Alas, here in Texas, it's illegal[1] to call yourself a Software Engineer without a PE certification. The decision came out in 1998/99, and you should've seen everyone scramble to change their business cards.

You can't even design an embedded electronics device for a 3rd party (for a company you work for, is ok - industrial exemption) or write software for the same without a PE.

[1] http://sce.uhcl.edu/helm/SWEBOK_IEEE/papers/10%20reprint%205...