Reference

State licensure
requirements.

Every state's path to becoming a licensed surveyor (education, experience, and exam requirements) in one place. Updated as state boards publish changes.

State Education (min) Experience (min) State Exam State Board State Society
AL Alabama
Bachelor's in surveying (4-year…
4 years of combined office and…
Alabama state-specific exam After FS & PS
BELS
ASPLS
AK Alaska
ABET-accredited BS in land surv…
Varies by education path
AKLS After FS & PS
AELS
ASPLS
AZ Arizona
ABET-accredited degree
72 months (6 years) combined ed…
AZLS After FS & PS
BTR
APLS
AR Arkansas
BS in Surveying/Geomatics (ABET
3 years progressive experience…
Arkansas State Specific Exam After FS & PS
SBLPEPS
ASPS
CA California
No specific degree required
6 years equivalent full-time ex…
California State Specific E… After FS & PS
BPELSG
CLSA
CO Colorado
ABET-accredited 4-year surveyin…
2 years progressive experience…
COPLS After FS & PS
SBLAPEPL
PLSC
CT Connecticut
4-year surveying degree + 3 yea…
3-9 years depending on educatio…
Connecticut 2-Hour State Ex… After FS & PS
SBEPELS
CALS
DE Delaware
4-year surveying program
8,000 hours as a Surveyor Inter…
Delaware 2-hour exam on dra… After FS & PS
BPLS
DPLSS
DC District of Columbia Summary
BS degree required (EAC/ABET-ac…
4 years progressive experience…
Contact DC board for curren… After FS & PS
DCBPE
NSPSDS
FL Florida
BS in surveying/mapping (ABET)
4 years under a licensed PSM (w…
Florida State Specific Exam After FS & PS
BPSM
FSMS
GA Georgia
Board-approved degree in survey…
4 years combined office and fie…
Georgia state exam on laws… After FS & PS
GPELSB
GALS
HI Hawaii
4-year geoscience/surveying/civ…
3-11 years depending on educati…
Hawaii Description Writing… After FS & PS
EASLA
HLSA
ID Idaho
4-year degree required: ABET-ac…
4 years progressive experience…
Idaho State Specific PLS Ex… After FS & PS
IPELS
ISPLS
IL Illinois
BS in land surveying from ABET-…
4 years in responsible charge o…
Illinois Jurisdictional Exam After FS & PS
IDFPR
IPLSA
IN Indiana
Education-plus-experience table…
Varies by education
Indiana Specific Law Exam After FS & PS
SBRPLS
ISPLS
IA Iowa
Post-secondary course of 2+ yea…
4+ years as LSI depending on de…
Iowa State Specific Land Su… After FS & PS
ELSEB
SLSI
KS Kansas
Surveying education and experie…
Progressive surveying experienc…
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
KSBTP
KSLS
KY Kentucky
4-year degree required: Option…
3 years (Option 1)
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
KBLPELS
KAPS
LA Louisiana
4-year bachelor's degree with m…
4 years combined office and fie…
Louisiana Laws and Procedur… After FS & PS
LAPELS
LSPS
ME Maine
Path 1: BS with core curriculum…
2 additional years of progressi…
Maine Specific Multiple Cho… After FS & PS
BLPLS
MALS
MD Maryland
5 categories: (b) 4yr accredite…
2-10 years depending on educati…
MD Law and Ethics After FS & PS
BPLS
MSS
MA Massachusetts
Various classifications per 250…
4-8 years depending on educatio…
Oral Exam After FS & PS
BRPELS
MALSCE
MI Michigan
ABET-accredited BS in surveying…
4 years under a licensed/regist…
Part IIB After FS & PS
LARA
MSPS
MN Minnesota
4-year land surveying curriculum
3 years with 4-year LS curricul…
MNLS After FS & PS
AELSLAGID
MSPS
MS Mississippi
ABET-accredited BS degree
Per Rule 5
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
MBLPES
MAPS
MO Missouri
3 tracks (as of Jan 2024): BS w…
4-6 years under PLS depending o…
Missouri Specific Examinati… After FS & PS
APEPLSPLA
MSPS
MT Montana
BS in board-approved surveying…
4 years with BS degree
Montana State-Specific Law… After FS & PS
BPEPLS
MARLS
NE Nebraska
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
NBELS
PSAN
NV Nevada
4-year accredited surveying pro…
4 years acceptable, progressive…
Nevada State-Specific Surve… After FS & PS
NVBPELS
NALS
NH New Hampshire
No specific degree required
6 years accumulated experience…
New Hampshire Legal Aspects… After FS & PS
RSA
NHLSA
NJ New Jersey
4-year degree in land surveying…
3 years professional experience…
FS, PS After FS & PS
SBPELS
NJSPLS
NM New Mexico
Approved 4-year degree in the p…
At least 4-year internship
FS, PS After FS & PS
NMBLPEPS
NMPS
NY New York
8 credits of combined education…
Part of 8-credit combination
New York State Specific Lan… After FS & PS
NYSED
NYSAPLS
NC North Carolina
4-year degree in surveying
4 years progressive under a lic…
NC state-specific exam After FS & PS
NCBELS
NCSS
ND North Dakota
ABET BS in Engineering
8 years total qualifying experi…
North Dakota state-specific… After FS & PS
PELS
NDSPLS
OH Ohio
ABET-accredited surveying progr…
4 years progressive
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
PEPS
PLSO
OK Oklahoma
5 pathways: 4yr board-approved…
4 years total (4yr program), in…
OLS After FS & PS
OSBLPELS
OSLS
OR Oregon
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
Oregon state-specific exam After FS & PS
OSBEELS
PLSO
PA Pennsylvania
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
SRBPELSG
PSLS
RI Rhode Island
Approved land surveyor training…
Progressive experience under a…
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
SBRPLSDD
RISPLS
SC South Carolina
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
LLR
SCSPLS
SD South Dakota
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
SDBTP
SDES
TN Tennessee
BS in surveying (4yr+)
2 years progressive (surveying…
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
TBELS
TAPS
TX Texas
BS with 32 hrs surveying course…
4,000 hours minimum qualifying…
TSSE After FS & PS
TBPELS
TSPS
UT Utah
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
UPEPLSLB
UCLS
VT Vermont
4 routes: (1) ABET BS in survey…
24 months (ABET BS), 36 months…
Vermont Land Surveying exam… After FS & PS
BLSOPRSS
VSLS
VA Virginia
Degree in surveying
Progressive experience under di…
Virginia State-Specific Lan… After FS & PS
APELSCIDLA
VAS
WA Washington
BS in land surveying (up to 4yr…
8 years total in land surveying…
law and ethics examination After FS & PS
WSBRPELS
LSAW
WV West Virginia
Per WV Code §30-13A-8
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
WVBPLS
WVSPS
WI Wisconsin
4-year degree in surveying
Progressive experience under a…
state-specific exam After FS & PS
DSPS
WSLS
WY Wyoming
Education per Wyoming Rules Cha…
4 years of professional experie…
FS (national), PS (national) After FS & PS
WBRPEPLS
PLSW

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