Registration is open for NSPECon26 in New York City, New York!
Volunteering at NSPE is a great opportunity to grow your professional network and connect with other leaders in the field.
Decisions at the ballot box influence policies that support engineering standards and public safety.April 2014
PE REPORT
Changes on the Horizon For Virginia Design Professionals
The licensing board for Virginia design professionals has pr
oposed changes to its rules and regulations to address shifting industry standards and boost protection of the licensing process.
One major change involves clarifying the professional responsibilities and scope of practice for licensees. If approved, the regulations will require that a professional clearly define his scope of work and degree of direct control and supervision as well as demonstrate responsibility for work that could affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The proposed changes also clarify which documents must be sealed for a project that involves multiple professionals performing work on different aspects of the project and specify which businesses and corporations must register with the board when providing design services.
Other requirements aim to prevent unlawful distribution of exam information and improve evaluation of licensure candidates. A candidate for a PE license or engineer-in-training designation who has not passed an exam within three years, must provide documentation of educational activities to be eligible to sit for the exam again. Licensure applicants will also be required to provide references from people they have known within five years because they may be able to provide a better perspective of the applicant’s character.
The updates to the rules and regulations were presented in 2011 by the board, which licenses architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and interior designers within the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Craig Moore, P.E., a past president of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers, provided feedback and revisions that same year. The proposed changes were approved by former Governor Bob McDonnell in December 2013. VSPE encouraged members to review the proposed changes to the rules and regulations and provide feedback during the public comment period, which ended in February.
