AR Land Surveyor study guide
AR Land Surveyor · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
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. The AR Land Surveyor study guide has 6 sections and about 1,395 words.
01Legal Principles and Arkansas Survey Law
A candidate must know the hierarchy of boundary evidence (natural monuments, artificial monuments, courses and distances, area), the elements of adverse possession, easements by prescription and necessity, and the distinction between a surveyor's professional duty and the practice of law. Arkansas-specific material includes the Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors, the requirement that boundary surveys be performed under responsible charge of a licensed surveyor, and the state's recording statutes for plats and corner records.
301 words, about 2 min02Boundary Determination and Retracement
Retracement means re-establishing original boundaries from the record, not creating new ones. Master proportional measurement, single and double proportion, and the rules for restoring lost corners versus obliterated corners.
241 words, about 1 min03Measurement and Computation (Field Procedures)
Expect questions on total station and GNSS field procedures, angular closure, traverse adjustment (compass rule and transit rule), and coordinate geometry. Know how to compute latitudes and departures, misclosure, and precision ratios (e.g., 1:10,000).
226 words, about 1 min04Geodesy and Coordinate Systems
Know the ellipsoid, geoid, and datum relationships; the difference between NAD27, NAD83, and modern realizations; and the role of the Arkansas State Plane Coordinate System (typically in feet, with zones covering the state). Understand map projections, scale factor, convergence, and how grid vs.
217 words, about 1 min05Mapping, Platting, and Subdivision
Know plat requirements, the distinction between a plat and a map, and the elements a subdivision plat must show (boundaries, lot lines, dimensions, bearings, curve data, dedications, signatures, and certifications). Understand curve terminology-radius, delta, tangent, length, chord, and degree of curve-and how to compute them.
210 words, about 1 min06Business Practices and Professional Ethics
Know the surveyor's ethical duties: competence, honesty, confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, and accurate representation of qualifications. Understand contract essentials, scope of work, liability, and the role of standard-of-care.
200 words, about 1 min