Application and Licensing BPELSG Connect Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Questions:

A: The BPELSG Connect application portal is used for the following application types: Engineer-in-Training (EIT)/Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT)/Geologist-in-Training (GIT), Professional Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Professional Land Surveyor, and Professional Geologist (excluding Certified Engineering Geologist, Certified Hydrogeologist, and Professional Geophysicist).
A: You will need to create a BPELSG Connect account if you are submitting an initial application or if you have a previously approved application and need to re-take a state-specific exam.
A: View the applicable link:

Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT)

Geologist-in-Training (GIT)

Professional Engineer (PE) (excluding Traffic, Geotechnical, and Structural Engineer)

Professional Land Surveyor (PLS)

Professional Geologist (PG) (excluding Certified Engineering Geologist, Certified Hydrogeologist, and Professional Geophysicist)
A: You will have the option to pay the fees by credit card, debit card, personal check, money order, or cash. If you choose to pay by check, money order, or cash, BPELSG Connect will provide you with a confirmation document that you will need to print and mail to the Board along with the payment. Please be aware that choosing the check, money order, or cash option will significantly delay the processing of your application, since application review will not start until payment is received and processed.
A: If you paid by credit card or debit card, you received a payment confirmation receipt via email after you submitted your application in BPELSG Connect.

Regardless of how you submitted a payment for your application, you can also view and print your payment receipt by clicking on the “Profile” link on your dashboard and finding the view/print link under the “Payment Detail” section.
A: After you have submitted your application in BPELSG Connect, you will be returned to your profile dashboard where you can click on the application number to download and print or save a PDF version of your application for your records. A PDF copy of the application is only created when the application is initially submitted. If you added any Work Experience Engagements/References after the initial application was submitted, they will not show up on the PDF version of the application.
A: From your dashboard, click on “Profile”. Click on the “Edit” button of the applicable box to complete the change.

If you have multiple licenses/certificates, before you go to the “Profile” screen, it is recommended that you use the “Link Existing” button on your dashboard to link all licenses/certificates to ensure that all licenses/certificates/pending applications are included in a name or address change.
A: All applicants are required to submit a full set of fingerprints prior to certification/licensure. Applicants residing in California must use the electronic Live Scan fingerprinting process and will be asked to upload a copy of their completed Live Scan Form in the Fingerprint Tab.

Out-of-state applicants may either submit the traditional fingerprint cards or travel to California to use the Live Scan process. Out-of-state applicants will be mailed two (2) FD-258 fingerprint cards after submitting an application and fees in BPELSG Connect. Both completed fingerprint cards need to be mailed to the Board along with the BPELSG Connect payment receipt received after application submittal. There is a separate fee for submitting fingerprint cards.

If you have submitted fingerprints to this Board within the last 24 months, you will not be required to supply any fingerprinting documents or information. For more information regarding fingerprinting please visit the Fingerprinting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
A: No, you will not receive an email regarding the receipt of your fingerprint cards.
A: Once you have submitted your application through BPELSG Connect, you will be able to monitor the status of your application and address any deficiencies in your BPELSG Connect account.

Do not contact the Board for status updates; login to your BPELSG Connect account and refer to your dashboard for status updates. Your dashboard will reflect the current status even if it has not changed recently. View the Application Status Definitions for detailed information.
A: Upon submittal and payment of an application, a link to the Laws and Rules Exam will appear on your dashboard. The exam must be passed before the Board will review your application. It is recommended that you complete the exam shortly [no more than two (2) weeks] after application submittal because not passing the exam is considered an application deficiency and will significantly delay the processing of your application.
A: Please contact the Board with your full name and a description of your circumstances. Depending on the situation, you may need to reapply in BPELSG Connect.
A: Final reviews can take 1-2 weeks for processing. Please do not contact the Board about the status of your application unless your license number is not issued after two (2) weeks.

If your application has been in final review for more than two (2) weeks, the fingerprint portion of your application may not be complete. You can check the status of your fingerprints by contacting bpelsg.fingerprint.questions@dca.ca.gov or 916-999-3625.

It can take 30-120 days, from the date the Board mails the fingerprint cards to the DOJ/FBI, for the Board to receive the results.

License numbers are issued weekly for all eligible applicants who have passed all required exams and fulfilled the fingerprint requirement. Once Board staff completes your final review, your license number will be issued.

