100+ Free EIA Engineer Practice Questions

Prepare for the China Environmental Impact Assessment Engineer Examination (全国环境影响评价工程师职业资格考试) exam with instant access — no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

Loading practice questions...

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: EIA Engineer Exam

4 Subjects

Examination subjects under national MEE/MOHRSS syllabus

Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) Syllabus

2 Years

Rolling validity cycle for passing all four subjects

MOHRSS / MEE Joint Regulation Guo Ren Bu Fa [2004] No. 13

60%

Fixed pass mark as a share of each paper's full mark, since 2022

MOHRSS notice on fixed pass standards for professional exams

10.5 Hours

Total scheduled testing time across the four 2026 examination papers

National Professional Qualification Examination Center

3 Years

Practicing registration validity period with continuing education

MEE EIA Engineer Registration Management Provisions

3 Levels

EIA classified management: Report (报告书), Form (报告表), Registration (登记表)

PRC Environmental Impact Assessment Law

Three-Tier

Environmental risk emergency containment system for chemical plants

HJ 169 Technical Guidelines for Environmental Risk Assessment

The EIA Engineer Examination is China's national environmental impact assessment qualification. In 2026 it is scheduled for June 13-14: three 2.5-hour objective knowledge papers and one 3-hour written Case Analysis paper, with a two-year rolling window for general candidates and a 60% pass standard for each paper. The 100 questions here are an English-language MCQ study adaptation of the 2026 syllabus, not a simulation of the subjective case paper.

Sample EIA Engineer Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your EIA Engineer exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under Article 5 of the Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, which of the following summarizes the statutory fundamental principles governing environmental protection?

A.Economic development first, end-of-pipe treatment, market trading, administrative dominance, and voluntary remediation

B.Protection priority, prevention first, comprehensive control, public participation, and liability for damage

C.Regional self-governance, technological reliance, total volume waiver, and post-incident compensation

D.Resource exploitation optimization, industrial expansion facilitation, and enterprise self-regulation

Explanation: Article 5 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law explicitly establishes the five overarching legal principles: 'Environmental protection shall adhere to the principles of prioritizing protection, giving prevention first priority, implementing comprehensive governance, encouraging public participation, and holding perpetrators liable for damages' (保护优先、预防为主、综合治理、公众参与、损害担责).

2Under Article 16 of the PRC Environmental Impact Assessment Law, how are construction projects classified for environmental impact assessment management?

A.Categorized by project investment scale into Large, Medium, and Small approval portfolios

B.Classified by ownership into State-Owned Enterprise, Private Enterprise, and Foreign-Invested projects

C.Categorized by the extent of environmental impact into EIA Report (报告书), EIA Report Form (报告表), or EIA Registration Form (登记表)

D.Divided into Central Government Approved, Provincial Approved, and Municipal Approved tiers based on geographical area

Explanation: Article 16 of the PRC EIA Law establishes classified management based on the potential significance of environmental impacts: (1) An Environmental Impact Report (环境影响报告书) is required for projects with significant impacts; (2) An Environmental Impact Report Form (环境影响报告表) is required for projects with moderate/light impacts; and (3) An Environmental Impact Registration Form (环境影响登记表) is required for projects with minimal impact, managed through online record-filing.

3Under the PRC Environmental Impact Assessment Law, what is the key statutory distinction between the EIA requirements for Comprehensive Plans (综合性规划) and Special Plans (专项规划)?

A.Comprehensive plans require an EIA Report (报告书) reviewed by an expert panel, whereas special plans require only a registration form

B.Comprehensive plans are completely exempt from EIA, whereas special plans require post-project tracking assessments

C.Comprehensive plans require public hearings, whereas special plans only require enterprise internal disclosures

D.Comprehensive plans require an environmental impact chapter or explanation (篇章或说明) in the draft plan, whereas special plans require a separate EIA Report (报告书) prior to plan submission

Explanation: Under Articles 7 and 8 of the PRC EIA Law, authorities compiling comprehensive plans (such as land use master plans and regional/watershed development plans) must prepare a chapter or explanation (篇章或说明) on environmental impacts within the draft plan. Authorities compiling special plans (such as industry, agriculture, energy, transport, and tourism plans) must prepare a formal, standalone Environmental Impact Report (环境影响报告书) prior to submitting the plan for statutory approval.

4When an expert review panel examines a Special Planning EIA Report under the PRC EIA Law, what is the statutory procedure for organizing the review?

