I took the test back in 1999. I skipped Journeymans, Master and all that. Straight to the EC.
As I remember, they only offer it twice a year and there were 32 books that were needed (they asked questions specifically out of each).
Five hours of Code and Technical, three hours of business. It was a hard test. I have heard it compared to the PE exam by engineers who have taken both.
It is a pain and those that really have an EC (not grandfathered in off a county license..I really hate that, they allowed for a year) deserve some credit.
Maybe the county-reciprocity thing is perfect for you if you don't really need to do work all over.
Often time I have been required to buy a local license anyway (Miami can kiss my arse) even though it is supposedly illegal.
<shrug>
