Frequently Asked Questions
Our Bookstore
The PE Essential Guides is the imprint name of our series of study guides. This collection includes our books covering all civil engineering disciplines for the NCEES PE Exam, as well as the California state-specific exams in Seismic Principles and Engineering Surveying.
The NCEES Essential Guides are written primarily in a question-based format. They are designed to provide comprehensive coverage of exam topics through carefully developed problems, detailed step-by-step solutions, and original sketches to help you understand concepts and apply them effectively during the exam.
The California Guides are reference-based books that are permitted for use during the exam. These guides have been tested in real exam settings and have proven highly effective. They include the material engineers need during the exam, with detailed summaries of key codes presented through sketches, custom tables, diagrams, and process flowcharts.
Yes. All our books are aligned with the latest NCEES exam specifications and California exam test plans. We continuously review and update our content to ensure full alignment with current requirements and tested topics. We are continually expanding our offerings—please visit our website regularly or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about new releases and updates.
We cover all Civil PE disciplines, including Structural, Transportation, Water Resources and Environment, Geotechnical, and Construction. Our materials also fully address the California special exams in Seismic Principles and Engineering Surveying. We are continually expanding our offerings—please visit our website regularly or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about new releases and updates.
Our books are also available on Amazon; however, you may notice a price difference. Amazon uses its own mass-market printing services, while we work with specialized printing partners that produce higher-quality copies. The content is identical.
At this time, our primary focus is on printed editions to ensure readability, durability, and usability during exam preparation. We are actively exploring digital and online options for the future. Please visit our website regularly or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about new releases and updates.
Once your order is placed, we begin the production process, which includes printing and quality inspection. We work with trusted printing partners across the United States, allowing us to deliver both speed and superior quality.
Printing and binding typically take less than one week. Once your book ships, you will receive a tracking number by email, and it will also be available on your order page. Shipping usually takes an additional week, so the total delivery time is typically 7-10 business days. If it’s over 10 business days and you haven’t received any communication from us please contact us and we can follow up with you on your order.
All our material is thoroughly reviewed by experts, and errors are rare. However, if you would like to discuss a specific question or topic, please email us at pe******@***************ns.com.
Online Exams
Our online practice exams are developed in collaboration with experienced professionals and engineers who have recently taken the exam. The content is carefully designed to reflect the real exam in terms of topic coverage, question style, and difficulty distribution. We do not copy or reproduce actual exam questions; all practice questions are original and developed with full respect for the real exam confidentiality and copyright requirements.
Each exam includes a balanced mix of conceptual questions, calculation-based problems, and varying difficulty levels (low, medium, and high).
No. Exam reference manuals and codes are copyrighted, and we cannot provide access during online practice exams. You are expected to have your own copy of the required manuals available on a separate screen while taking the practice test.
We continually expand our library of online practice exams and study materials. The number of available exams grows as new content is released, so we encourage you to check our website regularly or sign up for our newsletter for the most up-to-date offerings.Â
Currently, California practice exams are only available in book format, not online. California Seismic Principles Exam Practice Book has 270 practice questions. California Engineering Surveying Exam Practice Book has 250 practice questions.
At this time, our primary focus is on Civil Engineering disciplines for the PE exam. We are continuously expanding our content, and additional exams or disciplines may be introduced in the future. Please check our website regularly or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about new releases.
Each exam represents an eight-hour exam. The timer is enabled so you can pace yourself, pause, and resume as needed. Closing of the exam screen will pause the timer. Your total working time is displayed upon completion.
Yes. You will receive your score at the end of the exam.
All questions and solutions are thoroughly reviewed by experts, and errors are rare. However, if you would like to discuss a specific question, please include its unique identifier and email us at ex***@***************ns.com.
Yes. Once you complete an online exam, you will have access to detailed solutions for every question. Each solution includes step-by-step explanations and references to the relevant concepts, codes and manuals to ensure full understanding.
You will have access to the practice exam for two weeks from your purchase date, during which time you can take the exam as many times as you wish.
You will have access to the online practice exams for two (2) weeks from your purchase date.
Yes. During the two-week access period (access is valid for two-weeks from the purchase date), you may take each online practice exam as many times as you wish.
Yes. You may pause and resume your online practice exam within the access period (two (2) weeks from the purchase date), allowing you to complete it at your own pace. The exam auto-saves your progress every 20 seconds.
Once the two-week access period ends, you will need to repurchase the exam to continue practicing.
If you experience any technical issues accessing your exam, please email our support team at **@***************ns.com. We will promptly investigate and resolve the issue. Any access time lost due to technical difficulties will be fully restored.
No. Once an online exam is purchased, full access is granted, and refunds are not available.
General Questions
We are proud of our proven track record. Thousands of engineers pass the PE and state-specific exams each year using our exam prep guides and online practice exams. Our reputation is built on providing accurate, exam-aligned, and technically-sound materials. Feedback from professional forums and engineering communities consistently reflects the effectiveness of our approach.
At Petro Publications, we take a learning-first approach. Our materials are designed to help engineers truly understand the underlying concepts, not just memorize procedures. We invest heavily in planning, original content creation, and proprietary visuals, and we DO NOT rely on AI-generated material. The result is preparation that strengthens engineering judgment, improves long-term retention, and builds confidence.
Yes. Our materials are designed to support both first-time examinees and repeat test takers. For first-time candidates, we focus on building strong conceptual understanding and structured learning. For repeat takers, our materials help identify knowledge gaps, reinforce fundamentals, and approach the exam with improved strategy and confidence.
Yes. Our materials are fully aligned with the CBT format used in the real exam. Our guides, practice questions, solutions, and online exams are structured to reflect how problems are presented, navigated, and solved in the computer-based testing environment.
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and American Express), PayPal, and bank transfers for larger orders.
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