A.The competent ecological and environmental authority must organize an expert review panel to examine the EIA report before the plan is submitted to the approval organ

B.The expert panel is organized only after the plan has been formally enacted and implemented for 3 years

C.The review is conducted solely by the planning drafting department without any external environmental experts

D.The panel must consist strictly of judicial officers and certified public accountants

Explanation: Under Article 13 of the PRC EIA Law and the Planning EIA Regulations, before a special plan is submitted to the designated planning approval organ, the competent ecological and environmental department must organize an expert review panel (审查小组) consisting of independent experts and departmental representatives to rigorously review the EIA report and issue a written review opinion (审查意见).

5What is the legal mandate of the 'Three-Simultaneous' (三同时) environmental protection system under Article 41 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law?

A.Three separate environmental monitoring stations must be constructed around every industrial project site simultaneously

B.Environmental facilities must be designed, constructed, and put into production/operation simultaneously with the main construction works

C.Three government departments (MEE, MOHURD, NDRC) must jointly stamp every EIA approval simultaneously

D.Environmental taxes, resource taxes, and carbon fees must be settled simultaneously every quarter

Explanation: Article 41 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law stipulates that installations for the prevention and control of pollution at a construction project must be designed, constructed, and put into production and use simultaneously with the main body of the project (防治污染的设施，应当与主体工程同时设计、同时施工、同时投产使用).

6Under the revised Regulations on the Administration of Construction Project Environmental Protection (State Council Order No. 682), how is Completion Environmental Acceptance (竣工环保验收) conducted?

A.The ecological environment administrative bureau conducts on-site administrative approval and issues a formal acceptance license

B.The project is automatically deemed accepted upon completion of civil structural works without any environmental inspection

C.The construction unit (proponent) independently organizes the completion environmental acceptance inspection, compiles the acceptance report, and discloses it to the public

D.Acceptance is conducted solely by the municipal fire protection and safety supervisory bureaus

Explanation: Under State Council Order No. 682 (effective October 2017), administrative approval for completion environmental acceptance was abolished in favor of proponent self-acceptance (建设单位自主验收). The construction unit is legally responsible for organizing the inspection, verifying compliance with EIA approval conditions, preparing an acceptance report, publishing it on the national platform, and disclosing it to the public.

7Under Article 59 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law, how is the Daily Continuous Penalty (按日连续处罚) calculated when an enterprise illegally discharges pollutants and refuses to rectify?

A.The fine is assessed once a month based on average annual corporate revenue

B.The penalty is fixed at RMB 10,000 per year regardless of the duration of non-compliance

C.Fines are waived if the enterprise promises to relocate within the next five calendar years

D.The daily penalty starts from the day following the date on which the order to make corrections is served, accumulating consecutively at the original fine amount for each day of refusal

Explanation: Article 59 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law provides that if an enterprise illegally discharges pollutants, is fined, and ordered to make corrections but refuses to do so, the administrative organ may impose consecutive daily fines based on the original penalty amount starting from the day immediately following the service of the correction order (自责令改正之日的次日起，按照原处罚数额按日连续处罚).

8Under the Regulations on the Administration of Pollutant Discharge Permitting (排污许可管理条例, State Council Order No. 736), what are the three tiers of classified management for pollutant-discharging entities?

A.Key Management (重点管理), Simplified Management (简化管理), and Registration Management (登记管理)

B.National Management, Provincial Management, and Municipal Management

C.Air Permitting, Water Permitting, and Soil Permitting

D.Exempted Entities, Temporary Licensees, and Permanent Licensees

Explanation: Under State Council Order No. 736 and the Classified Management Catalogue of Pollutant Discharge Permitting, pollutant-discharging entities are categorized into: (1) Key Management (重点管理) for major pollution sources requiring comprehensive permits; (2) Simplified Management (简化管理) for moderate pollution sources; and (3) Registration Management (登记管理) for minimal pollution sources requiring online registration rather than a formal permit.

9Under the revised PRC EIA Law and MEE Order No. 7 (Credit Management Measures for EIA Practitioners), what is the statutory liability for an EIA preparation entity that commits fraud or produces an EIA document with major false contents?

A.A simple verbal warning with no record entered on the national credit platform

B.A 3-to-5-times service-fee fine on the technical unit; a five-year practice ban for the host compiler and main compilers, with a lifetime ban only if the conduct constitutes a crime

C.A maximum administrative fine of RMB 500 without impacting the practicing engineer's license

D.Transfer of the EIA company's ownership directly to the local environmental monitoring station

Explanation: Article 32 of the PRC EIA Law imposes a fine of three to five times the service fee on the responsible technical unit and permits a prohibition on compiling EIA reports or forms when circumstances are serious. The host compiler and main compilers are barred for five years; criminal conduct is prosecuted and triggers a lifetime bar. The lifetime consequence is therefore conditional, not automatic for every serious-quality finding.

10Under the PRC Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, what restriction applies to the construction of new coal-fired heating boilers in central urban areas of cities with district subdivision?

