by thinQtankLearning.com
Home › Engineering & Architecture › FE Chemical
NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying)

NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Chemical Exam

The first step to a PE license in chemical engineering — 110 computer-based questions across the whole ChE curriculum, solved with the NCEES FE Reference Handbook.

Enroll free and start Sign in

FE Other Disciplines prep → · FE Mechanical prep →

Questions110 — mostly multiple choice, with some alternative item types (such as numeric fill-in); a few are unscored pretest items you can't identify
Time6-hour appointment: 5 h 20 min of exam time plus a nondisclosure agreement, a short tutorial and an optional 25-minute break
ReferenceClosed book; the searchable NCEES FE Reference Handbook is provided on screen — download the same version free from MyNCEES to practice
CalculatorNCEES-approved models only — check the calculator policy on ncees.org (NCEES announced no changes to the approved list for 2026)
WhereComputer-based at Pearson VUE test centers, year-round by appointment
FeeUS$225, paid to NCEES when you register in MyNCEES (some state boards add their own fees)
ScoringPass/fail, usually within 7–10 business days; failing candidates get a diagnostic report by knowledge area

About the exam

The FE Chemical exam is the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam for chemical engineering. Passing it — usually during or right after an ABET-accredited degree — earns Engineer Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) status in most states, the first step toward a Professional Engineer (PE) license.

It's a computer-based exam at Pearson VUE test centers: 110 questions in a 6-hour appointment that includes a short tutorial and an optional 25-minute scheduled break. It's closed book — the only reference is the searchable electronic NCEES FE Reference Handbook on screen — and you may bring only an NCEES-approved calculator. Most questions are multiple choice, with some alternative item types such as fill-in numeric answers.

Our practice follows the 17 NCEES knowledge areas with every numeric answer worked from the givens — material and energy balances with recycle, Raoult's law and McCabe-Thiele, CSTR and PFR sizing, Moody-chart pressure drop, LMTD heat exchangers, transfer functions and relief sizing — with wrong answers built from the slips examinees actually make, plus flashcards, worked case walkthroughs, illustrated guides and full-length timed practice.

How we track your progress

Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:

  1. Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
  2. Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
  3. DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
  4. ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
  5. Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.

The exam blueprint

NCEES FE Chemical CBT exam specifications, effective with the July 2020 exams (17 knowledge areas, 110 questions) — still the current posted specification as of October 2026. Answers use the searchable NCEES FE Reference Handbook supplied on screen. — Mathematics, probability and statistics, engineering sciences, materials, chemistry and biology, fluids, thermodynamics, material/energy balances, heat transfer, mass transfer and separation, solids handling, reaction engineering, economics, process design, process control, safety/health/environment and ethics. Tap a domain to see its topics.

1 Mathematics 6–9 of 110 questions of the exam
Analytic geometry, logarithms and trigonometryCalculusDifferential equationsNumerical methodsAlgebra, matrices and linear systemsAccuracy, precision and significant figures

27 practice questions in this domain so far

2 Probability and Statistics 4–6 of 110 questions of the exam
Probability distributionsExpected value and decision-makingHypothesis testing and experimental designCentral tendency, dispersion and confidence intervalsRegression and curve fittingStatistical process control

19 practice questions in this domain so far

3 Engineering Sciences 4–6 of 110 questions of the exam
Particle dynamics: forces, friction and momentumWork, energy and powerElectrical circuits

18 practice questions in this domain so far

4 Materials Science 4–6 of 110 questions of the exam
Material properties and failureMaterial selection and compatibilityCorrosionPolymers, ceramics and composites

18 practice questions in this domain so far

5 Chemistry and Biology 7–11 of 110 questions of the exam
Inorganic chemistry and electrochemistryOrganic chemistryAnalytical chemistryBiochemistry and microbiologyBioprocessing

32 practice questions in this domain so far

6 Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics 8–12 of 110 questions of the exam
Fluid propertiesDimensionless numbersMechanical energy balance and pressure lossesBernoulli equationLaminar and turbulent flowFlow measurementPumps, compressors, turbines and vacuum systemsCompressible flow and non-Newtonian fluids

36 practice questions in this domain so far

7 Thermodynamics 8–12 of 110 questions of the exam
Properties of pure components and mixturesProperty data and phase diagramsFirst and second lawsProcesses and phase changesPower and refrigeration cyclesPhase equilibriumChemical equilibriumHeats of reaction and mixing

37 practice questions in this domain so far

8 Material/Energy Balances 10–15 of 110 questions of the exam
Steady-state mass balancesUnsteady-state mass balancesSteady-state energy balancesUnsteady-state energy balancesRecycle and bypassReactive systems and combustion

44 practice questions in this domain so far

9 Heat Transfer 8–12 of 110 questions of the exam
ConductionConvectionRadiationHeat-transfer coefficientsHeat exchangers

34 practice questions in this domain so far

10 Mass Transfer and Separation 8–12 of 110 questions of the exam
Molecular diffusionConvective mass transferSeparation systemsEquilibrium stage methodsContinuous contact methodsHumidification, drying and evaporation

