MD Land Surveyor study guide
MD Land Surveyor · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Maryland Professional Land Surveyor license is a credential issued by the Maryland Department of Labor for individuals who perform land surveying for the public. The Department of Labor describes its mission to protect workers, consumers, and the public, and it lists occupational and professional licensing among its services. This page is an independent study resource for candidates preparing for the Maryland land surveyor exam. The exam covers four domains: Land Surveying Fundamentals; Boundary Determination and Retracement; Surveying Mathematics and Measurement Analysis; and Maryland Laws, Standards, and Professional Practice. Topics on this exam: Land Surveying Fundamentals, Boundary Determination and Retracement, Surveying Mathematics and Measurement Analysis, and Maryland Laws, Standards, and Professional Practice. The MD Land Surveyor study guide has 4 sections and about 1,251 words.
01Land Surveying Fundamentals
This domain tests the measurement backbone of practice: instruments, datums, field procedures, and error analysis. Expect items on total stations, levels, GNSS, coordinate systems, and the difference between accuracy and precision. Horizontal positions are commonly referenced to the Maryland Coordinate System (NAD83); vertical work uses a published datum such as NAVD 88. Datum and epoch matter for GNSS-derived coordinates.
341 words, about 2 min02Boundary Determination and Retracement
This domain tests legal boundary reasoning: how survey evidence is weighed, how senior rights are applied, and how a retracement differs from a new subdivision. Maryland items often turn on monument calls, possession, and deed interpretation. A retracement follows the original surveyor's footsteps; it does not create a new boundary merely because measurements differ. Evidence hierarchy generally favors original monuments called for in the deed, then natural monuments, then artificial monuments, then courses and distances, then area.
308 words, about 2 min03Surveying Mathematics and Measurement Analysis
This domain tests computation: coordinate geometry, traverse closure, area, adjustments, and basic statistical evaluation. Items reward clean sign conventions and correct unit conversions. Latitude = distance × cos(bearing/azimuth); departure = distance × sin(bearing/azimuth). Sum latitudes and departures to obtain closure.
260 words, about 1 min04Maryland Laws, Standards, and Professional Practice
This domain tests the regulatory frame: licensure, Board authority, minimum standards, seals, continuing education, and ethics. Maryland-specific items often ask what a licensee may sign and what a plat must show. The Maryland Code, Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 15 governs professional land surveying. The State Board of Professional Land Surveyors, within the Maryland Department of Labor, administers licensure, examinations, renewal, and discipline.
342 words, about 2 min