AL Land Surveyor study guide
AL Land Surveyor · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Alabama Professional Land Surveyor Examination is the licensing exam used by the Alabama State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to evaluate candidates for the land surveyor license in Alabama. It is intended for surveyors who have completed the required education and progressive experience and are ready to be examined on the knowledge and judgment expected of an independent professional. The AL Land Surveyor study guide has 9 sections and about 1,934 words.
01Boundary Surveying and Retracement
Retracement means recovering the location of an existing boundary as it was originally established, not creating a new one. A candidate must know the hierarchy of evidence: natural monuments, artificial monuments, courses and distances, then area.
254 words, about 1 min02Subdivision Platting and Lot Layout
Platting converts raw land into lots, blocks, streets, and dedications. Candidates must understand the platting process, the difference between a plat and a metes-and-bounds description, lot-and-block numbering, dedication of rights-of-way, and the requirement that plats close within acceptable error.
271 words, about 1 min03Easements, Rights-of-Way, and Encumbrances
An easement is a nonpossessory right to use another's land. Candidates must distinguish appurtenant from in gross, affirmative from negative, and prescriptive from express easements.
240 words, about 1 min04Control Surveying and Geodetic Surveying
Control provides the framework for all surveys. Candidates must understand horizontal and vertical control, the difference between geodetic and assumed coordinates, state plane coordinate systems, map projections, and the effect of scale factor and elevation factor on ground distances.
208 words, about 1 min05Topographic Surveying and Mapping
Topographic surveys locate natural and cultural features and depict relief. Candidates must know contour intervals, contour characteristics (they never cross except at overhangs), spot elevations, and the difference between planimetric and topographic maps.
189 words, under 1 min06Construction Surveying
Construction surveying stakes the design. Candidates must understand horizontal and vertical alignment, stationing, cut and fill, slope staking, and as-built surveys.
195 words, under 1 min07Measurement and Computations
Candidates must be fluent in coordinate geometry, traverse computations, area by coordinates, and error propagation. Know latitude and departure, bearing conversions, inverse computations, and the closure ratio.
179 words, under 1 min08Legal Principles and Professional Ethics
Surveyors must understand boundary law principles, the role of the surveyor as an expert witness, and ethical duties to the public and clients. Key doctrines include adverse possession, prescription, estoppel, and the hierarchy of evidence.
214 words, about 1 min09Alabama Statutes and Board Regulations
Candidates must know the Alabama licensing framework, including the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, licensure requirements, continuing education, and the statutes governing practice. Know the definitions of land surveying, the prohibition on practicing without a license, and the requirements for sealing and signing work.
184 words, under 1 min