PE ETHICS EXAM ANSWERS BASED ON THE
TEXAS ENGINEERING PRACTICE ACT AND BOARD
RULES LATEST UPDATE
Scenario 1 – Direct Supervision and Sealing of Work (Q1–Q4)
Maria is a graduate engineer who recently joined a mid-sized structural engineering firm. She
works under John, a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). The firm has been retained to design a
pedestrian bridge over a creek in a public park.
Maria prepares all preliminary calculations and CAD drawings for the bridge. John rarely checks
in with her and, due to a busy schedule, does not review her work in detail before sealing the
drawings and submitting them for permitting. Later, Maria discovers that an error in her load
calculations was overlooked. Although not catastrophic, the error reduces the safety factor below
code requirements.
Meanwhile, John provides copies of the sealed drawings to a local contractor who uses them as
the basis for a design-build bid on a separate project without Maria’s knowledge.
Q1. Which board rule most directly addresses John’s responsibility to provide direct supervision
over Maria’s engineering work before sealing it?
A) §137.55(a)
B) §137.59(a)
C) §137.63(b)(2)
D) §137.33(b)
E) §139.17
Q2. Which section of the Act or Board Rules most clearly prohibits a license holder from
affixing their seal without adequate review?
A) §137.63(c)(1)
B) §137.33(f)
C) §137.55(b)
D) §1001.004
E) §137.65(a)
Q3. By allowing a contractor to use sealed drawings prepared for a different project, John may
have violated which provision?
A) §137.63(a) – Offering services beyond competence
B) §137.33(i) – Misuse of engineering documents
C) §137.59(a) – Supervision of non-licensed persons
, D) §137.65(b) – Misrepresentation of services
E) §139.13 – Enforcement proceedings
Q4. If Maria, an unlicensed graduate engineer, signs off on calculations as “Engineer,” which
part of the Act is most directly violated?
A) §1001.301 – Practice without a license
B) §137.59(a) – Supervision of work
C) §137.63(c)(1) – Misrepresentation
D) §137.65(a) – Professional conduct
E) §139.17 – Administrative hearings
Scenario 2 – Conflict of Interest and Gifts (Q5–Q8)
David, a licensed PE, works for a city water utility. While reviewing bids for a wastewater
treatment project, David notices that one bidder is his former employer, who has offered him free
tickets to a sporting event. David accepts the tickets but claims they will not influence his
judgment.
Later, David’s supervisor learns of this and reminds him of the importance of impartiality in
engineering decisions.
Q5. Which rule addresses conflicts of interest requiring disclosure to employers or clients?
A) §137.63(a)
B) §137.63(c)(3)
C) §137.59(b)
D) §137.65(a)
E) §139.31
Q6. Accepting free tickets from a bidder most directly implicates which board rule?
A) §137.57(a) – Gifts or favors that may influence judgment
B) §137.59(a) – Supervision of unlicensed persons
C) §137.63(b)(1) – Representation of qualifications
D) §1001.301 – License requirement
E) §139.13 – Disciplinary actions
Q7. Which action would have been most consistent with the Board Rules?
A) Accept the tickets since David no longer works for the bidder.
B) Disclose the offer and refuse the tickets.
C) Accept the tickets but abstain from voting on the contract.
D) Keep the tickets and not report them since they were personal.
E) Ask a colleague to accept the tickets instead.
TEXAS ENGINEERING PRACTICE ACT AND BOARD
RULES LATEST UPDATE
Scenario 1 – Direct Supervision and Sealing of Work (Q1–Q4)
Maria is a graduate engineer who recently joined a mid-sized structural engineering firm. She
works under John, a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). The firm has been retained to design a
pedestrian bridge over a creek in a public park.
Maria prepares all preliminary calculations and CAD drawings for the bridge. John rarely checks
in with her and, due to a busy schedule, does not review her work in detail before sealing the
drawings and submitting them for permitting. Later, Maria discovers that an error in her load
calculations was overlooked. Although not catastrophic, the error reduces the safety factor below
code requirements.
Meanwhile, John provides copies of the sealed drawings to a local contractor who uses them as
the basis for a design-build bid on a separate project without Maria’s knowledge.
Q1. Which board rule most directly addresses John’s responsibility to provide direct supervision
over Maria’s engineering work before sealing it?
A) §137.55(a)
B) §137.59(a)
C) §137.63(b)(2)
D) §137.33(b)
E) §139.17
Q2. Which section of the Act or Board Rules most clearly prohibits a license holder from
affixing their seal without adequate review?
A) §137.63(c)(1)
B) §137.33(f)
C) §137.55(b)
D) §1001.004
E) §137.65(a)
Q3. By allowing a contractor to use sealed drawings prepared for a different project, John may
have violated which provision?
A) §137.63(a) – Offering services beyond competence
B) §137.33(i) – Misuse of engineering documents
C) §137.59(a) – Supervision of non-licensed persons
, D) §137.65(b) – Misrepresentation of services
E) §139.13 – Enforcement proceedings
Q4. If Maria, an unlicensed graduate engineer, signs off on calculations as “Engineer,” which
part of the Act is most directly violated?
A) §1001.301 – Practice without a license
B) §137.59(a) – Supervision of work
C) §137.63(c)(1) – Misrepresentation
D) §137.65(a) – Professional conduct
E) §139.17 – Administrative hearings
Scenario 2 – Conflict of Interest and Gifts (Q5–Q8)
David, a licensed PE, works for a city water utility. While reviewing bids for a wastewater
treatment project, David notices that one bidder is his former employer, who has offered him free
tickets to a sporting event. David accepts the tickets but claims they will not influence his
judgment.
Later, David’s supervisor learns of this and reminds him of the importance of impartiality in
engineering decisions.
Q5. Which rule addresses conflicts of interest requiring disclosure to employers or clients?
A) §137.63(a)
B) §137.63(c)(3)
C) §137.59(b)
D) §137.65(a)
E) §139.31
Q6. Accepting free tickets from a bidder most directly implicates which board rule?
A) §137.57(a) – Gifts or favors that may influence judgment
B) §137.59(a) – Supervision of unlicensed persons
C) §137.63(b)(1) – Representation of qualifications
D) §1001.301 – License requirement
E) §139.13 – Disciplinary actions
Q7. Which action would have been most consistent with the Board Rules?
A) Accept the tickets since David no longer works for the bidder.
B) Disclose the offer and refuse the tickets.
C) Accept the tickets but abstain from voting on the contract.
D) Keep the tickets and not report them since they were personal.
E) Ask a colleague to accept the tickets instead.
