What the Chemical Engineering (ChE) board exam covers, from PRC's Table of Specifications: 3 subjects, items per topic, and what you can bring.
Mariano Luiz King
Published November 5, 2026 ยท Updated November 9, 2026
The Chemical Engineering (ChE) board exam has three subjects: Physical and Chemical Principles (30%), Chemical Engineering Principles (40%), and General Engineering (30%). PRC's Table of Specifications lists every topic and its item count. This post lays them out, plus the rule most people don't expect: you're allowed to use Perry's Handbook.
Where this coverage comes from: Everything here comes from PRC's own documents, not forum posts. The topics and item counts are from the Board of Chemical Engineering's Enhanced Table of Specifications (Resolution No. 03, s. 2023, dated August 1, 2023), which applies from the October 2023 exam onward. The schedule and weights are from PRC's program for the November 2026 exam. I checked both in November 2026.
A Table of Specifications (TOS) is the blueprint the Board writes questions from. Questions must stay within its scope, so it's the closest thing to an official syllabus.
As of the November 14 to 16, 2026 exam:
| Detail | What PRC says |
|---|---|
| Subjects | 3, one per day |
| Items | 100 for Physical and Chemical Principles, 75 for Chemical Engineering Principles, 100 for General Engineering (from the TOS) |
| Day 1 | Physical and Chemical Principles, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM |
| Day 2 | Chemical Engineering Principles, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Day 3 | General Engineering, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM |
| Allowed references | Perry's Handbook and an updated periodic table, for all three subjects |
| Calculators | One non-programmable calculator from PRC's approved list |
| To pass | 70% general average, with no subject below 50% (RA 9297) |
The heaviest subject (40%) has the fewest items (75) and the longest time (9 hours). Expect long, multi-step problems there.
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Chemistry for Engineers | 15 |
| Analytical Chemistry | 15 |
| Organic Chemistry | 15 |
| Physical Chemistry for Engineers | 15 |
| Fundamentals of Materials Science | 15 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | 15 |
| Introduction to Biochemical Engineering | 10 |
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering Calculations | 10 |
| Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | 10 |
| Separation Processes | 10 |
| Chemical Reaction Engineering | 10 |
| Plant Design | 10 |
| Solution Thermodynamics | 5 |
| Transport Phenomena and Momentum Transfer | 5 |
| Heat and Mass Transfer | 5 |
| Particle Technology | 5 |
| Biochemical Engineering | 5 |
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Engineering Calculus | 10 |
| Engineering Data Analysis | 10 |
| Differential Equations | 10 |
| Industrial Process Safety | 10 |
| Engineering Economics | 10 |
| Engineering Management | 10 |
| Engineering Mechanics | 10 |
| Laws and Ethics for Chemical Engineers | 10 |
| Industrial Waste Management and Control | 8 |
| Process Control and Analysis | 6 |
| Chemical Process Industries | 6 |
The laws topic includes PRC laws, the ChE law, the code of ethics, the investments code, the patent law, and the sanitation code. Those are recall questions, so they're quick points if you read the laws.
RA 9297 says you need a general average of at least 70%, with no subject below 50%.
For example, scores of 78%, 60%, and 74% average about 70.7%. That passes, since no subject is under 50%. But a 48% in any one subject fails you, no matter how high the other two are.
If you don't pass, the retake rules are in what happens if you fail the board exam. Recent results are in board exam passing rates.
Chemical Engineering Principles is 40% of your grade, and it's 75 long problems over a full day. That's where practicing with Perry's Handbook pays off. Learn where the tables and charts are, because finding them fast is a real skill on exam day.
Physical and Chemical Principles (30%), Chemical Engineering Principles (40%), and General Engineering (30%).
Yes. PRC's November 2026 program allows Perry's Handbook and an updated periodic table for all three subjects.
275 based on the TOS: 100 in Physical and Chemical Principles, 75 in Chemical Engineering Principles, and 100 in General Engineering.
A general average of at least 70%, with no subject below 50%, under RA 9297.
PRC gave the May 2026 ChE exam as a computer-based licensure examination. Check the advisory for your own exam date to see which format it uses.
Ready to test yourself? Try the free ChE board exam reviewer. I built prepPH, so I'm biased, but every question there comes with an explanation. For a study plan, read how to review for the PRC board exam. When you're ready to apply, see how to apply for the PRC board exam online (LERIS) and how much the PRC board exam costs. To plan your weeks, see how long to review for the ChE board exam, and to decide on a review center, see can you pass the ChE board exam with self-review? and ChE review center fees.
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