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MO Land Surveyor practice questions

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Question 1Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the U.S. Public Land Survey System, what does a township designation such as T4N, R3W describe?

  1. A tract measured from the nearest standard parallel rather than from the principal meridian
  2. A six-mile-square tract located four townships north of the baseline and three ranges west of the principal meridian Correct answer.
  3. A numbered section four north and three west inside a single township
  4. A parcel four miles north and three miles west of the nearest section corner

Explanation

A township is a six-mile-square unit of the PLSS, and its designation gives its position in townships north or south of the baseline and in ranges east or west of the principal meridian. The township number counts township tiers, not miles or section numbers.

Question 2Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A metes-and-bounds deed calls for a line running 'thence North 45 degrees East, 100 feet to a stone.' What does the 45 degrees measure?

  1. The interior angle at the beginning of the call
  2. The angle between the line and the north meridian Correct answer.
  3. The angle between the line and the east meridian
  4. The deflection angle from the preceding course

Explanation

A bearing of North 45 degrees East is measured from the north meridian, turning toward the east. Bearings are azimuths or quadrant angles referenced to a meridian, not interior or deflection angles unless the deed says so.

Question 3Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which term describes a natural or artificial object that marks a boundary corner and is called for in the deed?

  1. A tie line
  2. A reference mark
  3. A monument Correct answer.
  4. A bearing base

Explanation

A monument is the physical object at or near a corner that the deed calls for, and it controls the location of that corner when it can be identified. Reference marks and tie lines are aids used to relocate a monument, not the called-for monument itself.

Question 4Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In boundary retracement, which rule generally gives the highest priority when evidence conflicts?

  1. Natural monuments called for in the deed Correct answer.
  2. The area stated in the deed
  3. Adjoining deed descriptions
  4. Courses and distances recited in the deed

Explanation

The hierarchy of evidence places natural monuments above artificial monuments, then courses and distances, then area. Called-for natural monuments are the most reliable evidence of the original surveyor's intent.

Question 5Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What is the primary purpose of a boundary retracement survey?

  1. To certify the area of a parcel for tax assessment
  2. To reestablish the location of an existing boundary as originally established Correct answer.
  3. To divide a parcel into new lots for sale
  4. To create a new boundary line where none previously existed

Explanation

Retracement seeks to recover and mark the position of boundaries as they were originally established, following the footsteps of the original surveyor. Creating new lines or lots is a subdivision or original survey, not a retracement.

Question 6Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel as 'the East half of the Northwest quarter of Section 14.' How many acres does that normally contain in the PLSS?

  1. 80 acres Correct answer.
  2. 160 acres
  3. 20 acres
  4. 40 acres

Explanation

A section contains 640 acres, so a quarter section is 160 acres and half of that quarter is 80 acres. The aliquot parts halve the area at each step.

Question 7Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What does the term 'adverse possession' refer to in boundary law?

  1. A written easement granted by a neighbor
  2. A survey method for locating unmarked corners by proportion
  3. The right of a surveyor to enter private land to retrace a boundary
  4. Acquiring title to land through open, notorious, hostile, and continuous possession for the statutory period Correct answer.

Explanation

Adverse possession is a doctrine by which a person may acquire title by possessing land in a manner that is actual, open, notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the statutory period. It is a title theory, not a survey technique or easement.

Question 8Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which document typically provides the written description that a boundary surveyor retraces?

  1. The county tax map
  2. The zoning ordinance
  3. The recorded deed Correct answer.
  4. The surveyor's field notes only

Explanation

The deed is the written instrument that conveys and describes the parcel, and its calls define the boundary to be retraced. Field notes, tax maps, and zoning maps are supporting or regulatory records, not the conveyance itself.

Question 9Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a line 'to the center of Mill Creek' as the boundary. What is the general rule for the boundary location?

  1. The boundary follows the near bank as the deed's grantor owned to the bank
  2. The boundary follows the ordinary high-water mark on the grantee's side
  3. The boundary follows the thread (centerline) of the stream unless the deed states otherwise Correct answer.
  4. The boundary is fixed at the location of the creek on the date of the survey

Explanation

When a deed calls for a non-navigable stream as a boundary without further qualification, the boundary generally runs to the thread or centerline of the stream. The grantor retains no strip between the bank and the centerline under that rule.

Question 10Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds a pipe at a corner that is not called for in the deed but is consistent with other evidence. How should it be treated?

