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
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 1
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 (Part F After FS & PS
SBPELS
NJSPLS
NM New Mexico
Approved 4-year degree in the p…
At least 4-year internship
FS (national 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
—
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
WSPLS

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