TL;DR: The Chemical Engineer Licensure Exam (ChELE) is a PRC computer-based exam under RA 9297, the Chemical Engineering Law of 2004, requiring a BS Chemical Engineering degree from a government-recognized school. It covers three subjects — Chemical Engineering (40%), Physical and Chemical Principles (30%), and General Engineering (30%) — and is given twice yearly. Recent passing rates have run 75-79%, and results are typically released within a day of the last exam day.
Introduction
Chemical engineering graduates in the Philippines face one more hurdle before they can legally call themselves chemical engineers: the ChELE, administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) through the Board of Chemical Engineering. Unlike some board exams that have grown more complex over the decades, the ChELE's legal framework is fairly compact — a single law, RA 9297, and its implementing rules spell out exactly who qualifies, what gets tested, and how it is scored.
This guide walks through the exam's legal basis, eligibility requirements, application process and fees, the three subjects and their weights, the confirmed 2026 schedule, and recent passing rates — all verified against PRC's own implementing rules and results announcements, not secondhand estimates.
What is the ChELE, and who administers it?
The ChELE is the licensure exam required to register and practice as a Chemical Engineer in the Philippines, administered by PRC through the Board of Chemical Engineering under Republic Act No. 9297.
RA 9297, "An Act Regulating the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Philippines, Repealing for this Purpose Republic Act Numbered Three Hundred Eighteen (R.A. No. 318), Otherwise Known as the 'Chemical Engineering Law,' and for Other Purposes," was approved on May 13, 2004, and is popularly cited as the Chemical Engineering Law of 2004. Its implementing rules and regulations (IRR), issued as Board of Chemical Engineering Resolution No. 13, Series of 2004, state the law's underlying policy directly:
"It is hereby declared the policy of the State to supervise and regulate the practice of chemical engineering vital to national development, upgrade chemical engineering education in order to ensure that our chemical engineers are at par with the best in the world, and to reserve the practice of such profession to Filipino citizens."
The Board of Chemical Engineering itself is composed of a Chairman and two members, each a registered chemical engineer with at least 10 years of active practice, appointed by the President from nominees put forward by the accredited national chemical engineering organization.
The exam is now administered as a Computer-Based Licensure Examination (CBLE) rather than the traditional paper-and-pencil format, which is part of why ChELE results are typically released within a single working day of the last exam day.
Who can take the ChELE?
You need a BS Chemical Engineering degree (or its equivalent) from a government-recognized school, Filipino citizenship, and good moral character — there is no separate non-degree path.
Under Section 16 of the IRR, an applicant must establish to the Board's and PRC's satisfaction that they:
- Are a citizen of the Philippines
- Are of good moral character
- Are a graduate of a school, institute, college, or university recognized by the government, conferred the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering or its equivalent
- Have not been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude
A Filipino citizen who graduated from a foreign educational institution must additionally secure a CHED (Commission on Higher Education) endorsement before PRC will accept their application. Unlike some allied professions, RA 9297 does not offer an alternate, experience-based eligibility route — the BS Chemical Engineering degree (or CHED-recognized equivalent) is a firm requirement.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Filipino citizen |
| Education | BS Chemical Engineering or equivalent, from a government-recognized school |
| Foreign graduates | Additional CHED endorsement required |
| Moral character | Good moral character; no conviction involving moral turpitude |
| Non-degree path | None — degree is mandatory |
How do you apply, and what does it cost?
You file a verified application with PRC along with supporting documents, and pay a ₱900 examination fee.
Per Section 17 of the IRR, supporting documents include:
- PSA Certificate of Live Birth
- PSA Marriage Certificate (for married female applicants)
- Baccalaureate Transcript of Records showing date of graduation and Special Order (S.O.) number
- College Diploma indicating date of graduation and S.O. number
- Certification of Good Moral Character issued by a Chemical Engineer in good standing
- National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
- Other documents PRC may require
The IRR leaves the exact examination fee to PRC's discretion (Section 18); PRC's official documentary-requirements checklist for the exam confirms the fee at ₱900, on top of which published application guides note a small documentary stamp (₱21) and mailing fee (₱30) collected at final document verification. Applications are filed through PRC's online LERIS system, with document verification completed in person at a PRC office.
Fees are set by PRC and can be revised — confirm the current amount at prc.gov.ph or through LERIS before filing.
What subjects does the Chemical Engineer board exam cover?
The ChELE tests three subjects: Chemical Engineering, Physical and Chemical Principles, and General Engineering, weighted 40/30/30.
| Subject | Weight | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | 40% | Chemical engineering calculations, thermodynamics, solution thermodynamics, transport phenomena, heat/mass transfer, particle technology, separation processes, chemical reaction engineering, plant design, biochemical engineering |
| Physical and Chemical Principles | 30% | Chemistry for engineers, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry for engineers, materials science, environmental science and engineering, intro to biochemical engineering |
| General Engineering | 30% | Engineering calculus, data analysis, differential equations, industrial process safety, engineering economics, engineering management, engineering mechanics, laws/ethics for ChEs, process control, chemical process industries, industrial waste management |
By law, the Board cannot set the Chemical Engineering subject's weight below 40% (RA 9297, Sec. 15), so it will always be the single heaviest-weighted subject on the exam. The topic breakdown above reflects the Board's current Enhanced Table of Specifications (Resolution No. 3, Series of 2023), effective from the October 2023 exam onward, so it supersedes older topic lists still circulating on some review-center sites.
Passing requirement: a general weighted average of at least 70%, with no individual subject rated below 50% (IRR Sec. 23). The Board must complete correction of exam papers within 20 days of the last exam day, and PRC must report examinee ratings within 30 days after that — a tighter turnaround than many other PRC-administered exams, helped along by the computer-based format.
2026 ChELE Schedule
The ChELE is given twice yearly by law. The first 2026 sitting has already been held; the second is scheduled for November.
| Sitting | Exam Dates | Application Period | Testing Centers |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 2026 sitting | May 20-22, 2026 | February 19 - April 20, 2026 | NCR, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Koronadal, Legazpi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, Tuguegarao |
| Second 2026 sitting | November 14-16, 2026 | August 14 - October 15, 2026 | Same major testing centers nationwide (confirm final list at prc.gov.ph) |
Schedules, testing centers, and application windows are published and can be revised by PRC. Always verify current dates at prc.gov.ph or through your LERIS account before finalizing your review timeline.
Recent ChELE Passing Rates
Passing rates have trended upward over the last five sittings, from around 69% in mid-2024 to a high of 79% in late 2025.
| Administration | Passers | Examinees | Passing Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | 640 | 928 | 68.97% |
| November 2024 | 688 | 951 | 72.34% |
| May 2025 | 602 | 799 | 75.34% |
| November 2025 | 719 | 910 | 79.01% |
| May 2026 | 565 | 728 | 77.61% |
Compared to many other engineering board exams in the Philippines, the ChELE's passing rate runs noticeably higher and more stable — but a roughly one-in-four to one-in-five failure rate still means serious review matters, especially given the 40%-weighted Chemical Engineering subject.
How to prepare for the ChELE
- Anchor your review around the Chemical Engineering subject first. Since it cannot be weighted below 40%, prioritize unit operations, reaction kinetics, plant design, and process control before moving to supporting subjects.
- Do not neglect Physical and Chemical Principles. Thermodynamics and physical/analytical/organic chemistry make up 30% of your score and often trip up examinees who over-focus on process calculations.
- Refresh general engineering math early. Since General Engineering (math, physics, mechanics, strength of materials, engineering economy) is tested separately from your specialized subjects, revisit these fundamentals in the first weeks of review rather than assuming they will "come back" on their own.
- Practice under computer-based, timed conditions. Since the ChELE is now a CBLE, use timed mock exams on a computer or tablet interface rather than relying solely on paper practice sets, so exam-day pacing and interface familiarity are not new variables on test day.
- Start 4-5 months out. Given the breadth across three subject areas and the 40% floor on Chemical Engineering content, most passers report starting structured review at least four months before their target sitting.
Disclaimer
Eligibility rules, subject weights, fees, and schedules for the Chemical Engineer Licensure Exam are set under RA 9297 and its implementing rules, and can be revised by the Board of Chemical Engineering or PRC. The details in this guide reflect the IRR and PRC's published 2026 schedule and results as of this writing. Always confirm current requirements, fees, and dates directly at prc.gov.ph before applying.
Sources
- Republic Act No. 9297, "Chemical Engineering Law of 2004" - full text (LawPhil)
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9297 - Board of Chemical Engineering Resolution No. 13, s. 2004 (PRC, PDF)
- Enhanced Table of Specifications - Board of Chemical Engineering Resolution No. 3, s. 2023 (PRC, PDF)
- PRC Qualification and Documentary Requirements for Chemical Engineers/Chemical Technicians (PRC, PDF)
- Schedule of Licensure Examinations for the Year 2026 - PRC Resolution No. 2113, s. 2025 (PDF)
- May 2026 Chemical Engineers Computer-Based Licensure Examination Results - PRC
- November 2025 Chemical Engineers Computer-Based Licensure Examination Results - PRC
- May 2025 Chemical Engineers Computer-Based Licensure Examination Results - PRC
- November 2024 ChemEng Results - PRCBoard.com (citing PRC results)
- May 2024 Chemical Engineers Licensure Results - Rappler (citing PRC results)
- Chemical Engineering Board Exam Application Guide 2026 - Board Passers Portal (BPP) PH
For the full 2026 PRC calendar across all professions, see our board exam schedule guide. If you are weighing another engineering path, check our guides to the civil engineering board exam, mechanical engineering board exam, and electrical engineering board exam, plus our notes on how long to review for a board exam.
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