  1. As a natural monument with highest priority
  2. As an uncalled-for monument that may be accepted only if it is shown to be reliable evidence of the original corner Correct answer.
  3. As controlling evidence that automatically overrides all deed calls
  4. As irrelevant and to be ignored entirely

Explanation

An uncalled-for monument is not part of the deed's description, so it must be evaluated for reliability and consistency with other evidence before it is accepted. It does not automatically control merely because it is found.

Question 11Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed gives both a call to a monument and a distance that conflicts with the monument's position. Under the rules of construction, which generally controls?

  1. The monument call Correct answer.
  2. The distance call
  3. The most recent survey measurement
  4. The stated area

Explanation

Monuments generally control over courses and distances because the monument is the physical evidence of the corner as originally set. Distances yield to the monument when the monument can be identified as the one called for.

Question 12Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the PLSS, what is the purpose of a standard parallel?

  1. To define the boundary of a meandered water body
  2. To mark the centerline of each section
  3. To establish the bearing base for metes-and-bounds deeds
  4. To correct for convergence of meridians and limit the effects of error accumulation in township tiers Correct answer.

Explanation

Standard parallels are correction lines run east-west at intervals to absorb the convergence of meridians and prevent error from accumulating over many townships. They are not section lines or water boundaries.

Question 13Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor must restore a lost section corner in a regular section. Which method is generally appropriate?

  1. Set the corner at the geometric center of the section
  2. Proportion the position between the nearest existing original corners on the section lines Correct answer.
  3. Reestablish the corner at the nearest found pipe
  4. Use the average of all distances in the township

Explanation

A lost corner is restored by proportioning between the nearest reliable original corners along the line, consistent with the original government survey. Setting a corner at a geometric center or at an unrelated found pipe ignores the original evidence.

Question 14Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What distinguishes a 'meander line' from a boundary line along a navigable water body?

  1. A meander line is the centerline of the water body
  2. A meander line is a reference line used to compute area of the water body, while the actual boundary is the water's edge or high-water mark Correct answer.
  3. A meander line is set by the county assessor as the tax boundary
  4. A meander line is the true legal boundary of the upland owner

Explanation

Meander lines are run to approximate the water boundary for area computation and are not themselves the legal boundary. The boundary of the upland is generally the water's edge or the ordinary high-water mark.

Question 15Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed uses a bearing base of 'North 10 degrees East' for its first course, but the surveyor's record shows the original bearing base was magnetic north at the time of the survey. What should the retracement surveyor do?

  1. Assume the deed bearings are true north and compare directly
  2. Adopt the current magnetic north as the deed base without adjustment
  3. Ignore the record bearing base and rely on distances alone
  4. Rotate the deed bearings to a common base using the record evidence before comparing them to field measurements Correct answer.

Explanation

Bearings are meaningful only relative to their stated base, so the retracement must reduce all bearings to a common reference before comparing deed calls with field evidence. Assuming true north or current magnetic north misstates the original orientation.

Question 16Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What is the effect of a 'senior rights' principle when two deeds overlap?

  1. The later conveyance always prevails because it is more recent
  2. The overlap is divided equally between the owners
  3. The overlap is resolved by the county surveyor's discretion
  4. The earlier conveyance generally prevails over the later one as to the overlapping area Correct answer.

Explanation

Under senior rights, the first conveyance of a parcel generally takes priority over a later grant by the same grantor to the extent of the overlap. The later grantee takes only what the grantor still owned.

Question 17Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A boundary line is described as running 'thence South 30 degrees West 200 feet to a point on the bank of a pond.' The pond has since receded gradually. What is the general rule for the boundary?

  1. The boundary shifts only if the change is sudden and avulsive
  2. The boundary generally moves with the gradual recession of the water under the doctrine of accretion Correct answer.
  3. The boundary is redrawn to the centerline of the pond
  4. The boundary remains fixed at the original bank location

Explanation

Gradual and imperceptible changes in a water boundary cause the boundary to move with the water under accretion. Sudden avulsive changes, by contrast, generally do not move the boundary.

Question 18Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What is an 'easement by prescription'?

  1. A written grant of access recorded with the deed
  2. A temporary license revocable at will
  3. A right of use acquired by open, continuous, and adverse use for the statutory period Correct answer.
  4. A statutory right of way held by a utility company

Explanation

A prescriptive easement arises from use that is open, notorious, continuous, and adverse for the statutory period, similar to adverse possession but creating a right of use rather than title. It is not a written grant or a revocable license.

