Position Statement: It is the position of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) that engineering should be performed by a professional engineer in responsible charge of the work.

Background:The NCEES model law defines “Responsible Charge” as the direct control and personal supervision of engineering work. The Board of Ethical Review has reinforced this definition throughout their case evaluations.

The professional engineer in Responsible Charge is actively engaged in the engineering process, from conception to completion. Engineering decisions must be personally made by the professional engineer or by others over which the professional engineer provides supervisory direction and control authority. Reviewing drawings or documents after preparation without involvement in the design and development process does not satisfy the definition of Responsible Charge.