PS — Civil Engineer Transition Pathway
Detailed licensing requirements and pathways
SOURCE SUMMARY
Pathway for licensed California Professional Civil Engineers seeking licensure as Professional Land Surveyor. Requires 2 years of broad-based progressive land surveying experience. FS exam waived; must pass PS exam and California state-specific PLS exam.
Requirements at a Glance
Visual summary of what this pathway requires
Exams
FS
PS
LAW
Experience
2.0 years
Professional practice
References
4
References
Additional
• Comity Available
Prerequisite License Requirements
| Type | Parameters | Required | Source | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
COMITY
|
requires_valid_ca_pe_license:
True
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8741.1(c)(1); Section 8742(a)
|
Applicant must hold a valid license as a Professional Civil Engineer in California.
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)(1); Title 16 CCR Section 438(b)
|
NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam waived for applicants with valid California Civil Engineer license.
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:
2.0
progressive:
True
under_pe_ps_supervision:
True
broad_based:
True
discipline_specific:
land surveying
|
Required
|
California Professional Land Surveyors' Act |
Business and Professions Code Section 8742(a)
|
Licensed Professional Civil Engineers must submit complete application demonstrating 2 years of actual broad-based progressive experience in land surveying. Experience calculated on actual time basis not to exceed 40 hours per week, completed by date of application submittal.
100% 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 from land surveyors or civil engineers duly qualified to practice, with sufficient knowledge to certify applicant's land surveying qualifications.
100% confidence
|