35 practice questions in this domain so far

11 Solids Handling 3–5 of 110 questions of the exam
Particle propertiesSize reduction and crystallizationSolids transport and storage

14 practice questions in this domain so far

12 Chemical Reaction Engineering 7–11 of 110 questions of the exam
Rate laws and reaction orderRate constants and temperature dependenceConversion, yield and selectivityReaction types: series, parallel, heterogeneous and biologicalReactor types: batch, CSTR and PFRCatalysis

32 practice questions in this domain so far

13 Economics 4–6 of 110 questions of the exam
Time value of moneyBreak-even and benefit-cost analysisUncertainty and riskProject selection and depreciation

18 practice questions in this domain so far

14 Process Design 7–11 of 110 questions of the exam
PFDs and P&IDsEquipment selection and scale-upCost estimationDesign optimization, sustainability and safetyDesign standards and regulations

31 practice questions in this domain so far

15 Process Control 4–6 of 110 questions of the exam
Process dynamics and transfer functionsControl strategies and PID tuningControl hardware, instrumentation and interlocks

18 practice questions in this domain so far

16 Safety, Health and Environment 5–8 of 110 questions of the exam
Hazardous material properties and SDSIndustrial hygieneProcess safety and risk assessmentOverpressure and underpressure protectionWaste minimization and treatmentReactivity hazards

23 practice questions in this domain so far

17 Ethics and Professional Practice 3–5 of 110 questions of the exam
Codes of ethicsContracts and agreementsPublic health, safety and welfareIntellectual property

14 practice questions in this domain so far

What you get when you access this exam

Free with your QuizMe account.

Built on the NCEES specifications

Every question is tagged to one of the 17 FE Chemical knowledge areas, weighted like the real exam's question ranges.

Hints that point to the Handbook

Reveal the equation or Handbook section to search for when you're stuck. Every numeric answer is worked step by step, and every distractor is a mistake worth recognizing.

Adaptive practice

Questions steer toward your weakest knowledge areas and get harder as you get stronger.

Full-length timed practice

110 questions in 5 hours 20 minutes — the real FE pace — with a pacing indicator and full review.

Drawn problems

Flowsheets with recycle, McCabe-Thiele plots, reactor networks, heat exchangers and control loops drawn the way FE problems present them.

Progress in every area

Each knowledge area moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.

Test at home or at a center

Create a MyNCEES account, choose FE Chemical, pay the fee and schedule at a Pearson VUE test center. Check your state board's rules too — some boards require a separate application for EI/EIT certification after you pass.

At a Pearson VUE test center

  • Computer-based, offered year-round at Pearson VUE centers.
  • Bring valid, unexpired government-issued ID that matches your MyNCEES name.
  • Only NCEES-approved calculator models are allowed; a reusable notepad and marker are provided.
  • The FE Reference Handbook is on screen — practice searching the same PDF beforehand.

Before test day

  • Download the free FE Reference Handbook from MyNCEES and solve practice problems with it, not a textbook.
  • Practice with your exact calculator model — speed matters at about three minutes a question.
  • Know the retake rules: one attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period.
  • Confirm what your state board needs for EI/EIT status after you pass.

Exam-day game plan

How to walk in ready — and how to pace 110 questions in 5 hours 20 minutes.

Pacing checkpoints

Our timed test runs 110 questions in 320 minutes — the real FE exam time. The real appointment adds a nondisclosure agreement, a short tutorial and an optional scheduled break, and the Reference Handbook is on screen beside each question.

28questions1:20
55questions2:40
83questions4:00
110questions5:20

The week before

  • Take one full timed practice exam using the Handbook PDF, then review every miss.
  • You can't bring notes — practice Ctrl+F search terms for the equations you use most (Raoult, Antoine, Ergun, LMTD, CSTR).
  • Re-derive units for the formulas you keep slipping on (gas constant, Btu vs kJ, gauge vs absolute pressure).
  • Confirm your Pearson VUE appointment, ID and calculator model.

During the test

  • Answer the quick conceptual questions first and flag long calculations.
  • Search the Handbook by keyword, then check the variable definitions and units beside the equation.
  • Write units on every number on your notepad — most wrong choices are unit slips.
  • Take the scheduled break; the second half is just as long.
  • Never leave a question blank — there's no penalty for guessing.

Keep your head

  • You don't need a perfect score — the exam is pass/fail.
  • If a problem stalls past five minutes, flag it and move on.
  • Change an answer only when you find a specific error in your first solution.

After you pass

  • Results are pass/fail and usually post to MyNCEES within 7–10 business days.
  • Apply to your state board for Engineer Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification if your board requires it.
  • Next comes qualifying experience (typically four years) and the PE Chemical exam.
  • Passing the FE doesn't expire with NCEES; check your state board's rules.

Official sources and further reading

Ready to start?

450 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.

Enroll free

FE® and NCEES® are registered trademarks of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES. All questions are original. Details are summarized from NCEES's FE exam pages and the FE Chemical specifications; fees and policies change — always confirm at ncees.org and with your state board.