Land Surveyor - Credentialing

1). Complete the education and experience required to sit for the examinations.

Option A: Receipt of a bachelor's degree in a course of not less than 4 years in land surveying or a related field that is approved by the land surveyor section, and at least 2 years of land surveying practice of satisfactory character that indicates that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying.

Option B: Receipt of an associate degree in a course of not less than 2 years duration in land surveying or a related field approved by the land surveyor section and at least 4 years of land surveying practice of satisfactory character that indicates that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying. 

Option C: A record of at least 10 years of land surveying practice of satisfactory character that indicates that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying.

2). The State of Wisconsin has contracted with Engineering Examination Services (EES), a division of Professional Credential Services to administer the examination for this profession beginning in October 2008. You will need to contact Engineering Examination Services (EES) for the scheduling form to schedule the examination with EES.

All applicants must pass the national examination on the fundamentals of land surveying and the principles and practices of land surveying, and a Wisconsin state jurisdictional examination on surveying practice in Wisconsin.

To be eligible to take the fundamentals of land surveying examination, an applicant shall have done one of the following:

1) Received a bachelor's degree in a course of study in land surveying of not less than 4 years duration from a college or university approved by the state where the college or university is located;

OR

2) Received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering of not less than 4 years duration from a college or university approved by the state where the college or university is located. The curriculum shall include no less than 16 of 24 credits in courses concentrating on the legal principles of land surveying and the technical aspects of land surveying. These courses shall include areas of study such as research of public and private records, principles of evidence and the interpretation of written documents used in boundary determination, the study of the legal elements of land surveying including those involving resurveys, boundary disputes, defective descriptions, riparian rights and adverse possession, the study of the professional and judicial functions of a land surveyor, the study of surveying methods for measuring distance and angular values, note keeping computation and writing descriptions and the study of the Wisconsin statutes and local ordinances relating to the preparation of subdivision maps and plats, other land divisions and real property creation.  The applicant may be allowed to receive up to 8 credits in certain other courses related to surveying.  These courses may include:  engineering surveying, municipal surveying, route surveying, highway surveying, topographic surveying, geodetic surveying, photogrammetry, cartography, construction surveying, air photo interpretation, artillery surveying, geographic information systems, land information systems and remote sensing systems.

OR

3) Received an associates degree having completed at least 60 semester credits in a civil engineering or land surveying curriculum including no less than 12 semester credits in land surveying which shall be in the following categories of study: No less than 8 of the 12 credits may be in courses concentrating on the legal principles of land surveying and the technical aspects of land surveying. These courses shall include areas of study such as research of public and private records, principles of evidence and the interpretation of written documents used in boundary determination, the study of the legal elements of land surveying including those involving resurveys, boundary disputes, defective judicial functions of a land surveyor, the study of surveying methods for measuring distance and angular values, note keeping computation and writing descriptions and the study of the Wisconsin Statutes and local ordinances relating to the preparation of subdivision maps and plats. No more than 4 credits may be in courses related to land surveying such as engineering surveying, municipal surveying, route surveying, highway surveying", topographic surveying, geodectic surveying, photogrammetry, cartography, construction surveying, air photo interpretation, artillery surveying; geographic information systems, land information systems and remote sensing systems.

OR

4) Have at least 5 years of practice in land surveying or a combination of work and training in a course in land surveying and practice in land surveying which totals at least 5 years.

 

To be eligible to take the principles and practice of surveying examination , an applicant shall have done one of the following:

1) Received a bachelor's degree in a course of study in land surveying of not less than 4 years duration from a college or university approved by the state where the college or university is located; or received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering of not less than 4 years duration from a college or university approved by the state where the college or university is located with no less than 16 of 24 credits in courses concentration on the legal principles of land surveying and the technical aspects of the land surveying AND have at least one year of approved practice in land surveying;

OR

2) Received an associates degree having completed at least 60 semester credits in a civil engineering or land surveying curriculum including no less than 12 semester credits in land surveying AND have at least 3 years of approved practice in land surveying;

OR

 

3) Have at least 9 years of approved practice in land surveying or a combination of at least 9 years of approved work and training in a course in land surveying and practice in land surveying.

The Wisconsin state jurisdictional examination is required for all applicants and may be taken concurrently with the fundamentals of land surveying examination and/or the principles and practice of land surveying examinations.

Information regarding examinations is available from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) on their web site.

• State Board Examination

Exam Dates

3. Complete the application for land surveyor credential.

 

Check the FAQs to determine if a credential can be transferred from other States/Countries.

Biennial renewal due by January 31 of even-numbered years

Common Denial Reason: Insufficient or inadequate qualifying experience.

Convictions of crimes or pending charges may be grounds for denial of license if the circumstances of the conviction or charge are substantially related to professional practice.