About the OACETT PPE: Format, Sources, Fees & Study Plan
Key Takeaways
The OACETT PPE is an online, on-demand, closed-book multiple-choice exam with a live online proctor, lasting three hours across three sections: Law, Ethics and Practice.
Candidates must pass each section; a failed section is rewritten on its own, and OACETT reports results as satisfactory or unsatisfactory without percentages.
The PPE is based on Canadian civil law, the OACETT Act, By-law 20, the Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, and the RPPC Terms of Reference.
Under OACETT's January 2026 fee schedule, the regular PPE package is $295.00 + $15.60 HST = $310.60, and a rewrite is $200.00 with no HST.
Internationally educated members without one year of Canadian experience write the IEPPE instead (four sections, 3.5 hours).
About the OACETT Professional Practice Exam (PPE)
The Professional Practice Exam (PPE) is the law and ethics exam that every applicant for Certified Technician (C.Tech.) or Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.) status with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) must pass. OACETT describes its purpose as ensuring "awareness of your legal and ethical responsibilities to the public, employers and yourself." This section summarizes the exam's current logistics from OACETT's exam page, fee schedule (revised January 5, 2026) and FAQ, and shows how this guide is organized around the official study materials.
1. PPE or IEPPE: Which Exam You Write
| Exam | Who Writes It | Sections | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPE | Students; members educated in Canada; internationally educated members who have already completed one year of Canadian work experience | Law, Ethics, Practice | 3 hours |
| IEPPE (Internationally Educated Professional Practice Exam) | Internationally educated members who have not completed one year of Canadian work experience | Law, Ethics, Practice, Enhanced Practice | 3.5 hours |
OACETT's FAQ explains that passing the IEPPE proves understanding of Canadian workplace standards, codes and practices, so no Canadian work experience is then required. This guide covers the PPE.
2. Exam Format and Rules
- Delivery: online, on demand, multiple-choice, written with a live online proctor (Meazure/ProctorU). Ontario students may be able to write in class at their college with an instructor proctoring.
- Three sections: Law, Ethics and Practice. You must pass each section to pass the exam.
- Rewrites: if you fail one or more sections, you rewrite only the failed section(s). A rewrite session gives three hours for whatever sections remain.
- Results: posted in the OACETT member portal as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. OACETT states that percentage grades are not available.
- What OACETT does not publish: the number of questions, the weight of each section, and a numeric cut score. Treat any precise figure from a third party with caution. Past exam papers are not distributed.
- Closed book: no notes, manuals, scrap paper, phones, second monitors, or remote-access software (such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer) during the exam. If the proctor detects prohibited aids, the Registrar is notified and results may be voided.
- Language: since 2026 the PPE is available in English or French, chosen at the start of the writing session. The eBook can also be downloaded in either language.
- Accommodations: members can request extra time or scheduled breaks between sections. Send a letter from a medical practitioner or your post-secondary institution to OACETT's deputy registrar at least two weeks before the exam date.
3. What the Exam Is Based On
OACETT lists five sources for the PPE:
- Canadian civil law
- the OACETT Act (Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists Act, 1998)
- By-law 20
- OACETT's Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct (updated March 2025)
- the Terms of Reference of the committee that runs registration and professional practice. OACETT's exam page calls it the "Regulatory and Professional Practice Committee"; By-law 20 names it the Registration and Professional Practice Committee (RPPC).
All study material comes in the PPE eBook (titled Law, Ethics and Professional Practice), which is included with the exam package and cannot be bought separately. You get six months of online access, and the eBook can be downloaded and printed. OACETT recommends studying it over two to three months. An optional online seminar follows the eBook chapter by chapter, with voice-over slides, module quizzes and a complete practice exam.
