PS — Surveying Degree Pathway
Detailed licensing requirements and pathways
SOURCE SUMMARY
Standard pathway for PS licensure with approved four-year land surveying curriculum. Requires FS and PS exams, California state-specific exam, qualifying experience, and professional references.; Pathway for PS licensure with non-approved land surveying curriculum (B.S. or equivalent). Requires additional experience beyond approved curriculum pathway and may qualify for FS waiver with 17+ years experience.
Requirements at a Glance
Visual summary of what this pathway requires
Education
BOARD_APPROVED
Bachelor
or
BOARD_APPROVED
Bachelor
Exams
FS
PS
LAW
FS
PS
LAW
Experience
17.0 years
Professional practice
References
4
References
Education Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EDUCATION
|
degree_level:
BS
discipline:
land surveying
accreditation:
BOARD_APPROVED
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741.1(c); Title 16 CCR Section 425
|
Graduation from approved four-year land surveying curriculum. Education must be from land surveying education program; land surveying coursework alone does not meet requirement.
100% confidence
|
Examination Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
FS
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741
|
NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam required for licensure as Professional Land Surveyor. May be waived under certain conditions per Section 8741.1(c).
100% confidence
|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
PS
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Article 4 Examination Requirements
|
NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam required.
100% confidence
|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
LAW
jurisdiction_specific:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
California state-specific Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) exam requirement
|
California state-specific Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) exam administered twice yearly (spring and fall). 2-hour exam covering Professional Land Surveyors' Act (Business and Professions Code sections 8700-8805), Board Rules (Title 16 CCR sections 400-476), Subdivision Map Act, local ordinances, boundary law, legal descriptions, California Coordinate System, and related topics. Applicants may retake until passing.
100% confidence
|
Experience Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EXPERIENCE
|
years_required:
0
progressive:
True
under_pe_ps_supervision:
True
broad_based:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8742; Title 16 CCR Section 425
|
Qualifying experience must be completed by date of application submittal, calculated on actual time basis not to exceed 40 hours per week. Experience must demonstrate broad-based progressive responsibility in land surveying work. Approved four-year land surveying curriculum graduates may receive education credit reducing experience requirement. References must verify sufficient months of qualifying land surveying experience.
95% confidence
|
Reference Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
REFERENCES
|
count:
4
from_pe_ps_only:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8743
|
Minimum of four (4) completed Work Experience Engagement/Reference forms required. References must be land surveyors or civil engineers duly qualified to practice in the place where practice was conducted, with sufficient knowledge of applicant to certify qualifications. Each reference reviews Part A and completes Part B. If using NCEES Record, must include summary of all engagements listed within NCEES Record.
100% confidence
|
Education Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EDUCATION
|
degree_level:
BS
discipline:
land surveying
accreditation:
BOARD_APPROVED
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741.1(c)(3); Title 16 CCR Section 425
|
Graduation from non-approved land surveying curriculum with B.S. degree or equivalent. Education must be from land surveying education program.
100% confidence
|
Examination Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
FS
|
Optional
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741.1(c)(3)
|
NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam may be waived if applicant is graduate of non-approved land surveying curriculum with B.S. degree or equivalent and submits satisfactory evidence of 17 years or more of qualifying experience.
100% confidence
|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
PS
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Article 4 Examination Requirements
|
NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam required.
100% confidence
|
|
EXAM
|
exam:
LAW
jurisdiction_specific:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
California state-specific Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) exam requirement
|
California state-specific Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) exam administered twice yearly. 2-hour exam covering Professional Land Surveyors' Act, Board Rules, and related surveying law topics.
100% confidence
|
Experience Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EXPERIENCE
|
years_required:
17.0
progressive:
True
under_pe_ps_supervision:
True
broad_based:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741.1(c)(3); Section 8742; Title 16 CCR Section 425
|
17 years or more of qualifying experience required to qualify for FS waiver. Experience must be completed by date of application submittal, calculated on actual time basis not to exceed 40 hours per week. Must demonstrate broad-based progressive responsibility in land surveying work.
100% confidence
|