Question 19Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds that the deed distance between two original monuments is 500.00 feet, but the field measurement is 500.30 feet. Which should the retracement surveyor generally adopt for the boundary?

  1. The average of the two distances
  2. The field distance, because modern measurement is more precise
  3. The deed distance, ignoring the monuments
  4. The monument positions, with the deed distance treated as a check on the record Correct answer.

Explanation

When the original monuments are found and identified, their positions control the boundary, and the deed distance serves as a check on the record. Greater precision in a new measurement does not override the original monument evidence.

Question 20Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a metes-and-bounds description, what does a 'tie' or 'tie line' usually provide?

  1. A measured connection from a corner to a nearby reference object or line Correct answer.
  2. The area of the parcel
  3. The bearing base for the entire deed
  4. The legal description of an adjoining parcel

Explanation

A tie is a measured relationship between a corner and a reference object or line, used to help relocate the corner. It does not establish the bearing base, area, or adjoining parcel description.

Question 21Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A parcel is bounded on one side by a non-navigable stream that has gradually shifted its channel over decades. The deed calls for the stream as the boundary. How is the boundary generally treated?

  1. The boundary remains at the original thread location
  2. The boundary follows the gradual shift of the thread of the stream Correct answer.
  3. The boundary is fixed by the deed's distance call regardless of the stream
  4. The boundary is set at the ordinary high-water mark on the grantor's side

Explanation

For a non-navigable stream called as a boundary, the boundary generally follows the thread of the stream and moves with gradual changes. A fixed original thread would apply only to avulsive change.

Question 22Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Two adjoining deeds each describe a common boundary line, but one deed calls for a stone and the other calls for a distance that places the line elsewhere. The stone is found and matches the first deed. What is the strongest basis for resolving the conflict?

  1. The conflict is resolved by the larger stated area
  2. The line should be placed midway between the two described positions
  3. The second deed prevails because it was recorded later
  4. The found stone is a called-for monument and generally controls over the conflicting distance in the adjoining deed Correct answer.

Explanation

A called-for monument that is found and identified is strong evidence of the common boundary and generally controls over a mere distance call in the adjoining deed. Recording order and area are not the controlling rules for this monument-versus-distance conflict.

Question 23Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a PLSS section finds that the north line of the section is shorter than 5,280 feet because of convergence. Where should the excess or deficiency be placed when restoring interior quarter corners?

  1. The shortage is assigned to the adjoining section to the north
  2. The section is treated as a perfect square regardless of measurement
  3. All of the shortage is placed in the northwest quarter
  4. The excess or deficiency is distributed by proportion along the line between the controlling corners Correct answer.

Explanation

In PLSS restoration, excess or deficiency along a line is distributed by proportionate measurement between the controlling corners. Assigning the entire shortage to one quarter or ignoring the measurement is inconsistent with proportionate methods.

Question 24Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed conveys land bounded by a highway described as 'the county road as now located.' The road is later relocated. What is the general rule for the boundary?

  1. The boundary is void because the road moved
  2. The boundary moves with the relocated road
  3. The boundary is generally fixed at the location of the road as it existed at the time of the conveyance Correct answer.
  4. The boundary follows the centerline of the new road

Explanation

A call to a highway 'as now located' generally fixes the boundary at the road's location when the deed was made, so a later relocation does not move the boundary. A call to a road without such limiting language may be treated differently.

Question 25Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is asked to retrace a boundary where the original surveyor's field notes show a bearing base of 'variation 8 degrees East.' The current magnetic declination is 4 degrees East. How should the deed bearings be interpreted?

  1. The deed bearings are unreliable and should be disregarded
  2. The deed bearings should be used as true bearings without correction
  3. The deed bearings should be corrected using the current 4 degrees East declination
  4. The deed bearings should be corrected using the recorded variation of 8 degrees East, not the current declination Correct answer.

Explanation

The recorded variation at the time of the original survey defines the relationship between the deed's magnetic bearings and true north. Using the current declination would misstate the original orientation of the lines.

Question 26Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A retracement surveyor finds that a monument called for in the deed is a 3/4-inch iron pipe set at the described corner, while a nearby 1/2-inch rebar with a surveyor's cap bearing a different license number sits 0.8 foot away. Both appear old and undisturbed. Under the hierarchy of evidence, which monument most likely controls the corner?

  1. The 3/4-inch iron pipe, because it matches the deed call. Correct answer.
  2. Neither monument, because conflicting evidence requires the corner to be re-established by proportion.
  3. The 1/2-inch rebar, because capped monuments outrank uncapped ones.
  4. The 1/2-inch rebar, because a later-set monument supersedes an earlier one.

Explanation

When retracing, the surveyor must first search for the monument the deed actually calls for. A monument that matches the record call, is undisturbed, and occupies the expected position is the best evidence of the original corner, even if another marker lies nearby. Only when the called-for monument is lost or disturbed does the surveyor move down the hierarchy of evidence.

Question 27Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the hierarchy of evidence used to resolve a conflict within a single deed description, which item generally ranks highest?

  1. Area in acres
  2. Distances in feet
  3. Bearings and angles
  4. Natural or artificial monuments Correct answer.

Explanation

The traditional rule of construction ranks monuments above courses and distances, and both of those above area. The reasoning is that a monument is a physical object the parties actually saw and intended, while distances and areas are more prone to scrivener error. Area is the weakest call and yields first.

Question 28Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary to run 'to a white oak stump at the edge of the swamp.' The stump has rotted away completely and no trace remains, but two nearby original bearing trees and the record distances from two other original corners are intact. What is the most defensible method for restoring the lost corner?

  1. Set the corner at the intersection of the record bearings from the two intact original corners. Correct answer.
  2. Set the corner at the average of the positions derived from each intact bearing tree.
  3. Set the corner at the record distance along the record bearing from the nearest original corner only.
  4. Set the corner by single proportion between the nearest found original corners along the line.

Explanation

When a corner monument is lost but other original monuments survive, the corner is restored by intersecting lines of record bearing from those surviving original corners. This preserves the original survey geometry better than relying on a single corner or on proportion. Proportion is reserved for situations where the original corners along the line cannot be recovered.

Question 29Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a metes-and-bounds parcel discovers that the deed distance along a line is 640.00 feet, but measurement between the two original monuments that the deed calls for yields 639.42 feet. How should the surveyor treat this discrepancy?

  1. Hold the monuments and note the discrepancy, since monuments control over distance. Correct answer.
  2. Hold the record distance and ignore the monuments.
  3. Average the record and measured distances.
  4. Reject both and set the line by proportion.

Explanation

Called-for original monuments control over record distances in a retracement. The surveyor should hold the monuments, document the measured distance, and explain the discrepancy in the record. Distances in a deed are subject to error and yield to physical evidence of the original survey.

Question 30Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed's first course reads 'thence North 12 degrees East 300 feet,' but the original surveyor's field notes state that bearings were referenced to a magnetic meridian with declination 8 degrees East at the time of survey. A retracing surveyor today measures a magnetic bearing of North 4 degrees East on the same line. What does this most likely indicate about the original line?

  1. The deed bearing was transcribed incorrectly from the field notes.
  2. The original surveyor made a 4-degree error in the field notes.
  3. The line has rotated 4 degrees since the original survey.
  4. The line is consistent with the record when the difference in magnetic declination is accounted for. Correct answer.

Explanation

Bearings in old deeds are typically referenced to the magnetic meridian in effect when the survey was made. Because magnetic declination changes over time, a modern magnetic reading will differ from the record bearing by roughly the change in declination. The retracing surveyor should compare bearings on a common basis rather than treating the difference as an error.

Question 31Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Two adjacent deeds overlap along a common boundary. Deed A was recorded in 1950 and describes the line to a stone monument; Deed B was recorded in 1975 and describes the line by distance only. Under the senior rights principle, how is the overlap generally resolved?

  1. The overlap is divided equally between the two owners.
  2. The senior deed prevails to the extent of the overlap. Correct answer.
  3. The overlap is treated as a strip owned by the state.
  4. The junior deed prevails because it is more recent.

Explanation

Under senior rights, the earlier conveyance generally prevails over the later one to the extent of any overlap. The junior grantor could convey only what remained after the senior grant, so the junior grantee takes subject to the senior boundary. Monuments in the senior deed further strengthen its position.

Question 32Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel bounded on the east by 'the thread of Little River, a non-navigable stream.' Over 40 years the stream has gradually eroded its east bank and deposited on the west bank, shifting the channel eastward by 15 feet. How is the boundary affected?

  1. The boundary moves only if the shift exceeds the statutory minimum.
  2. The boundary is extinguished because the stream is non-navigable.
  3. The boundary remains fixed at the original thread location.
  4. The boundary moves with the thread of the stream under the doctrine of accretion. Correct answer.

