The Board extends its sincere congratulations to the 2025 engineering and architecture graduates from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Doane University. Best wishes as you embark on your next adventure! If you’re a graduate, we’d like to remind you that you may be eligible for reimbursement of qualifying educational debt from the Board.
Nebraska architecture graduates may qualify for a $150 reimbursement from the Board if they:
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Have established an NCARB record,
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Hold a degree from a NAAB-accredited architectural program from an institution in Nebraska, and
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Have qualifying educational debt.
To apply for reimbursement:
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Complete and submit the Architectural Education Reimbursement Request Form to the Board,
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Request your official transcript to be sent directly from your institution to the Board (electronic transcripts may be sent to nbea.office@nebraska.gov),
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Request NCARB send verification of your Record establishment (ARE Eligibility Notice) directly to the Board, and
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Submit your request and transcript within 12 months of graduation.
Nebraska engineering graduates who have passed the FE Exam may qualify for a $100 reimbursement if they:
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Hold a degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited engineering program in Nebraska,
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Passed the FE Exam on the first attempt within nine months of graduation, and
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Have qualifying educational debt.
To apply for reimbursement:
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Complete and submit the Engineering Educational Debt Reimbursement Request Form to the Board.
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Request your official transcript to be sent directly from your institution to the Board (electronic transcripts may be sent to nbea.office@nebraska.gov). Graduate students at the University of Nebraska must request transcripts from the Lincoln campus, regardless of program location.
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Submit your request and transcript within 12 months of graduation.
Qualifying educational debt is any government or commercial loans obtained by a student for post-secondary education, tuition, other educational expenses, or reasonable living expenses, as determined by the Board.
See Board Rule 3.7.1 and Board Rule 2.8.1 for more information.
Continuing Education Reminders
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The Board does NOT pre-approve continuing education (CE) courses or providers. Be cautious of any provider claiming their courses are “approved” in Nebraska or in “all 50 states.”
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Licensees are not required to attend ALL CE courses in person, which is a common misinterpretation of Rule 9.3.2.1.
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Acceptable web-based providers (which may fulfill the entire biennial CE requirement) include:
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IACET-approved providers,
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Accredited colleges/universities with architecture or engineering programs,
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Professional or technical societies,
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Governmental agencies,
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NCARB and NCEES, and
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American Institute of Architects-approved providers.
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Web-based courses from providers other than those listed above are limited to one-fourth of the CE requirement (i.e., 6 hours for architects, 7.5 for engineers).
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Instructor-led online sessions with real-time interaction are not restricted and are fully accepted under Rule 9.3.2.
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The Board will grant a maximum of 10 hours in any calendar day.
Board Member Honored
Board member Jan Bostelman, P.E., received the NCEES Central Zone Distinguished Service Award at the 2025 NCEES Central/Western Zone Meeting in Albuquerque! The Nebraska Board unanimously nominated Jan for this award in recognition of her commitment and service to NCEES and the Central Zone. Jan served as the 2022-24 NCEES Central Zone Vice President and has also served on numerous NCEES committees.
Below, Jan (at left) receives the award from Central Zone Awards Committee Chair Larry Graham, P.E., L.S. of Kansas, and Central Zone Assistant Vice President James D. Hollandsworth, P.E., P.S. of Michigan.
Jurisdiction Visits
Last month, Public Information Officer Allyson Bennett visited over 35 jurisdictions in northeastern Nebraska, including Wayne, Fremont, and Columbus.
Purpose:
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To raise awareness of the Board and the E&A Regulation Act
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Provide materials such as brochures and handbooks
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Discuss Board resources like our webinar series
If your jurisdiction would like to schedule a visit, email nbea.marketing@nebraska.gov.
NCEES Seeks Input from Licensed Chemical Engineers
NCEES is conducting a Professional Activities and Knowledge Study (PAKS) for the PE Chemical exam. Licensed chemical engineers are invited to participate and help shape future exam content.
For access to the online survey, please click here.
For more information, please click here.
All U.S. Architecture Boards Retire ARE® Rolling Clock Policy
NCARB recently announced that all 55 state licensing boards have now retired the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) five-year rolling clock policy. The final jurisdiction adopted regulations to replace the rolling clock policy with NCARB’s new score validity policy this spring.
NCARB officially retired the rolling clock policy, which placed a five-year expiration on passed divisions of the national licensing exam for architects, in May 2023. However, some licensing boards had formalized the rolling clock within their rules and regulations, requiring regulatory or statutory rule changes before the new policy could be implemented. Since then, NCARB has been working with the 55 jurisdictional licensing boards to help align their requirements with NCARB’s and ensure the adoption of the new score validity policy. The score validity policy recognizes successful scores for the current and immediately preceding exam versions (ARE 5.0 and ARE 4.0, respectively) rather than recognizing passed exams only during a fixed period.
The rolling clock represents just one aspect of the licensure process that NCARB is re-evaluating. Through its Pathways to Practice initiative, NCARB is working to expand licensure access by creating a more accessible licensure model outside of the traditional approaches to education, experience, and examination.
Recently Resolved Compliance Cases
24.15 – Unlicensed Individual Practice - 81-3442(1)(a)
Summary: The Board was notified of the submission of unsealed plans to another state agency for the construction of a single-story building [Assembly (A) Occupancy] comprising approximately 8,400 square feet. The plans did not bear the seal of a Nebraska-licensed architect or professional engineer.
Action: This project was subject to the Act due to the building area comprising more than 1,000 square feet of A-Assembly occupancy. The Board authorized architecture and engineering remediation to bring the project into compliance with the Act. Per Board Rule 8.4, the project owner engaged a Nebraska-licensed architect and professional engineer to review the project for compliance with the Act. The Board dismissed the complaint without disciplinary action based on the successful completion of architecture and engineering remediation.
24.45 – Unlicensed Practice of Architecture and Engineering – 81-3442(1)(a)
Summary: The Board was notified of the submission of unsealed plans to another state agency for the construction of a single-story, 10,000-square-foot building classified as a Storage (S) occupancy. The plans did not bear the seals of a Nebraska-licensed architect or professional engineer.
Action: This project was subject to the Act due to the building area comprising more than 5,000 square feet of S-Storage occupancy. The Board authorized architecture and engineering remediation to bring the project into compliance with the Act. Per Board Rule 8.4, the project owner engaged a Nebraska-licensed architect and professional engineer to review the project for compliance with the Act. The Board dismissed the complaint without disciplinary action based on the successful completion of architecture and engineering remediation.
For further information regarding the enforcement process, please click here.
For a full list of disciplinary actions taken by the Board, please click here.
The Nebraska Professional Archive
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