Requirements to Become a Professional Land Surveyor in South Carolina

SECTION 40‑22‑225. Eligibility requirements for license as surveyor.

    (A) A person having the necessary qualifications prescribed in this chapter to entitle him for a license is eligible for licensure.

    (B) To be eligible for certification as a surveyor‑in‑training, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in the English language. When the evidence presented in the application does not appear to the board conclusive nor warranting the issuing of a certificate of registration, the applicant may be required to present further evidence for the consideration of the board. The applicant also must meet the requirements of the other pertinent sections of this chapter. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for certification as a surveyor‑in‑training is graduation from a school or college of four or more years with a board‑approved degree or an ABET commission accredited curriculum in a related field, including not less than twelve semester hours or the equivalent in quarter hours of discipline‑specific courses satisfactory to the board in each of the disciplines described in Section 40‑22‑20(26) for which the applicant is requesting licensure and has passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying examination as prescribed by the board.

    (C) To be eligible for licensure and registration as a professional surveyor TIER A, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in the English language. When the evidence presented in the application does not appear to the board conclusive or does not warrant the issuing of a certificate of registration, the applicant may be required to present further evidence for the consideration of the board. The applicant also must meet the requirements of the other pertinent sections of this chapter. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for licensure as a TIER A Professional Surveyor is graduation from a school or college of four or more years with a board‑approved degree, an ABET commission accredited curriculum in a related field, including completed discipline‑specific courses of not less than twelve semester hours or the equivalent in quarter hours satisfactory to the board in each of the disciplines described in Section 40‑22‑20(26) for which the applicant is requesting licensure, a specific record of four or more years of progressive practical experience of a character satisfactory to the board and performed under a practicing registered professional surveyor, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying examination and the Principles and Practice of Surveying examination in the discipline for which the applicant is requesting licensure.

    (D) To be eligible for licensure and registration as a professional land surveyor TIER B, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in the English language. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for licensure as a TIER B Professional Land Surveyor is graduation from a school or college of four or more years with a board‑approved degree, including in the curriculum not less than fifteen semester hours or the equivalent in quarter hours of surveying, mapping, hydraulics, and hydrology courses satisfactory to the board, or a bachelor of engineering technology degree in an ABET commission accredited curriculum of surveying or engineering technology, including in the curriculum not less than twelve semester hours or the equivalent in quarter hours of surveying, mapping, hydraulics, and hydrology courses satisfactory to the board, a specific record of four or more years of progressive practical experience of a character satisfactory to the board and performed under a practicing registered surveyor, and passing the NCEES Surveyor‑in‑Training Fundamentals of Surveying examination and the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying examination.

    (E) An applicant shall take state‑specific examinations the board considers necessary to establish that the applicant’s qualifications satisfy the requirements of this chapter and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter.