Arkansas
Arkansas land surveyors are regulated by the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors, housed within the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. The license title is Professional Surveyor (PS), and the intern designation is Surveyor Intern (SI). Candidates must pass the NCEES FS exam, the NCEES PS exam, and the Arkansas State Specific Exam, along with meeting education and progressive experience requirements.
Everything on one card.
The fields most candidates ask us about, pulled directly from the board's published requirements.
Step-by-step to PLS.
A linear view of the typical path — from education to license. Some steps overlap in practice.
- 01
Meet Education Requirements
Arkansas offers three main education pathways: (1) A Bachelor of Science degree in Surveying, Geomatics, Geomatics Engineering, or Spatial Information Systems from an ABET-accredited or board-approved program; (2) An Associate of Science or Applied Science degree in Surveying or Surveying Technology from a board-approved program; (3) A baccalaureate degree from a 4-year curriculum with at least 30 semester hours of surveying or surveying-related courses, including courses in the U.S. Public Land Survey System and Law/Professionalism in Geomatics.
- 02
Pass the FS Exam and Obtain SI License
Available nowThe NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying exam is computer-based, offered year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers. 110 questions, 6 hours. Board authorization is not required to take the FS exam — register directly through NCEES. Once you pass the FS and verify your education, you may be issued a Surveyor Intern (SI) license. The $50 SI application fee applies.
- 03
Gain Progressive Experience
Accumulate the required years of progressive surveying experience under the supervision of a Professional Surveyor: 3 years for BS degree holders, or 6 years for AS/AAS degree holders. Experience must include field surveying methods (at least 2 years performing boundary surveys, geodetic surveys, PLSS work), office work (computations, plat preparation), and progressively responsible duties.
- 04
Pass the PS Exam
Available nowThe NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying exam is computer-based, offered year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers. You must be admitted to or have previously passed the PS exam as part of meeting PS licensure requirements. Five references are required, three of which must be from Professional Surveyors with personal knowledge of your experience.
- 05
Pass the Arkansas State Specific Exam
Prep coming soonThe Arkansas State Specific Exam tests your knowledge of Arkansas surveying laws, procedures, and standards of practice. The exam fee is $100. This exam is required for both original PS applicants and comity applicants. The Board meets in January, March, May, July, September, and November to review applications.
- 06
Receive Your License
Upon successful completion of all education, experience, and examination requirements, submit the completed application with the $75 original application fee. The Board will review your application at the next scheduled meeting. SI applications may be conditionally approved by the Director, but PS applications require Board approval.
After you're licensed.
What this state requires to keep your license active.
- Total Hours
- 30 PDH per biennial renewal period
- Ethics Requirement
- No specific ethics hours required separately; however, 2 PDH of Arkansas Standards of Practice No. 1 for Property Boundary Surveys and Plats is required per renewal period (effective 9/1/2020)
- Carryover
- Up to 30 PDH may carry forward to the next biennial period
- Self-Study
- Not specifically limited
- Renewal Period
- Biennial — PS/SI licenses expire June 30; even-numbered licenses renew in even years, odd-numbered in odd years
- Pre-Approval Required?
- No — the Board does not pre-approve courses or providers
- Audit
- 2% of licensees are randomly audited; records must be maintained for 3 years
Coming in from another state?
Arkansas grants comity to Professional Surveyors licensed in other states who meet the board's requirements and pass the Arkansas State Specific Exam. Comity applicants must meet the least restrictive requirements that were in effect at the time of their original PS licensure. Applicants must have experience in a public land survey system similar to Arkansas. For those with 15+ years of licensed practice, the FS exam may be waived. A reciprocal temporary license (90-day) may be issued by the Director for qualified comity applicants. The comity application fee is $200.
Verify everything yourself.
Every detail above is sourced from these documents. If the board updates, we update — usually within a week.
Arkansas's prep, when it's ready.
We'll email you when the state-specific exam prep launches — no waitlist tricks, no spam, no obligation.