A Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) in Alabama is a licensed professional authorized to determine property boundaries, prepare legal descriptions, and officially map land features. This role requires the application of mathematical principles and an understanding of property law to protect public welfare and property rights. Because a land surveyor’s work has legal implications for infrastructure and real estate development, the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (APELS) mandates a multi-stage licensing process. An individual must satisfy specific educational, experiential, and examination requirements to legally practice and sign and seal survey documents in the state.
Educational Prerequisites for Licensure
The path to licensure begins with obtaining a degree that meets the Board’s specific academic standards. APELS generally requires a four-year degree from a program that is either ABET-accredited in surveying or a related field, or a civil engineering curriculum approved by the Board. This education provides the necessary foundation in geomatics, boundary law, and measurement science.
For a degree to be considered approved, it must include a minimum of 15 semester hours of specialized land surveying coursework. Alternative pathways exist for those with an approved associate of science degree in surveying, though these options necessitate additional years of qualifying experience. The educational background is the initial foundation upon which APELS evaluates a candidate’s eligibility to progress to the intern stage.
The Land Surveyor Intern Designation
Securing the Land Surveyor Intern (LSI) designation is the official first step toward full professional licensure. Candidates typically apply for this designation either shortly before or immediately following the completion of their qualifying degree program.
The designation is awarded upon passing the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) examination, a national test administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). This exam assesses the candidate’s mastery of basic surveying theory and foundational knowledge acquired during their undergraduate studies. Successful passage of the FS exam allows the candidate to officially begin accruing the required professional experience necessary for the next stages of licensure.
Gaining Required Professional Experience
After achieving LSI certification, a candidate must complete a period of surveying experience under the direct supervision of a licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PLS). For graduates of an approved four-year program, the minimum experience requirement is typically four years. This time must be spent actively engaged in a variety of surveying tasks, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility and technical judgment.
The experience gained must be diverse, covering both field and office work, and must go beyond routine data collection to include boundary resolution and research. Candidates must maintain detailed work logs that document the scope, duration, and nature of the projects they work on. This documentation is rigorously reviewed by APELS, which also requires professional references from supervising surveyors to verify the quality of the work performed.
Passing the Licensure Examinations
Full licensure requires passing two comprehensive examinations after the education and experience requirements have been met. The first is the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam, which is designed for experienced professionals and tests the application of advanced surveying principles. This national exam covers legal principles, project management, and advanced measurement systems.
The second examination is the state-specific component, formally known as the Alabama Land Surveying Standards, History, and Law (ALSS) exam. This test ensures the candidate is proficient in the local statutes, regulations, and case law governing land tenure and boundary establishment within the state. The ALSS exam covers Alabama laws related to surveying, ethics, and the specific standards of practice. Passing both the national PS exam and the state-specific ALSS exam confirms a candidate possesses the technical expertise and the localized legal knowledge necessary to practice independently.
Submitting Your Final Application
The final stage of the licensing process is the submission of the application package to APELS. This involves compiling all documentation that verifies the candidate has successfully completed every prerequisite. The applicant must submit official educational transcripts, the LSI certification, and verified passing scores for both the NCEES PS and the state-specific ALSS examinations.
A substantial portion of the final application focuses on the experience verification forms, which include detailed logs of the candidate’s work history and formal references from licensed Professional Land Surveyors who supervised the work. APELS staff conducts a thorough review of this package to confirm the experience meets the required standards. Once all documents are validated and administrative fees are paid, the Board grants the official Professional Land Surveyor license.
Maintaining Your Professional License
After receiving the PLS license, the surveyor must adhere to the Board’s requirements for Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) to maintain an active license status. Licensed surveyors in Alabama are required to earn a minimum of 15 Professional Development Hours (PDH) annually, or 30 PDH if renewing on a biennial cycle. These hours must be relevant to the practice of land surveying and contribute to the enhancement of technical or ethical skills.
Specific mandatory hours must be included in the total PDH count. All licensed land surveyors must complete 1 PDH on ethics every year and a minimum of 4 PDH every two years focusing on the Standards of Practice for Surveying in the State of Alabama. Failure to meet these specific CPC requirements by the renewal deadline can result in the license becoming inactive, requiring a formal reinstatement process.