A.Coal-fired boilers of any capacity may be built freely provided they use washed coal

B.Only pulverized lignite boilers are permitted without particulate filtration

C.New coal-fired heating boilers with a capacity of 35 steam tons/hour or less are strictly prohibited

D.Boiler construction is entirely exempt from atmospheric emission limit standards

Explanation: Under Article 39 of the PRC Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution and national clean air action plans, the construction of new coal-fired boilers with a capacity of 35 steam tons per hour (t/h) or less is prohibited in built-up urban areas of cities divided into districts, and existing small boilers must be phased out or converted to clean energy (natural gas or electricity).

About the EIA Engineer Exam

The China Environmental Impact Assessment Engineer Examination (全国环境影响评价工程师职业资格考试) is the national professional qualification examination for environmental impact assessment practitioners in mainland China, administered under MEE and MOHRSS rules. The 2026 syllabus covers the PRC environmental legal framework, national HJ technical guidelines, engineering and pollution-source analysis, environmental modeling and control methods, and multi-sector case analysis. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation or format simulation and not a substitute for written case-analysis practice.

Assessment

Four subjects: Environmental Impact Assessment Relevant Laws & Regulations (环境影响评价相关法律法规, 150 pts, 2.5 h); EIA Technical Guidelines & Standards (环境影响评价技术导则与标准, 120 pts, 2.5 h); EIA Technical Methods (环境影响评价技术方法, 120 pts, 2.5 h); and EIA Case Analysis (环境影响评价案例分析, 120 pts, 3.0 h). General candidates must pass all four subjects within two consecutive examination years.

Time Limit

10.5 hours total across four papers over two days in 2026 (Laws: 2.5 h, Guidelines: 2.5 h, Methods: 2.5 h, Case Analysis: 3.0 h)

Passing Score

60% of each paper's full mark (Laws: 90/150, Guidelines: 72/120, Methods: 72/120, Case Analysis: 72/120)

Exam Fee

Set provincially; for example, Guangdong's 2026 notice charges RMB 56 for each objective paper and RMB 70 for the subjective paper (Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) & Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS))

EIA Engineer Exam Content Outline

25%

Environmental Protection Laws & Regulations (环境影响评价相关法律法规)

PRC Environmental Protection Law, Environmental Impact Assessment Law, Atmospheric/Water/Solid Waste/Noise/Soil Pollution Prevention Laws, Classified Management Catalogue (报告书/报告表/登记表 criteria), Planning EIA vs Project EIA, 'Three-Simultaneous' (三同时) environmental completion acceptance, Pollutant Discharge Permitting Regulations, Ecological Conservation Redlines, and EIA credit management rules

28%

EIA Technical Guidelines & Standards (环境影响评价技术导则与标准)

General Principles (HJ 2.1), Atmospheric Environment (HJ 2.2, assessment levels Pmax, evaluation periods, AERMOD/CALPUFF, GB 3095 Class 1/2), Surface Water Environment (HJ 2.3, GB 3838 Categories I-V), Acoustic Environment (HJ 2.4, GB 3096 Classes 0-4, GB 12348), Groundwater (HJ 610, hydrogeologic models, GB/T 14848), Ecological Impact (HJ 19, biodiversity, landscape fragmentation), Soil Environment (HJ 964, GB 36600, GB 15618), and Environmental Risk Assessment (HJ 169)

27%

EIA Technical Methods (环境影响评价技术方法)

Engineering analysis (material balance, sulfur balance, water balance flowsheets), pollutant source term estimation, atmospheric Gaussian plume dispersion modeling (ground-level centerline concentration, effective stack height), river Streeter-Phelps 1D decay & complete mixing equations, acoustic geometric attenuation (point source -20 log(r/r0), line source -10 log(r/r0), sound barrier Fresnel number), wastewater biological treatment (A2O, SBR, MBR), flue gas desulfurization/denitrification (FGD, SCR, baghouses), and hazardous waste landfill (GB 18598) / incineration (GB 18484)

20%

EIA Case Analysis & Risk Assessment (环境影响评价案例分析与风险评价)

Petrochemical & chemical project EIA (VOCs unorganized leakage, LDAR, high-salinity organic wastewater, buffer distance), thermal power plant EIA (ultra-low emission standards, coal ash recycling), mining & metallurgical EIA (acid mine drainage, tailing pond dam safety, soil remediation), linear infrastructure EIA (highways, high-speed rail noise barriers, wildlife crossings, spoil grounds), water conservancy EIA (ecological flow release ≥10%, fish pass design, thermal stratification), environmental risk Q-value calculation (Q = sum qi/Qi), and three-tier accidental emergency containment systems

