Engineering Consultant in Memphis

June 15, 2026

Engineering consulting firms in Memphis provide the professional engineering services that move a project from concept to sealed, permittable design. Their work spans civil and site engineering, structural design, geotechnical investigation, transportation and traffic studies, water and wastewater systems, environmental services, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design, frequently combined with land surveying and construction administration. A Memphis-based consultant understands the city’s distinctive setting in the Mississippi Embayment, where deep alluvial soils and seismic considerations tied to the New Madrid region shape foundation and structural decisions. Memphis is one of Tennessee’s largest cities, with a population of roughly 618,980 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its role as a logistics, healthcare, and industrial hub keeps engineering demand active across public infrastructure, commercial, and industrial projects.

An engineering consultant is distinct from a construction contractor. The consultant delivers professional engineering judgment in the form of stamped drawings, calculations, and specifications that define how a project will be built, and often observes construction to confirm the work matches the design. The contractor performs the physical construction. For an owner, engaging a qualified consultant early is decisive, because the firm’s analysis of soils, drainage, structural loads, and utility capacity establishes what can be built on a site and at what cost. In a region with variable subsurface conditions, geotechnical work in particular carries weight in shaping foundation design.

In Tennessee, professional engineers (PEs) and the firms offering engineering services to the public must be licensed by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, which operates under the Department of Commerce and Insurance. An individual PE license requires education, examination, and qualifying experience, and engineering documents prepared for the public must be sealed by a licensed PE who holds responsible charge of the work. A firm that offers engineering services generally must hold a certificate of authorization from the board, confirming the company practices under licensed engineers. Owners and consumers can verify both an individual PE license and a firm’s certificate of authorization through the board’s online license search before retaining a firm.

Project types in the Memphis market are broad. Public infrastructure includes roadways, bridges, drainage and stormwater systems, water and sewer extensions, and municipal facilities, much of it procured under public bidding rules. Private work covers commercial sites, distribution and industrial facilities, healthcare and institutional buildings, and land development, each requiring civil site design, grading and drainage plans, and utility coordination. Many established firms belong to ACEC Tennessee (the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee), a professional association built around qualifications-based practice. Tennessee’s consumer protection framework, administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), addresses deceptive business practices generally, while complaints about an engineer’s licensure or conduct go to the Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. Verifying a firm’s certificate of authorization and confirming the PE who will seal the work remain the clearest ways to check that a Memphis engineering consultant is qualified for a project.

Top Engineering Consultant Providers in Memphis

1. Allen and Hoshall

Address: 1661 International Drive, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 820-0820
Website: https://allenhoshall.com
Services: civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and building systems, land surveying, electric utilities, architecture
Description: Allen and Hoshall is a full-service architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Memphis, with roots tracing to 1915 when Major Thomas H. Allen opened the consulting engineering practice; Robert H. Hoshall joined in 1920 and became a partner in 1924. The firm added structural engineering in 1970 and architecture in 1976, and today offers all engineering disciplines alongside architecture, including civil infrastructure, building systems and MEP, land surveying, and electric utilities. Allen and Hoshall operates seven offices throughout Tennessee and Mississippi and employs nearly 100 professionals. Its markets include aviation, education, healthcare, industrial, municipal and public, utilities, transportation, and government work, reflecting more than a century of practice across the region.

2. Davis Patrikios Criswell, Inc.

Address: 7975 Stage Hills Boulevard, Suite 1, Memphis, TN 38133
Phone: (901) 377-9984
Website: https://www.dpcmemphis.com
Services: structural engineering, civil engineering, forensic engineering, construction management, building observation
Description: Davis Patrikios Criswell, Inc. is a structural and civil engineering firm headquartered in Memphis and licensed in 36 states. The firm provides structural engineering and civil engineering design along with forensic engineering, construction management, and building observation services. Its private-sector practice serves developers, owners, and architects, with project experience that includes full-service and boutique hotels, luxury resorts, educational facilities, retail shopping centers, medical spaces, industrial facilities, and commercial centers. Eric Criswell is identified among the firm’s principals. The combination of structural design depth with civil capability and forensic and construction-phase services makes the firm a resource for both new buildings and the evaluation of existing structures.

3. Poe Engineering, Inc.

Address: 4646 Poplar Avenue, Suite 517, Memphis, TN 38117
Phone: (901) 860-4763
Website: https://www.poe-engineering.com
Services: structural engineering, foundation and retaining wall design, structural framing, structural inspections, forensic inspections
Description: Poe Engineering, Inc. is a Memphis structural engineering firm located on Poplar Avenue. The practice focuses on structural design, including foundations, retaining walls, and structural framing for new construction and existing structures, and provides structural, foundation, framing, and forensic inspections. The firm is led by Kevin M. Poe, P.E., and Luke R. Poe, P.E., whose engineers carry more than 45 years of combined experience in structural design plus additional experience in utility design and construction management. Poe Engineering works across Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Wyoming, and Colorado, serving clients who need focused structural engineering and inspection services.

Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering Consultant in Memphis

Q: Does an engineering consulting firm in Memphis need a state license?

Yes. In Tennessee, individual professional engineers must be licensed by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, which operates under the Department of Commerce and Insurance, and a firm offering engineering services to the public generally must hold a certificate of authorization from the board. Engineering documents prepared for public use must be sealed by a licensed PE in responsible charge of the work.

Q: How do I verify a Memphis engineer’s PE license or a firm’s certificate of authorization?

The Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners maintains an online license search through the Department of Commerce and Insurance where you can confirm both an individual PE license and a firm’s certificate of authorization. Checking both before hiring confirms the firm practices under licensed engineers and that the person sealing your drawings is currently licensed.

Q: Why is geotechnical engineering especially important in the Memphis area?

Memphis sits within the Mississippi Embayment, where deep alluvial soils and proximity to the New Madrid seismic zone influence foundation and structural design. Geotechnical investigation analyzes subsurface soils and groundwater to inform foundation type, bearing capacity, and settlement expectations. Coordinating geotechnical findings with structural design early helps a project account for local soil and seismic conditions before construction begins.

Q: What is the difference between an engineering consultant and a contractor in Memphis?

An engineering consultant performs professional engineering analysis and design, delivering sealed drawings, calculations, and specifications, and often observes construction to confirm it follows the design. A contractor physically builds the project. Engineers are licensed by the Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, while contractors are licensed by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, with different credentials and responsibilities for each.

Q: What does it mean that engineering documents must be sealed by a PE?

A PE seal indicates that a licensed professional engineer has taken responsible charge of the engineering work and stands behind its technical adequacy. Tennessee requires engineering documents prepared for the public to be sealed by a licensed PE. The seal assures building officials, owners, and the public that the design was prepared or reviewed by a qualified, accountable professional.

Q: How do I file a complaint about an engineering firm in Memphis?

Complaints about the licensure or professional conduct of an engineer or engineering firm can be directed to the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners under the Department of Commerce and Insurance. Complaints about deceptive business practices more generally fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), enforced by the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. Keeping your contract, correspondence, and project records supports any complaint.