AR Land Surveyor

Arkansas Professional Surveyor (PS) Licensure Examination

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About this exam

The Arkansas Professional Surveyor (PS) credential is issued by the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors, a board housed within the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. The board's site organizes surveyor licensure into a progression: Surveyor Intern (SI) qualifications and licensure overview, then Professional Surveyor (PS) qualifications and licensure overview, with separate pages covering exam verification and study material, rules, laws and standards, license renewal, complaint and enforcement, and rosters of licensed individuals and firms. Candidates should treat those board pages, not third-party summaries, as the authoritative source for eligibility, application forms, and renewal requirements. This practice set is organized around six domains weighted as follows: Legal Principles and Arkansas Survey Law (20%), Boundary Determination and Retracement (20%), Measurement and Computation/Field Procedures (20%), Geodesy and Coordinate Systems (15%), Mapping, Platting, and Subdivision (15%), and Business Practices and Professional Ethics (10%). Preparation should combine a careful reading of the board's rules and statutes with worked problems in boundary retracement, coordinate geometry, and plat checking. No exam duration, item count, passing score, fee, retake policy, or license validity period is published in the source material reviewed here, so none is stated; confirm those details directly with the board before scheduling.

What you'll study

Common questions

About AR Land Surveyor preparation

Who issues the Arkansas Professional Surveyor license?

The State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors, listed under Licensing on the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing website. The board publishes its own pages for Surveyor Intern and Professional Surveyor qualifications and licensure overviews, plus rules, laws and standards, forms, and renewal information.

What does the board's site say about the exam itself?

The board maintains a page titled "Verification of Exams/License & Study Material." That page is the place to confirm exam logistics and study references. The source material reviewed here does not state the exam's length, question count, passing score, or fee, so verify those details with the board rather than relying on secondhand figures.

How should I sequence my study across the six domains?

Start with Legal Principles and Arkansas Survey Law and Boundary Determination and Retracement, since together they carry 40% of the weight and underpin everything else. Add Measurement and Computation next, then Geodesy and Coordinate Systems, then Mapping, Platting, and Subdivision. Keep Business Practices and Professional Ethics for periodic review rather than a single block.

Where do I find the Arkansas statutes and rules that govern surveying?

The board publishes a Rules/Laws/Standards page and a Publications page, and the state portal links to the Arkansas Code. Read the board's own rules and standards directly, since statutory citations and board rule numbers change and secondary outlines frequently lag behind. Use those primary documents as your authority for legal-principles questions.

What are the most common ways candidates lose points?

Two patterns dominate. First, answering boundary questions from general memory of surveying doctrine instead of the hierarchy of evidence and the specific language of Arkansas law. Second, computational slips in coordinate geometry, area, and plat closure checks. Show your setup, carry units consistently, and sanity-check magnitudes before selecting an answer.

Is there a retake policy or waiting period I should plan around?

The source material reviewed here does not state a retake policy, waiting period, or attempt limit. Because those terms are set by board rule and can be revised, confirm the current policy with the board before you sit for the exam, and build your study schedule so a single attempt is the realistic plan.

How long is a Professional Surveyor license valid, and how do I renew?

The board maintains a dedicated License Renewal page and a Forms page for applications, renewals, and disciplinary matters. The source reviewed here does not state a validity period, so check the renewal page for the current cycle and any continuing education obligation rather than assuming a term length.

What is the difference between the SI and PS pathways on the board site?

The board separates Surveyor Intern (SI) materials from Professional Surveyor (PS) materials, each with its own qualifications page and licensure overview. Read the SI pages first if you have not yet been approved as an intern, then the PS qualifications page, so you meet prerequisites in the order the board expects.

Does holding a license in another state transfer to Arkansas?

The board publishes pages on Military Licensure Reciprocity and an Out-of-State Licensure Act for Arkansas residents, and the Department of Labor and Licensing hosts an Automatic Occupational Licensure document under 17-7-104. Eligibility depends on your circumstances, so review those specific pages and contact the board before applying.

How do I verify that a surveyor or firm is licensed in Arkansas?

Use the board's PEPS Rosters, which are split into a Firms roster and an Individual roster. Firms may also fall under Certificate of Authorization requirements, which have their own overview and qualifications pages. Checking the roster is the reliable way to confirm current standing before you rely on another party's work.