Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors

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Indiana Land Surveyors License

Surveying Education Opportunities

One of the goals of ISPLS is to keep the public, especially young people, informed of surveying education opportunities in and around the State of Indiana. Please click on the name of the university or college below to further explore the opportunities they offer.

Additional Programs:


Additional Approved Land Surveying Curriculums:

  • Purdue University

  • Purdue University Northwest

  • Alfred State College

  • California State University, Fresno

  • East Tennessee State University

  • Florida Atlantic University

  • Kennesaw State University

  • New Jersey Institute of Technology

  • Nicholls State University

  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

  • Oregon Institute of Technology

  • Pennsylvania University, Wilkes-Barre Campus

  • Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

  • St Cloud University

  • Troy University

  • University of Alaska Anchorage

  • University of Florida

  • University of Maine

Qualification for Examination

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
The following information is from 865 IAC 1-2-1:

Rule 2. Qualifications for Examination

865 IAC 1-2-1 Professional surveyors; education and work experience

Sec. 1.
  1. This section establishes the minimum education and experience requirements under IC 25-21.5-5-2 for admission to the professional surveyor examination.
  2. The table in this subsection establishes provisions for evaluating combined education and experience to determine if it is sufficient to satisfy minimum registration requirements under IC 25-21.5-5-2 for professional surveyor registration applicants. For all levels of education stated, a minimum of one-half (1/2) of the required experience must be obtained following receipt of the first degree obtained. The requirements are as follows:
    Education Minimum Years of Work Experience
    Doctorate in surveying discipline following bachelor’s degree in a board-approved surveying curriculum 2
    Master’s degree in surveying discipline following bachelor’s degree in a board-approved surveying curriculum 3
    Bachelor’s degree in a board-approved surveying curriculum 4
    Doctorate in surveying following a bachelor’s degree that is not in a board-approved surveying curriculum 3
    Master’s degree in surveying following bachelor’s degree that is not in a board-approved surveying curriculum 4
    Bachelor’s degree that is not in a board-approved surveying curriculum 5
    Associate degree and meets the college course requirements stated in subsection (c) 6
  3. The education of all applicants must include the following minimum level of education:
    1. Twelve (12) semester credit hours in college level mathematics, including at least a three (3) semester credit hour course in calculus or differential equations. One (1) course of no more than three (3) semester hours in statistics may count toward the required twelve (12).
    2. Five (5) semester credit hours in college level physics.
    3. Six (6) semester credit hours in any of the following college level science subjects:
      1. Chemistry.
      2. Astronomy.
      3. Physics.
      4. Geology.
      5. Botany.
      6. Dendrology.
    4. Twenty-seven (27) semester credit hours in college level surveying courses consisting of the following:
      1. Courses totaling at least twenty-four (24) semester credit hours that include substantial course work in each of the following eight (8) subjects:
        1. Land survey systems with substantial content related to the U.S. Public Land Survey System including the various instructions for surveys of the public lands, original surveys and resurveys, section corner perpetuation, lost and obliterated corners, and subdivision of sections.
        2. Property surveying.
        3. Analysis of and writing of property descriptions.
        4. Boundary law.
        5. Surveying calculations, including mensuration statistics.
        6. Subdivision planning and design.
        7. Control surveying including GPS.
        8. Geographic information systems (GIS).
      2. Courses totaling at least three (3) semester credit hours that include substantial course work in one (1) of the following:
        1. Topographic surveying.
        2. Photogrammetric surveying.
        3. Route surveying.
        4. Construction surveying.
      3. One (1) basic engineering course related to roads, stormdrainage, and sanitary sewer extensions may be counted toward the requirements of this clause.
    Title 865 State Board of Registration for Professional Land Surveyors

No experience obtained before the applicant’s 18th birthday shall qualify.

The surveying experience must be progressive in nature and show that the applicant has demonstrated the ability to assume continuously increasing levels of responsibility and sophistication in the surveying activities listed in 865 IAC 1-12-3(a).

At least 60% of an applicant’s surveying experience must be in the activities listed in IC 25-21.5-1-7(b)(4) through IC 25-21.5-1-7(b)(7).

License Application and Instruction

Visit the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency for more information on licensing requirements and how to submit an application.

Renewal Requirements for Registered Land Surveyors

Rule 15. Continuing Education

865 IAC 1-15-1 Continuing education

Sec. 1.
  1. This rule establishes the continuing education requirements for registered land surveyors.
  2. Failure to complywith this rule may subject the registered land surveyor to action under IC 25-1-4-5 and IC 25-1-4-6. (State Board of Registration for Professional Surveyors; 865 IAC 1-15-1; filed Feb 12, 2010, 2:56 p.m.: 20100310-IR-865090270FRA;readopted filed Nov 9, 2012, 11:26 a.m.: 20121205-IR-865120390RFA;readopted filed Nov 29, 2018, 10:35 a.m.: 20181226-IR865180404RFA)

865 IAC 1-15-2 Continuing education requirements

Sec. 2.
  1. Registered land surveyors must complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education in order to qualify for the biennial renewal of the land surveyor’s license in an active status. The twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education requirement must include both of the following:
    1. A minimum of six (6) continuing education hours in mandatory topics as defined in section 6 of this rule.
    2. A minimum of eighteen (18) continuing education hours in elective topics as defined in section 7 of this rule.
  2. New registrants are not required to comply with the continuing education requirements stated in subsection (a) at the first renewal of his or her license.
  3. No single elective course may count for more than twelve (12) hours of continuing education. Hours in excess of twelve (12) granted for any single elective course shall not be applied to the hours of continuing education required in the renewal period except as otherwise allowed under subsection (e).
  4. College courses taken after licensure that qualify for continuing education credit under section 5 ofthis rule will be counted as follows:
    1. Ten (10) hours of continuing education credit per credit hour taken in a quarter system.
    2. Fifteen (15) hours of continuing education credit per credit hour taken in a semester system.
    However, college credit earned under this section and applied as elective continuing education hours must comply with the requirements of subsection (c).
  5. Up to four (4) hours of elective continuing education topics earned, but not used, in one (1) renewal period may be applied to the hours required in the next renewal period. Proper documentation of any such hours shall be submitted as required by the board.
    6. (State Board of Registration for Professional Surveyors; 865 IAC 1-15-2; filed Feb 12, 2010, 2:56 p.m.: 20100310-IR865090270FRA; readopted filedNov 9, 2012, 11:26 a.m.: 20121205-IR-865120390RFA; readopted filedNov 29, 2018, 10:35 a.m.: 20181226-IR-865180404RFA) Title 865 State Board of Registration for Professional Land Surveyors