Surveying Licensure

Become a Professional Surveyor

Professional licensure ensures that individuals practice in a manner that protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public by satisfying minimum qualifications qualifications in education, work experience, and exams.

Why Get a Surveying License?

Open Career Doors

“Once I got licensed, the doors of opportunity really opened up for me. At the time I was pursing my license, I didn’t know that I would eventually have my own survey business. Without my license, it would not be possible for me to have my own business.”

David P. Acosta, P.S.

Belong to a Licensed Profession

“Right now, the demand for professional surveyors is extremely high, and I take a lot of comfort in knowing I am one of the few professionals qualified to provide this vital service.”

Scott Bishop, P.S.

Protect the Public

“Professional licensure protects the public from people who are not competent to perform land surveying and gives us a basis for minimum competency and requires us to follow the statutes within our jurisdiction.”

Amanda Allred, P.L.S.

Your Path to Becoming a Professional Surveyor (P.S.):

Education

Generally, surveying licensure boards require P.S. candidates to have a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited surveying program.*

SEARCH ACCREDITED PROGRAMS

Experience

Most states require four years of acceptable, progressive, and verifiable work experience.*

STATE LICENSING BOARDS

Exams

Licensure candidates typically must pass the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam and the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam, and a state specific exam.*

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER FOR AN EXAM

* These steps reflect the most commonly accepted path to licensure. Many states provide additional paths for licensure. Candidates interested in pursuing licensure are encouraged to verify the requirements in the state or territory where they plan to practice.

Value of Licensure

In the United States, surveyors are licensed at the state level by professional licensing boards. Professional surveying licenses establish a standard for minimum competency that is critical in safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

PROTECT THE PUBLIC

Enforce

Enforce standards that require licensed surveyors to practice in a manner that protects the public.

Protect

Protect the public by ensuring a baseline level of proven qualification and expertise.

Preserve

Preserve the credibility, validity, and reliability of the surveying license.

Hear from a Licensed Surveyor

Through Advance: An NCEES podcast series and other surveyor profiles, NCEES highlights the important work of licensed surveyors as well as provides updates on important topics related to professional licensure.

NCEES PODCASTS

P.S. PROFILES