How This Guide Maps to the eBook
The current eBook is organized into ten modules. This guide covers each one:
| eBook Module | Exam Section | Where It Is Covered Here |
|---|---|---|
| 1. OACETT (profession, self-regulation, the Act, By-law) | Practice | Chapter 6 |
| 2. Registration and Professional Practice Committee | Practice | Sections 6.2, 7.2 and 7.3 |
| 3. Introduction to Canadian Law | Law | Section 1.1 |
| 4. Tort Law | Law | Sections 1.2 and 1.3 |
| 5. Contract Law | Law | Sections 2.1 to 2.3 |
| 6. Legislation Governing Business Organizations | Law | Section 2.4 |
| 7. Workplace Legislation | Law | Sections 3.1 to 3.3 |
| 8. Ethics and the Code of Ethics | Ethics | Sections 4.1 and 4.3 |
| 9. Ethical Problems in Engineering | Ethics | Sections 4.2 and 5.1 to 5.3 |
| 10. Professional Practice | Practice | Sections 4.4, 7.1 and 7.3 |
Section 3.4 (intellectual property and environmental law) adds Canadian civil law that engineering technology work often involves.
4. Fees and Scheduling (OACETT Fee Schedule, Revised January 5, 2026)
| Purchase | Fee |
|---|---|
| Regular PPE package (eBook for 6 months + one exam session) | $295.00 + $15.60 HST = $310.60 |
| Regular PPE rewrite (failed sections; one sitting within 6 months) | $200.00 (HST exempt) |
| Regular PPE extension (6 more months to write) | $200.00 + $15.60 HST = $215.60 on the fee schedule; the exam page shows $200.00 + $26.00 HST = $226.00, so confirm at checkout |
| Optional PPE online seminar (6 months) | $170.00 + $22.10 HST = $192.10 |
| Full-time post-secondary student package, in-class proctor | $110.00 + $5.30 HST = $115.30 |
| Full-time post-secondary student package, online proctor | $170.00 + $13.10 HST = $183.10 |
| Full-time student rewrite (online proctor only) | $170.00 (HST exempt) |
Scheduling rules:
- Book the exam with Meazure/ProctorU before your six-month package expires, or you must buy an extension. Access ends at expiry.
- Booking within 72 hours of the exam time triggers extra proctoring charges.
- Missing or arriving late for the appointment means paying the proctoring fee and rescheduling.
- You need a PC or Mac (no iPads), a webcam, a recent browser, and a stable connection. OACETT recommends a personal rather than an employer-owned computer, so remote-management software can be disabled.
5. A Study Plan That Matches the Exam
- Weeks 1 to 3, Law: Chapters 1 to 3. Focus on how tort and contract differ, the elements of negligence and of a contract, business organizations, and the core workplace statutes.
- Weeks 4 to 6, Ethics: Chapters 4 and 5. Learn the Code clauses (a) to (k) and Rules 3.1 to 3.11 well enough to name the clause or rule that a scenario breaches.
- Weeks 7 to 8, Practice: Chapters 6 and 7. The OACETT Act's sections, By-law 20, the RPPC's subcommittees, complaints and discipline timelines, CPD hours, and stamp rules.
- Weeks 9 to 10, Review: work the quizzes in each section, then OpenExamPrep's OACETT PPE practice questions, and re-read any section where you miss items. Because you must pass every section, do not neglect your weakest one.
A candidate passes the Law and Practice sections of the OACETT PPE but fails Ethics. What must the candidate do?
Rewrite all three sections, because the PPE is scored as a single overall percentage
Rewrite only the Ethics section, in a rewrite session purchased through OACETT
Nothing, because passing two of three sections is a passing result
Write the IEPPE instead, because a failed PPE section cannot be rewritten
Which list matches the documents OACETT says the PPE is based on?
The Ontario Building Code, the Professional Engineers Act and its regulations, and CSA electrical and structural standards
The Criminal Code of Canada, the Canada Labour Code, and the federal environmental regulations under CEPA
OACETT's discipline-specific technical exam syllabi and the Technology Report guidelines for each discipline
Canadian civil law, the OACETT Act, By-law 20, the Code of Ethics and Rules, and the RPPC terms of reference
Which statement about OACETT PPE results and published exam data is accurate?
OACETT publishes a 70% cut score for each section and releases past exams for practice
OACETT publishes the exact number of questions and the percentage weight of each section
Results are reported only as satisfactory or unsatisfactory, and past papers are not distributed
Results are emailed as a percentage score within 24 hours, along with the questions answered incorrectly
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.