Once licensed, your license number will appear on License Lookup on the Board’s website as well as on your BPELSG Connect dashboard. For discipline specific information view Next Steps After Taking Your Exam(s).
A: If the university/college provides electronic transcripts, they must be sent directly from the university/college via email to BPELSG.Transcripts@dca.ca.gov. If the university/college provides paper transcripts they must be mailed to the Board. Unsealed transcripts are not accepted. Foreign transcripts that are not in English do not need to be sealed, but applicants must submit the original transcripts along with a notarized English translation. Degree evaluations are not accepted. It is recommended that applicants submit the request for transcripts to each relevant university/college at least two (2) weeks before the anticipated date of application submittal to the Board.
A: No. If you would like to claim education credit you must submit the original transcripts along with a notarized English translation if the transcripts are not in English.
A: No, you will not receive an email confirmation regarding the receipt of your transcripts because the Board receives a large volume of transcripts.

Once transcripts are received by the Board (via mail or email), they are uploaded to your application. Foreign transcripts can be sent back to the applicant upon request.

If the transcripts were sent via email, the transcript delivery service will notify you if the receiver (the Board) has not downloaded them before the link expires .
A: Yes, only comity applicants have the option to submit a NCEES Record, but it is not required. In the case that the NCEES Record does not provide the information the Board needs to determine if an applicant meets the requirements for licensure in California, the applicant will be asked to provide additional information.
A: You can check if your professional references have filled out Part B of the Work Experience Engagements/References; although you will not be able to see how they responded.

From your dashboard click the link under the “Status” column. Next, select the “Reference” tab.

• A yellow triangle icon indicates the professional reference has not completed Part B.

• A green checkmark indicates the professional reference has completed Part B.

• A red X indicates the professional reference has declined to provide a response.

• A yellow checkmark indicates a deficiency has been sent to either the applicant or professional reference. Hover over the icon to determine the status of the deficiency.

If your professional references have not responded within two (2) weeks, it is recommended you contact them because your application will not be reviewed until the minimum number of Work Experience Engagements/References have received responses. You can resend Part B of your reference by clicking “Resend”; however, your professional reference should ignore the link provided in the initial email, because it will no longer work, and respond to the link provided in the new email .
A: No. Work Experience Engagements/References cannot be deleted or edited after application submittal.

To fix the mistake you will need to add a new engagement/reference and have your professional reference complete Part B. To add a new engagement/reference, from your dashboard click the link under the “Status” column. Next, select the “Reference” tab, and select the green “Add Additional Engagement and Reference” button.

The professional reference must respond to the new email link they receive to verify the information on the new engagement/reference. To avoid confusion, it is recommended that you communicate with your professional reference to let them know that they need to respond to the new engagement/reference.

Do not worry about the previous engagement/reference that cannot be deleted. If staff sees two (2) engagements/references from the same professional reference provider and timeframe, staff will disregard the previous engagement/reference and will continue to process your application.
A: From your dashboard, click on your status. Next, select the “Reference” tab. After selecting “resend”, a box will open where you can edit the email address before resending the email.

Application Deficiencies

A: If your application is determined to be deficient, Board staff will send you an email. To correct the deficiency, login to BPELSG Connect, follow all directions within the email and all directions within BPELSG Connect, click the “Save & Next” button, and click the “Re-Submit” button. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all identified deficiencies are resolved within BPELSG Connect.
A: Resolve the deficiency in BPELSG Connect so that the licensing evaluator can process your application. To resolve your deficiency, from your dashboard click on “Resolve Deficiency”, choose “resolved”, provide a response (optional), choose “save & next” and “resubmit” in this order.
A: An application goes through two reviews by Board staff: evaluator initial review and technical review. A deficiency can be issued during one or both review stages.

During initial review, the licensing evaluator determines if all required documentation has been submitted and is acceptable (i.e., transcripts, the minimum number of completed references, passed Laws and Rules exam, etc.) and completes a precursory review of the transcripts and references to determine if the minimum number of months of required experience is claimed. If all required documentation and information has been submitted, the application is referred to the registrar for technical review; however, if there is a deficiency, an email will be sent. The application will not move to technical review until the deficiency is resolved.

Once in technical review, the registrar determines if the applicant is qualified for licensure and/or examination. If there is a deficiency (i.e., missing/unclear information on references, not enough detailed information to determine if the applicant qualifies for licensure, etc.) the registrar will send an email. The application cannot be approved for licensure and/or examination until the deficiency is resolved.

