Chapter One General Provisions
Article 1
This Act is enacted to safeguard public safety and public interests, establish a professional engineer system, improve quality of technical services, and promote sound functions of professional engineers.
Article 2
The competent authorities in charge of professional engineers are the Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan at the central government level, the municipal government at the municipal level, and county (city) government at the county (city) level.
Article 3
A citizen of the Republic of China having passed the examinations for professional engineers in accordance with the Examination Act and having possessed the professional engineer certificate under this Act may be recognized to serve as a professional engineer.
One who has lawfully possessed a professional engineer certificate prior to enactment of this Act may continually be recognized to serve as a professional engineer.
One who does not possess the professional engineer certificate of a specified engineering branch shall not use such branch title.
Article 4
The categorized engineering branches of professional engineers shall be prescribed by the Executive Yuan in conjunction with the Examination Yuan.
Article 5
One who has possessed a certificate verifying successful pass in professional engineer examination may register with the central competent authority and apply for a professional engineer certificate.
Article 6
One shall not be recognized as a professional engineer and the certificate of a professional engineer shall be revoked or abolished under any of the following circumstances:
1. Having the qualification of passing the professional engineer examination revoked or abolished under the Examination Act.
2. Being sentenced to imprisonment for not less than one year without probation as verified by an irrevocable court judgment due to a crime related to the professional practice.
Article 7
A professional engineer shall practice the profession in any of the following manners:
1. Establishing a professional engineer engineering office organized as a sole proprietorship or partnership.
2. Establishing a professional engineering consulting firm or being hired by one.
3. Being hired by a profit-seeking enterprise or organization, other than those mentioned in the preceding Subparagraph, which is required by laws and regulations to hire a licensed professional engineer.
A professional engineer shall practice the profession only in one single business entity. A professional engineer holding professional engineer certificates of different branches may engage in different branches of professional practices in one single business entity.
Article 8
A professional engineer, though possessing the professional engineer certificate, shall not practice the profession until having gained at least two years of service and until obtaining the professional engineer license after applying to the central competent authority.
The preceding Paragraph regarding years of service is not applicable to professional engineers who qualify through the professional engineer screening examination, a full or partial subjects examination exemption.
The application of professional engineer license of the Paragraph 1 shall be reviewed and registered by the central competent authority before the issuance of the license. The central competent authority shall notify the association of professional engineers when issuing professional engineer licenses.
The professional engineer license is valid for six years. The professional engineer as the holder of a professional engineer license shall apply, within three months prior to the date of expiration of the license, with verified documents of professional practice and training certificates approved by the central competent authority for renewal of the professional engineer license.
The central competent authority may commission non-government organizations to conduct renewal matters of professional engineer licenses, and approval of verified documents of professional practice and training certificates.
The regulations for the qualifications, terms and conditions, procedures of application, required documents and other matters to be complied with for renewal of the licenses as set forth in Paragraph 4 shall be prescribed by the central competent authority.
Professional engineers of all engineering branches having possessed professional engineer licenses prior to enforcement of the articles of this Act amended on May 31, 2011 shall be subject to Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 4 from the date of enforcement.