How to Pass the EIA Engineer Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60% of each paper's full mark (Laws: 90/150, Guidelines: 72/120, Methods: 72/120, Case Analysis: 72/120)
Assessment: Four subjects: Environmental Impact Assessment Relevant Laws & Regulations (环境影响评价相关法律法规, 150 pts, 2.5 h); EIA Technical Guidelines & Standards (环境影响评价技术导则与标准, 120 pts, 2.5 h); EIA Technical Methods (环境影响评价技术方法, 120 pts, 2.5 h); and EIA Case Analysis (环境影响评价案例分析, 120 pts, 3.0 h). General candidates must pass all four subjects within two consecutive examination years.
Time limit: 10.5 hours total across four papers over two days in 2026 (Laws: 2.5 h, Guidelines: 2.5 h, Methods: 2.5 h, Case Analysis: 3.0 h)
Exam fee: Set provincially; for example, Guangdong's 2026 notice charges RMB 56 for each objective paper and RMB 70 for the subjective paper

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

EIA Engineer Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the EIA Classified Management Catalogue criteria: Identify whether a project requires an EIA Report (报告书, major environmental impacts), EIA Report Form (报告表, moderate impacts), or Registration Form (登记表, minimal impacts with online record-filing).

2Memorize assessment level determination formulas across technical guidelines: Atmospheric HJ 2.2 ($P_{max} \ge 10\%$ is Level 1, $1\% \le P_{max} < 10\%$ is Level 2, $P_{max} < 1\%$ is Level 3); Surface Water HJ 2.3 (matrix of discharge volume, pollutant equivalent, and receiving water classification); Groundwater HJ 610 (Project Class I/II/III vs Sensitivity I/II/III); Environmental Risk HJ 169 ($Q < 1$ vs $Q \ge 1$, $M$ score matrix).

3Understand dispersion and mixing formulas: Gaussian plume equation for ground-level centerline maximum concentration $C_{max} = \frac{2Q}{\pi e u H_e^2} \frac{\sigma_z}{\sigma_y}$; 1D Streeter-Phelps degradation $C = C_0 \exp(-K_1 x / u)$; complete mixing formula $C = \frac{Q_p C_p + Q_h C_h}{Q_p + Q_h}$.

4Practice point and line noise source attenuation formulas: Point source geometric divergence $L_p(r) = L_p(r_0) - 20 \log_{10}(r/r_0)$ (a 6 dB drop per distance doubling); Line source geometric divergence $L_p(r) = L_p(r_0) - 10 \log_{10}(r/r_0)$ (a 3 dB drop per distance doubling).

5Master Environmental Risk Assessment under HJ 169: Calculate total hazardous substance quantity ratio $Q = \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{q_i}{Q_i}$; if $Q < 1$, risk is evaluated simply; if $Q \ge 1$, determine hazardous substance and process hazard index $M$, atmospheric environment sensitivity $E$, and overall risk level (I, II, III, IV/IV+).

6Understand industrial pollution control technologies: Wet limestone-gypsum flue gas desulfurization (FGD efficiency $\ge 95\%$), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR $\text{NO}_x$ reduction $\ge 85\%$ at 300-400°C), A2O biological nutrient removal (Anaerobic-Anoxic-Oxic for phosphorus and nitrogen removal), and hazardous waste dual geomembrane landfill liners ($K \le 1.0 \times 10^{-7}\text{ cm/s}$).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the China Environmental Impact Assessment Engineer Examination?

It is the national qualification examination for environmental impact assessment engineers, administered under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and MOHRSS framework. The qualification supports regulated professional roles in preparing and reviewing environmental-impact documents.

What are the four examination subjects and scoring thresholds?

The examination consists of Relevant Laws & Regulations (150 points; pass 90), Technical Guidelines & Standards (120; pass 72), Technical Methods (120; pass 72), and Case Analysis (120; pass 72). The pass standard is 60% of each paper's full mark.

How does this practice bank relate to the official examination format?

This is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation. It is not an official translation or format simulation, and it cannot replace practice writing the official subjective Case Analysis paper. Official Chinese titles, legal terms, and HJ standard identifiers are retained where integral to the subject matter.

How does the 2-year rolling examination cycle work?

Candidates sitting the full exam must pass all 4 subjects within 2 consecutive examination years. For example, if a candidate passes Subjects 1 and 2 in 2025, those passing scores remain valid in 2026; the candidate only needs to clear Subjects 3 and 4 in 2026. If any subject remains unpassed by the end of 2026, the 2025 scores expire.

What is the Three-Simultaneous (三同时) environmental protection system?

Under Article 41 of the PRC Environmental Protection Law, environmental protection facilities for construction projects must be designed, constructed, and put into operation simultaneously with the main construction works (同时设计、同时施工、同时投产使用). Following construction, the project proponent must independently organize completion environmental acceptance inspection (自主环保验收) before commencing commercial production.