What steps are required to become a professional surveyor?

Question

Are there specific college courses and degrees for surveying? Do these requirements change from state to state? Are there tests required for certification?

Answer 1

Attached are the requirements for the State of Colorado, to get licensed as a professional Land surveyor....Most other states ould have similar requirements.

To check the requirements for other states, Google the state name, and "regulatory agencies."

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Requirements for Licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor

Licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor by Education, Experience and Examination:

12-25-214(2)(b)(1)(A) Graduate from a board-approved surveying curriculum of 4 or more years and have 2 years of progressive land surveying experience under the supervision of a PLS or an exempted federal employee. Must be currently enrolled as a Land Surveyor-Intern (LSI). [If not a Colorado LSI or transferring LSI from another state, must take and pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) exam before being allowed to sit for the PLS exam.]

(II)(A) Graduate from a non board-approved surveying curriculum of 4 or more years and have 4 years of progressive land surveying experience of which at least 2 years must be under the supervision of a PLS or an exempted federal employee. Must be currently enrolled as a Land Surveyor-Intern (LSI). [If not a Colorado LSI or transferring LSI from another state, must take and pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) exam before being allowed to sit for the PLS exam.]

(III)(A) Graduate from a Board-approved 2-year surveying curriculum or from a 4-year engineering curriculum which included the equivalent of 24 semester hours in surveying coursework as approved by the board; and have 6 years of progressive land surveying experience of which 4 years shall have been under the supervision of a PLS or an exempted federal employee. Must be currently enrolled as a Land Surveyor-Intern (LSI). [If not a Colorado LSI or transferring LSI from another state, must take and pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) exam before being allowed to sit for the PLS exam.]

The board may allow an applicant to substitute the satisfactory completion of one academic year in a curriculum approved by the Board for one year of experience. The substitution of education for experience shall not exceed three years.

Licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor by Experience and Examination:

12-25-214(4)(b)(I) Graduate from high school or its equivalent. Have 10 years of progressive land surveying experience of which at least 6 years must have been under the supervision of a PLS or an exempted federal employee. Must be currently enrolled as a Land Surveyor-Intern (LSI). [If not a Colorado LSI or transferring LSI from another state, must take and pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) exam before being allowed to sit for the PLS exam.]

The Board may allow an applicant to substitute the satisfactory completion of one academic year in a curriculum approved by the Board for one year of experience. The substitution of education for experience shall not exceed three years.

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Enrollment Requirements for a Land Surveyor Intern

Endorsement as a Land Surveyor Intern Without Further Examination:

12-25-212 (1)(a) Enrolled in good standing in another jurisdiction requiring qualifications substantially equivalent to those currently required of applicants OR if, at the time of initial enrollment in such jurisdiction, such applicant met the requirements for enrollment then in existence under Colorado law.

Enrollment as a Land Surveyor Intern by Graduation and Examination:

12-25-212 (2)(b) Graduate from a 4-year Board-approved surveying curriculum.

Enrollment as a Land Surveyor Intern by Education, Experience and Examination:

12-25-212(3)(b)(II)(A) Graduate from a 2-year Board-approved surveying curriculum and have a cumulative record of 2 years or more of progressive land surveying experience.

Enrollment as a Land Surveyor Intern by Experience and Examination:


12-25-212 (3)(b)(I)(A) Graduate rom high school or the equivalent and have a cumulative record of 4 years or more of progressive land surveying experience, of which a maximum of 1 year of educational credit may be substituted.

Summary of Licensing Requirements Revised July 1, 2004


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Application Due Dates

Date your application must be
complete in board office
First board meeting your
application may be considered
First exam month you will
be eligible to take exam


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October 1st
November
April

December 1st
January
April

January 1st
February
April

April 1st
May
October

June 1st
July
October

July 1st
August October

Applications are accepted by the Board throughout the year. If you wish to have your application
considered by the Board at a particular meeting, please note the Board meeting schedule above.
Your application must contain all supporting documentation before it can be considered complete
and eligible for review by the Board.

Please allow plenty of lead time for processing your application.

If you are applying for licensure by examination, please note the months you would be considered
for the April or October exam. February is the last Board meeting to be considered for the April
exam and August is the last Board meeting to be considered for the October exam. Therefore, if
your application is denied for any reason at the February or August Board meeting, your
file will not be considered again by the Board until the next meeting as indicated in this
schedule. This could delay your exam by up to six months, or up to one year if you plan to take a
Professional Engineer Group II discipline exam. Therefore, please allow plenty of time for processing
your application.

Once you receive Board approval to take an exam, you may choose the April or October exam.

Answer 2

go to landsurveyor.com......at least I think that was it...follow the links to your state's page for the board of registration...it should list the various ways to licensure....but most now require at elast a 2 year survey degree then multiple years of making jack-squat working for a licensed surveyor. I loved surveying...but getting worked like a dog by someone just for the experience stinks...I decided to get a 4-yr engineering degree and now work in the a/c....most people I know who are good surveyors would also make good engineers...they just didnt want to deal with the class time or just like being outside all the time...