View the Application Status Definitions for detailed information.
A: Board staff cannot review an application until all Work Experience Engagements/References have a response from a professional reference, transcripts are received by the Board, and the Laws and Rules Exam is passed. Board staff has the following recommendations to prevent the three (3) most common evaluator initial review deficiencies:

1. The minimum number of Work Experience Engagements/References required are not complete: It is recommended that applicants communicate with their professional references before they anticipate submitting their application to the Board, to confirm the following: the professional reference is available to complete a reference; the applicant has the professional reference’s correct email address; to give the professional reference advance notice that they will be receiving the email; and to discuss if what the applicant plans to write in Part A is detailed enough to demonstrate that the applicant is qualified. After the applicant submits the application, it is recommended that the applicant communicate with each professional references again to encourage them to complete Part B of the engagement/reference within two (2) weeks.

2. Transcripts not submitted: Applicants who are claiming education credit must request official transcripts for all relevant degrees. It is recommended that applicants submit the request for transcripts to each relevant university/college at least two (2) weeks before the anticipated date of application submittal to the Board. If the university/college provides electronic transcripts, they must be sent directly from the university/college via email to BPELSG.Transcripts@dca.ca.gov. If the university/college provides paper transcripts they must be mailed to the Board. Unsealed transcripts are not accepted. Foreign transcripts that are not in English do not need to be sealed, but applicants must submit the original transcripts along with a notarized English translation. Degree evaluations are not accepted.

3. Laws and Rules Exam not passed: Upon submittal and payment of an application, a link to the Laws and Rules Exam will appear on the applicants BPELSG Connect dashboard. It is recommended that applicants pass the exam no more than two (2) weeks after application submittal.

Questions Specific to Civil Engineer Applicants

A: It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide sufficient detail and information in Part A of the Work Experience Engagement/Reference for the registrar to determine if they meet the requirements for professional licensure. Only work experience that meets the definition of civil engineering in Professional Engineers Act section 6731, and requires that a licensed Civil Engineer be in responsible charge of the work, will qualify. The applicant must describe specific civil engineering tasks and decisions they were involved in, including what engineering judgement was used to evaluate and provide engineering recommendations in connection with a fixed work. Descriptions of work experience that are vague, general-in-nature, and do not adequately explain the applicant’s role in performing civil engineering work will not be accepted.
A: One of the questions on Part B of the Work Experience Engagement/Reference asks the reference what their relation is/was with the applicant. To receive credit for work experience, the applicant must have someone in responsible charge of their engineering work during the engagement. If the reference does not indicate that they were in responsible charge of the applicant’s engineering work during the engagement, the reference is still an acceptable reference, however the months claimed for the engagement will not be accepted. If the minimum months of work experience has not been satisfied, the registrar will issue a deficiency requesting that the applicant submit an additional Work Experience Engagement/Reference from a Civil Engineer in responsible charge of their engineering work. It is the professional reference’s responsibility to accurately respond to each question on Part B. Failure to respond accurately will result in deficiencies and delays in the review/approval process.
A: Civil Engineers play a vital role in the construction process, however not all tasks and decisions being made on a construction site require that a Civil Engineer be in responsible charge. Professional Engineers Act section 6730 requires that any person who practices, or offers to practice civil engineering, must be licensed as a Civil Engineer by the Board. If a task or decision can be made by an individual who is not a licensed Civil Engineer (e.g., construction supervision, project scheduling, construction design review, general administration), then it is not the practice of civil engineering.
A: Traffic engineering is a title act, meaning an individual does not need to be licensed to practice traffic engineering. Oftentimes, Civil Engineers perform traffic engineering tasks related to their civil engineering work. However, because California is discipline-specific and issues licenses for both civil engineering and traffic engineering, there is no overlap between the two and qualifying work experience for a civil engineering license needs to be civil engineering, not traffic engineering. The definition of civil engineering can be found in the Professional Engineers Act section 6731 and the definition of traffic engineering in Board Rules section 404(qq).
A: The current review time is approximately 6-8 months from the date of application submission, or longer if there are application deficiencies. Applications are reviewed in the order sent to technical review and applications with resolved deficiencies will not be given priority over new applications sent to technical review. You can view the status of your application by logging into BPELSG Connect and looking at the status on your dashboard. It will reflect the current status even if it has not changed recently.

