, impulse, and momentum of fluids
Surveying
6–9 questionsAngles, distances, and trigonometry · Area computations · Earthwork and volume computations · Coordinate systems · Leveling
Water Resources and Environmental Engineering
10–15 questionsBasic hydrology · Basic hydraulics (Manning, Bernoulli, open-channel flow) · Pumps · Water distribution systems · Flood control · Stormwater · Collection systems · Groundwater · Water quality · Testing and standards · Water and wastewater treatment
Structural Engineering
10–15 questionsAnalysis of statically determinate beams, columns, trusses, and frames · Deflection · Column analysis and buckling · Determinacy and stability · Elementary statically indeterminate structures · Loads, load combinations, and load paths · Design of steel components · Design of reinforced concrete components
Geotechnical Engineering
10–15 questionsIndex properties and soil classification · Phase relations · Laboratory and field tests · Effective stress · Retaining structures and earth pressure · Shear strength · Bearing capacity · Foundation types · Consolidation and settlement · Slope stability · Soil stabilization
Transportation Engineering
9–14 questionsGeometric design · Pavement system design · Traffic capacity and flow theory · Traffic control devices · Transportation planning
Construction Engineering
8–12 questionsProject administration and delivery methods · Construction operations and methods · Project controls (earned value, scheduling) · Construction estimating · Interpretation of engineering drawings
Frequently asked questions
How much does the FE Civil cost?
The FE Civil costs $225. NCEES exam fee; some state boards add separate application fees.
How long is the FE Civil and how many questions does it have?
110 questions — 6-hour appointment (5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, plus tutorial and a scheduled break).
What do you need to pass the FE Civil?
Scaled pass/fail standard set by NCEES (no fixed percentage).
Can you retake the FE Civil?
One attempt per testing window; up to 3 attempts in a 12-month period.
What is the best way to study for the FE Civil?
Start from the official outline and your primary study materials: the exam is weighted by domain (Mathematics and Statistics 8–12 questions, Ethics and Professional Practice 4–6 questions, Engineering Economics 5–8 questions, Statics 8–12 questions, Dynamics 4–6 questions, Mechanics of Materials 7–11 questions, Materials 5–8 questions, Fluid Mechanics 6–9 questions, Surveying 6–9 questions, Water Resources and Environmental Engineering 10–15 questions, Structural Engineering 10–15 questions, Geotechnical Engineering 10–15 questions, Transportation Engineering 9–14 questions, Construction Engineering 8–12 questions). Once you've learned the material, spaced-repetition flashcards organized by those domains are an efficient way to retain it and refresh it before test day.
Ready to prepare?
Our FE Civil — Fundamentals of Engineering program is organized by this outline's domains and scheduled by spaced repetition, with a path from first card to test day.
Flashcards are a memory tool. Learn the material first, then use NoReread to retain it and refresh what you already know. It doesn't replace studying the subject.