Explanation

For a non-navigable stream, a deed to the thread carries the boundary with the thread as the channel gradually shifts through accretion and erosion. Gradual, imperceptible movement changes the boundary; sudden avulsion would not. The 15-foot gradual shift therefore relocates the ownership line.

Question 33Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed conveys land bounded by 'the meander line of the lake as surveyed in 1890.' The lake has since receded, exposing 20 acres between the meander line and the present water's edge. What is the general rule regarding the exposed land?

  1. The exposed land belongs to the state as sovereign land.
  2. The upland owner is limited to the 1890 meander line.
  3. The exposed land remains with the original grantor's heirs.
  4. The upland owner takes to the present water's edge under the doctrine of reliction. Correct answer.

Explanation

A meander line is generally not a boundary but a line run to compute area; the true boundary is the water's edge. When a lake gradually recedes, the upland owner gains the exposed land through reliction. The meander line does not cap the upland owner's title.

Question 34Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a section in the PLSS finds that the north boundary of the section measures 5,240 feet because of convergence, while the south boundary measures 5,280 feet. The section is regular in all other respects. Where should the closing corner on the north line be established?

  1. At the intersection of a line run due north from the south quarter corner with the north line. Correct answer.
  2. At 2,620 feet from the northeast corner, measured along the north line.
  3. At the midpoint of the north line, so that the two half-sections are equal in width.
  4. At 2,640 feet from the south quarter corner, measured along the north line.

Explanation

In a regular section, the quarter corner on the north line is established by running a line due north from the south quarter corner to intersect the north boundary. This preserves the north-south alignment of the subdivision-of-section lines. The resulting north half-sections may be slightly unequal in width, which is expected where convergence exists.

Question 35Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the Public Land Survey System, what is the function of a closing corner?

  1. It marks where a survey line closes on a previously established line and may not be a regular corner of the township grid. Correct answer.
  2. It marks the intersection of a standard parallel with a guide meridian.
  3. It marks the southeast corner of every section in a township.
  4. It marks the point where a base line crosses the principal meridian.

Explanation

A closing corner is set where a surveyed line, such as a township or section boundary, closes on an already established line. Because the closing line may not meet the prior line at a regular interval, the closing corner frequently does not coincide with the theoretical grid corner. It is recorded as a distinct corner type.

Question 36Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary where the deed calls for a line to run 'to the center of the county road.' The road has since been relocated 30 feet to the north. What is the general rule for locating the boundary?

  1. The boundary remains at the centerline of the road as it existed when the deed was written. Correct answer.
  2. The boundary follows the relocated road centerline.
  3. The boundary is set at the north right-of-way line of the relocated road.
  4. The boundary is void because the called-for monument no longer exists.

Explanation

When a deed bounds land by a road as it existed at the time of the conveyance, the road centerline at that time is the boundary. A later relocation of the road does not move the boundary unless the deed expressly provides that it follows the road as relocated. The original centerline must therefore be reconstructed from records.

Question 37Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary along a navigable river. Under the equal footing doctrine and the general common-law rule, where does the boundary of the upland owner typically lie?

  1. At the ordinary high water mark Correct answer.
  2. At the nearest bridge crossing
  3. At the low water mark of the far bank
  4. At the thread of the stream

Explanation

For navigable waters, title to the bed generally vested in the state at statehood under the equal footing doctrine, so the upland owner's boundary is typically the ordinary high water mark. For non-navigable streams, the boundary commonly extends to the thread. The distinction turns on navigability at the time of statehood.

Question 38Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary described as 'beginning at a point on the north line of the Jones tract, thence South 45 degrees East.' The Jones tract's north line is not monumented at the point of beginning, but the Jones deed is of record. What is the best approach to establish the point of beginning?

  1. Set the point of beginning by proportion along the entire Jones tract boundary.
  2. Set the point of beginning by measuring from the nearest found monument regardless of the Jones deed.
  3. Set the point of beginning at the midpoint of the Jones north line.
  4. Set the point of beginning at the record distance from the northeast corner of the Jones tract along its north line. Correct answer.

Explanation

A call for a point on a boundary line of a recorded tract is located by reference to that tract's own record description. The surveyor retraces the Jones tract from its controlling monuments and record calls, then measures along its north line per the subject deed. This ties the subject parcel to the senior record boundary.