Once your application is in an exam eligible status you will need to login to BPELSG Connect to pay for and request to take the state-specific exams. For additional information please view Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer.
A: Visit the Re-Examination Information page for instructions on how to submit an Exam Request.

You will have the choice to take the exam(s) in one of two quarters following the quarter in which you make the Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect; however, you will not be able to take the exam(s) in the same quarter that you make the Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect. For example, if you make your Exam Request(s) and pay your exam fees in Quarter 1, you will be able to schedule your state-specific exam(s) in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3, but not in Quarter 1. See the chart on Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer for details. Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter that you selected.
A: Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter you selected. For example, if you selected Quarter 2 and scheduled a date in Quarter 2, but you cannot appear for that exam date, you only have the option to reschedule your exam within Quarter 2. You will need to contact Prometric, not the Board, to reschedule (a fee may apply). If you cancel or do not appear for the exam, you will forfeit your exam fee and will need to wait until the next quarter or later to submit an Exam Request in BPELSG Connect.

If you want to take the exam in the quarter following the quarter you originally selected (in this example, Quarter 3), you will have to receive an approved postponement through the Board. The Board grants postponements for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies only. If you believe you qualify for a postponement, you must submit a Request for Postponement of Exam Fee along with supporting documentation in accordance with the instructions on the form. If an approved postponement is not granted, and you cancel or do not appear for the exam, you will forfeit your exam fee and will need to wait until the next quarter or later to submit an Exam Request in BPELSG Connect.
A: Once your application is in an exam eligible status you will need to login to BPELSG Connect to pay for and request to take the state-specific exams. You will have the choice to take the exams in one of two quarters following the quarter in which you make the Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect; however, you will not be able to take the exams in the same quarter that you make the Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in BPELSG Connect. For example, if you make your Exam Requests and pay your exam fees in Quarter 1, you will be able to schedule your state-specific exams in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3, but not in Quarter 1. See the chart on Applying for Licensure as a Civil Engineer for details. Once you have paid for an exam and selected a quarter, your eligibility is only valid for the quarter you selected.

Questions Specific to Professional Land Surveyor Applicants

A: It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide sufficient detail and information in Part A of the Work Experience Engagement/Reference for the registrar to determine if they meet the requirements for professional licensure. Only work experience that meets the definition of land surveying in Professional Land Surveyors’ Act section 8726 will qualify. All qualifying work experience in land surveying shall be performed under the responsible charge of a person legally authorized to practice land surveying.
A: Professional references shall be licensed to practice land surveying in the place in which such practice has been conducted, and the experience is being claimed.

Exam Requests, Re-Exam Requests, and Exam Related Questions

A: Once your application is in an exam eligible status you will need to login to BPELSG Connect to pay for and submit an Exam Request. After payment, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) notice via email with instructions on how and when to schedule your exam with Prometric. Contact the Board if you do not receive your ATT after payment is made. It is recommended that you schedule your exam as soon as you receive the ATT notice to increase your chances of obtaining your preferred testing location and time. Be sure to check your SPAM and junk email boxes before contacting the Board.
A: If you have sat for one or more of the required exams within the last two (2) years, you do not need to submit a new initial application; however, you will be required to create a BPELSG Connect account to submit a Re-Exam Request in BPELSG Connect to re-take a state-specific exam. Read Re-Examination Information for detailed instructions.

You may be required to submit a new application in BPELSG Connect if you have not sat for one or more of the required exams within the last two (2) years. Please contact the Board with your full name and a description of your circumstances. Depending on the situation, you may need to reapply in BPELSG Connect.
A: No, there is no need to worry about this. When you create a BPELSG Connect account, you will see your state-specific exam eligibility after you submit your Re-Exam Request in BPELSG Connect; however, you will not see your previously approved application.

BPELSG Connect will not show exams taken before your account was created; only exams taken after your account was created. Once you pass your last required exam(s), Board staff will verify all exams previously passed, and all requirements previously fulfilled, and your license will be issued.
A: From your BPELSG Connect dashboard, click on the link under the “Status” column. Next, click on the “Exams” tab and click on the “Fail” link (located under the “Result” column) to open the diagnostic report. A diagnostic report is not available for pass results. For additional information view the diagnostic report information page.