To become a registered inspector or surveyor, candidates must pass exams administered by accrediting bodies and meet education and professional experience requirements. Most US states require a bachelor’s degree, while shorter programs can provide valuable work experience. The process includes passing the Fundamentals of Surveying exam and working under supervision before taking the Principles and Practices of Surveying exam. Continuing education is required to maintain licensure.
All US states and many countries require a candidate to pass a series of exams administered by an accrediting body to become a registered inspector. In the US, research licensing is governed by the states and requires a combination of education, professional experience, and passing licensing exams. In general, the National Board of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) grants license after an inspector has passed two exams. Individual states and other countries may have alternative or additional requirements, so it is best to contact a professional government agency in each state or country for requirements to become a registered surveyor.
Most US states require a surveyor to possess a bachelor’s degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Engineering and Technology (ABET) to become a registered surveyor. Common programs for land surveyors include geomatics, land surveying and mapping, or geographic information science. Since not all states require a bachelor’s degree for licensure, many community colleges offer two- or three-year programs in survey technology.
Graduates of shorter programs can gain valuable work experience as an inspector or assistant inspector before completing the remainder of the education required to become a registered inspector. Often this work, if carried out under the proper supervision of an experienced inspector, can help meet the professional experience requirements of the registration and licensing process. Even in states that do not require a bachelor’s degree for licensure, a bachelor’s degree is highly sought after as a minimum requirement for many jobs and can make a job seeker more competitive.
The next step in becoming a registered surveyor is to take and pass the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam administered by the National Council of Surveying and Engineering Examiners (NCEES). The FS exam is usually taken shortly before completion of the degree program. After passing the exam, in most cases, an inspector must work for four years under the supervision of a registered inspector.
Finally, to become a registered surveyor, a candidate must take the second exam, the Principles and Practices of Surveying. Depending on state or country requirements, additional state-administered exams or other exams may be required to become a registered inspector. In many countries, the steps to licensing to become a Registered Inspector are similar to those in the US and are subject to regional licensing regulatory body requirements. After licensure, most regions have continuing education requirements to keep licensed registered surveyors up-to-date with new developments in the field.
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