Engineering Licensing in St. Petersburg, Florida

Who Needs a License

Engineering work in St. Petersburg is regulated under Florida Statutes Chapter 489. Any person who offers to provide engineering services—including design, analysis, and consultation on public or private projects—must hold an active Professional Engineer (PE) license from the State of Florida.

The scope of regulated practice is defined in Fla. Stat. § 489.105, which establishes what constitutes "the practice of engineering" requiring licensure.

How to Get Licensed

Florida licensing is administered by the Construction Industry Licensing Board under Fla. Stat. § 489.107.

Steps:

1. Meet qualifications per Fla. Stat. § 489.113, which requires:
2. A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program (or equivalent)
3. Specific years of relevant work experience under a licensed professional engineer
4. Passage of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

5. Passage of the Professional Engineer (PE) exam for your discipline

6. Apply to the State Board through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), not the city. The state board, not St. Petersburg, issues PE licenses.

7. Military service credit: If applicable, Fla. Stat. § 489.1131 allows credit for relevant military training and education toward experience requirements.

Local Requirements

Once licensed by the state, you must comply with St. Petersburg Municipal Code for any engineering work performed within city limits.

Review the St. Petersburg Municipal Code for:
- Building permits and project approval processes
- Local design standards and amendments to state code
- Site plan and engineering submission requirements

Permits: Contact the St. Petersburg Building Department to pull permits for projects. Pinellas County may also have jurisdiction depending on project location and type.

Exemptions

Fla. Stat. § 489.103 exempts certain work from licensure, including:
- Work performed by full-time employees of companies not offering engineering services to the public
- Certain minor or routine work as defined by statute
- Work on property owned by the practitioner

Review the statute directly to determine if specific work qualifies for exemption.

State Licensing Board Contact

Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE)
- Phone: 850-521-0500
- Website: https://fbpe.org/

References

• Fla. Stat. § 489.103 — Exemptions
• Fla. Stat. § 489.105 — Definitions
• Fla. Stat. § 489.107 — Construction Industry Licensing Board
• Fla. Stat. § 489.113 — Qualifications for practice; restrictions
• Fla. Stat. § 489.1131 — Credit for relevant military training and education
• St. Petersburg Municipal Code

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)