P.Eng licensure in Ontario
How to Get Your P.Eng in Ontario (PEO)
To become a P.Eng in Ontario you need a Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) accredited degree (or an equivalent assessed by PEO), you must pass the National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE), and you must demonstrate your experience through PEO's Competency-Based Assessment, plus meet a good-character requirement. Note: PEO is reducing its minimum experience from four years to two years effective July 1, 2026, with competence (not just time) as the standard.
Quick facts
- Regulator
- Professional Engineers Ontario
- Licensing exam
- National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE)
- Experience required
- 48 months
- Official site
- www.peo.on.ca
The licensing exam
PEO requires the NPPE, a closed-book exam (about 2.5 hours, roughly 110 multiple-choice questions) on ethics, professional practice, engineering law, and liability, offered five times a year by remote proctoring. There is no French-language requirement in Ontario.
Experience requirement
Experience is assessed through PEO's Competency-Based Assessment: applicants document examples demonstrating 34 competencies across seven categories, each rated by a validator. As of June 2026 the time-based minimum is 48 months, but effective July 1, 2026 PEO reduces it to 24 months once the competencies are demonstrated and validated. In practice most applicants need three to four years to develop all 34 competencies. At least one validator is required.
Fees (PEO)
| Application fee (P.Eng registration)$360.00 plus $46.80 HST, paid when you apply. | $406.80 |
| Registration fee (on approval)$300.00 plus $39.00 HST, charged when the licence is granted. | $339.00 |
| NPPE exam feePer writing. HST exempt. | $242.84 |
| Annual dues (P.Eng licence)$265.00 plus $34.45 HST per year. Optional Engineering Intern (EIT) enrolment is $101.70 per year. | $299.45 |
Amounts in CAD, as of June 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm the current fees with PEO.
How long it takes
Most EITs reach the P.Eng in roughly three to four years: you can write the NPPE any time (even right after graduating), then build and validate the competencies through supervised work. From July 1, 2026 the minimum acceptable experience is two years, so applicants who demonstrate competence early can be licensed sooner.
Continuing professional development
PEO requires mandatory CPD each year through the Practice Evaluation and Knowledge (PEAK) program: a practice evaluation, a professional practice and ethics module, and a CPD report. Hours are individual, with a target assigned after your practice evaluation, up to a maximum of 30 hours per year.
References and validators
Experience is confirmed by validators rather than character references. A minimum of one validator is required (no maximum). For Canadian experience the validator must be a P.Eng registered with a Canadian regulator during the period being validated, ideally someone who supervised the work. Applicants also complete a good-character assessment in the PEO portal.
Step by step: EIT to P.Eng in Ontario
- 1Earn a CEAB-accredited engineering degree (or have PEO assess your credentials).
- 2Write and pass the National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE), which you can do as early as right after graduation.
- 3Start an application in the PEO portal and optionally enrol as an Engineering Intern (EIT).
- 4Gain acceptable engineering experience and document it in PEO's Competency-Based Assessment, demonstrating the 34 competencies.
- 5Have your competencies confirmed by at least one qualified validator.
- 6Complete the good-character assessment, and once experience is validated (minimum two years from July 1, 2026) PEO grants the P.Eng licence.
Ontario P.Eng FAQ
Is PEO really dropping the experience requirement to two years?
Yes. Effective July 1, 2026, PEO lowers the minimum acceptable engineering experience from four years to two years. It is not automatic at two years: you must still demonstrate all 34 competencies and have them validated, and most applicants still take three to four years to build that competence.
Do I still have to write the NPPE in Ontario?
Yes. The National Professional Practice Examination is required of all applicants before a P.Eng licence is granted. You can write it any time and rewrite it if necessary. Applicants already licensed in another Canadian province may be exempt.
What does it cost to get licensed in Ontario?
Core PEO fees are the application fee of $406.80 (including HST), the registration fee of $339.00 on approval, the NPPE fee of $242.84 per writing, and annual P.Eng dues of $299.45. Optional EIT enrolment is $101.70 per year. Amounts are from PEO's fee schedule dated November 1, 2023.
Who can be my validator?
You need at least one validator (no maximum). For Canadian experience the validator must be a P.Eng registered with a Canadian regulator during the period being validated, ideally someone who supervised your work and took technical responsibility for it.
Official sources
Track your Ontario P.Eng journey in one place
squared.engineering helps engineers-in-training log experience, write competency narratives, prepare for the NPPE, and manage CPD, all the way to P.Eng.
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P.Eng licensure in other provinces
See also the national how to get your P.Eng guide, the 34 P.Eng competencies, and free NPPE practice questions.
squared.engineering is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Engineers Canada, Professional Engineers Ontario, or any other regulator. Fees, requirements, and timelines change; always confirm the current requirements directly with PEO before relying on them.