National Professional Practice Examination
The National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE) confirms knowledge of professionalism, law, and ethics. Fourteen engineering and geoscience self-regulatory organizations in Canada currently use the NPPE. The NPPE follows all relevant standards detailed in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to ensure that the exam program is valid, reliable, and fair (psychometrically defensible). The information on this page is tailored to APEGA applicants.
The NPPE program website contains general information regarding the NPPE, including
- preparing for the exam
- the exam blueprint
- suggested study resources
- practice test access
- NPPE candidate guide access
- and more
Do I Need to Write the National Professional Practice Exam?
All APEGA professional membership applicants (licensee, professional licensee, professional engineer, or professional geoscientist) must pass the NPPE before they can be licensed to practice in Alberta. However, you do not need to have already passed the exam before starting your application, and registration is only available after you've submitted your application.
If you have passed a professional practice exam other than the NPPE in another Canadian professional engineering or geoscience self-regulatory organization, you will still need to take and pass the NPPE as part of your application process to APEGA.
If you have been assigned the Fundamentals of Engineering exam or any technical exams by APEGA's Board of Examiners, focus on passing those exams before registering for the NPPE. Your application will be withdrawn if they are not attempted within a two year period. If the NPPE is your last requirement to obtaining a license, you have one year from the date of the BOE's letter to write the NPPE.
APEGA NPPE Hold Applicants: If the NPPE is your last requirement prior to licensure, you will be given one year to take the exam and pass, starting from the date of your decision letter from the Board of Examiners. Applicants who fail to pass the exam within the allotted time will have their applications withdrawn and will be required to re-apply by completing a new application to become a licensed professional.
Regardless of whether the NPPE is your last requirement prior to licensure, you will have a maximum of four (4) attempts to pass the NPPE. For example, if an applicant attempts the NPPE two times prior to the NPPE becoming the last requirement prior to licensure the applicant will have two more attempts of the NPPE (within one year) after they receive their decision letter from the Board of Examiners.
Titles Reserved for Professional Members
Even if the NPPE is the last requirement to obtaining your professional licence, there are restrictions on the use of titles and designations until you receive your professional licence from APEGA.
Using the title of engineer, geoscientist, geologist, or geophysicist in any electronic or print media is not permitted until you obtain your professional licence from APEGA. These titles imply your ability to practice the above professions independently. This includes:
- social media profiles
- email signatures
- business cards
- resumes
- letters
Registering for the National Professional Practice Exam
The exam is offered five times per year. Each session for that month is held over a three day period, and candidates choose their preferred day and time out of those three days to take the exam.
Exam Fees
| Exam Location | Examination Fee |
| All locations | $250 |
Fees do not include GST and are subject to change without notice.
Upcoming Exams
| Exam Dates | Registration Deadlines | Booking Window Dates |
| January 20-22, 2025 | December 6, 2024 | Dec 20 - Jan 5, 2025 |
| April 7-9, 2025 | February 14, 2025 | March 7 - 23, 2025 |
| June 2-4, 2025 | April 25, 2025 | May 2 - 18, 2025 |
| September 8-10, 2025 | July 11, 2025 | August 8-24, 2025 |
| November 17-19, 2025 | October 3, 2025 | Oct 17 - Nov 2, 2025 |
Registration opens once the registration deadline for the previous session has passed.
APEGA Members-in-Training may only register for the exam when they have submitted an application for Professional Membership (P.Eng./P.Geo.). You can register for the exam in myAPEGA. Completing the NPPE requirement does not expedite the Professional application.
After the registration deadline, you will receive an email from Meazure Learning that will explain how to book your exam day and time, as well as any additional instructions about the remote testing process.
Rescheduling & Cancelling
For APEGA applicants, to reschedule or cancel your exam, email [email protected] before the registration deadline. You cannot reschedule or cancel after the registration deadline.
Testing Accommodations
The APEGA examination department can accommodate testing needs for APEGA applicants due to a medical or mental health condition, including:
- extended testing time (which would include additional breaks if needed)
- reduced-distraction testing rooms (if taking the exam in a test centre)
- usage of text to speech software
To submit a testing accommodation request, email [email protected] to obtain the testing accommodation instructions and forms.
You must submit the testing accommodation forms before the registration deadline or your request cannot be accommodated.
Exam Results
Exam results will be available prior to the next administration session registration deadline. The results for APEGA applicants will appear in your myAPEGA account. We do not provide results over the phone or by email, however, you will be notified by email when the results are available.
As an APEGA applicant, if you failed the NPPE the APEGA examination department will send you a Mastery Report showing the subject areas that you were weak in to help prepare for your next exam attempt.
Failure Note: If you fail the NPPE four times, your application will be withdrawn, and you will need to submit a new application for membership.
To retake the exam, re-apply through myAPEGA.