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Land Surveyor
Land surveyor licensing requires a combination of education, experience, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) and Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exams. Most states also require a state-specific exam covering local laws and minimum technical standards.
51
Total States
51
PLS Available
43
State Exam Required
4 yrs
Avg Experience
Land surveyor licensing follows a progression from Survey Intern (SI) to Professional Land Surveyor (PLS), with increasing education, experience, and exam requirements at each level.
Most states require a bachelor's degree in surveying or geomatics from an ABET-accredited program, followed by passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam to become a Survey Intern. Some states accept related degrees with additional experience.
After passing the FS exam, aspiring surveyors gain 4+ years of progressive experience under a licensed Professional Land Surveyor. They then take the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam and often a state-specific exam on local laws and minimum standards.
Licensed surveyors can often transfer credentials through the NCEES comity process. Surveyors who meet Model Law Surveyor requirements may qualify for expedited licensure. Most states still require passing a state-specific exam on local laws and standards.
Side-by-side fees, hours, exams, and timelines across all 50 states. Sort by cost, hours, or any column.
Compare All StatesFind out if your license transfers to another state and what extra steps are needed.
Check ReciprocityBrowse approved programs by state — compare costs, requirements, and timelines.
Click any column header to sort. Click a state to view full requirements.
| State | PLS Available | Experience (yrs) | FS Exam | State Exam | Fees | CE Hours | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama(AL) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $900 | 15 | March 2026 |
| Alaska(AK) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $950 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Arizona(AZ) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $1,100 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Arkansas(AR) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $775 | 15 | March 2026 |
| California(CA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $950 | 0 | March 2026 |
| Colorado(CO) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Connecticut(CT) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $1,000 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Delaware(DE) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $901 | 24 | March 2026 |
| District of Columbia(DC) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $920 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Florida(FL) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $900 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Georgia(GA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $750 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Hawaii(HI) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $844 | 0 | March 2026 |
| Idaho(ID) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $780 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Illinois(IL) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Indiana(IN) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $750 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Iowa(IA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Kansas(KS) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $780 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Kentucky(KY) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $775 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Louisiana(LA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 15 | March 2026 |
| Maine(ME) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Maryland(MD) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Massachusetts(MA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $1,000 | 0 | March 2026 |
| Michigan(MI) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $788 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Minnesota(MN) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $830 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Mississippi(MS) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 15 | March 2026 |
| Missouri(MO) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $760 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Montana(MT) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $850 | 15 | March 2026 |
| Nebraska(NE) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Nevada(NV) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $1,000 | 30 | March 2026 |
| New Hampshire(NH) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $820 | 30 | March 2026 |
| New Jersey(NJ) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $910 | 24 | March 2026 |
| New Mexico(NM) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| New York(NY) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $964 | 36 | March 2026 |
| North Carolina(NC) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $755 | 15 | March 2026 |
| North Dakota(ND) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $700 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Ohio(OH) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Oklahoma(OK) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $700 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Oregon(OR) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $825 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Pennsylvania(PA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $755 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Rhode Island(RI) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $810 | 20 | March 2026 |
| South Carolina(SC) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| South Dakota(SD) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $780 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Tennessee(TN) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $800 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Texas(TX) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $900 | 12 | March 2026 |
| Utah(UT) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $775 | 24 | March 2026 |
| Vermont(VT) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Virginia(VA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $790 | 16 | March 2026 |
| Washington(WA) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $1,034 | 30 | March 2026 |
| West Virginia(WV) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $775 | 15 | March 2026 |
| Wisconsin(WI) | Yes | 4 | Yes | Yes | $780 | 30 | March 2026 |
| Wyoming(WY) | Yes | 4 | Yes | No | $800 | 30 | March 2026 |
Land surveyors often work alongside other licensed professionals in construction and engineering. Explore related licensing requirements.
Study guides for the NCEES FS and PS licensing exams.
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See the full comparison table above for all 51 states.
In-depth articles to help you get licensed
Moving to a new state?
See which states have reciprocity for Surveyor licenses and what's required to transfer.
Explore similar licensing requirements
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