Question 39Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds that the original surveyor's field notes report a bearing of North 60 degrees East for a line, while the deed based on those notes reports North 56 degrees East for the same line. Both documents are otherwise consistent. Which document generally governs the location of the line?

  1. The deed, because it is the conveyance of record.
  2. The document recorded first in time, regardless of content.
  3. The field notes, because they record the original surveyor's actual observations. Correct answer.
  4. Neither; the line must be re-run from scratch.

Explanation

When a deed description conflicts with the original surveyor's field notes from which it was drawn, the field notes generally reflect the actual survey and are treated as the better evidence of the original line. The discrepancy is likely a scrivener's error in the deed. The surveyor should hold the field-note bearing and document the conflict.

Question 40Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel as 'the Northwest quarter of the Southwest quarter of Section 22.' How many acres does that normally contain, assuming a regular section?

  1. 40 acres Correct answer.
  2. 10 acres
  3. 20 acres
  4. 80 acres

Explanation

A regular section contains 640 acres. A quarter-quarter aliquot part is one-sixteenth of a section, so 640 divided by 16 equals 40 acres. The Northwest quarter of the Southwest quarter is a single quarter-quarter, so it normally contains 40 acres.

Question 41Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

Under the Missouri minimum standards, what is the required retracement tolerance for an unimproved rural property boundary?

  1. 0.50 feet plus 200 ppm Correct answer.
  2. 0.20 feet plus 100 ppm
  3. 1.00 foot plus 500 ppm
  4. 0.10 feet plus 50 ppm

Explanation

Missouri's minimum standards set positional tolerances by property class. For unimproved or rural land the allowed misclosure is 0.50 feet plus 200 parts per million of the distance surveyed, which is looser than the urban standard.

Question 42Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

In Missouri, the state agency that administers the land survey program and maintains the state's survey records is the:

  1. Missouri Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
  2. Missouri Society of Professional Surveyors
  3. Missouri State Highway Patrol
  4. Missouri Department of Natural Resources Correct answer.

Explanation

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources houses the land survey program that keeps the state's survey archive and monument records. The Board of Registration handles licensure and discipline, not the survey records program.

Question 43Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

A Missouri licensed land surveyor must retain field notes, calculations, and other survey records for a minimum period of:

  1. Ten years after the survey is completed Correct answer.
  2. Five years after the survey is completed
  3. The life of the surveyor's license
  4. Two years after the survey is completed

Explanation

Missouri requires licensed land surveyors to keep survey records, including field notes and computations, for at least ten years after completion of the survey. This supports later retracement and protects the public.

Question 44Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

For an urban or improved property boundary survey in Missouri, the positional tolerance is:

  1. 0.05 feet plus 10 ppm
  2. 0.25 feet plus 100 ppm
  3. 0.10 feet plus 50 ppm Correct answer.
  4. 0.50 feet plus 200 ppm

Explanation

Missouri applies a tighter tolerance to improved urban parcels because improvements make boundary locations more critical. The standard is 0.10 feet plus 50 parts per million of the distance.

Question 45Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

When a Missouri surveyor sets a new corner monument, the minimum standards require that the monument be:

  1. A painted rock with no identification
  2. A steel pin with no cap or marking
  3. A wooden stake driven flush with the ground
  4. A durable marker with the surveyor's license number where practicable Correct answer.

Explanation

Missouri requires durable monuments that can be identified, and where practicable the surveyor's license number should appear on the cap or marker. This preserves the evidentiary value of the corner for future retracements.

Question 46Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

Under Missouri law, the practice of land surveying includes which of the following activities?

  1. Locating, relocating, and establishing property boundaries Correct answer.
  2. Designing interior lighting layouts
  3. Preparing architectural floor plans for a residence
  4. Estimating construction material quantities

Explanation

Missouri defines land surveying to include locating, relocating, establishing, and monumenting property boundaries and related measurements. Architectural and interior design tasks fall outside the statutory definition.

Question 47Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

A Missouri surveyor discovers an original government monument that is out of position relative to record bearings. The surveyor should:

  1. Report the monument to the county and stop work
  2. Ignore the monument and hold the record bearings
  3. Remove the monument and replace it with a new one
  4. Hold the monument and note the discrepancy in the survey Correct answer.

Explanation

Original monuments control over record measurements because they are the best available evidence of the original boundary location. The surveyor should hold the monument and document the discrepancy rather than overriding it with record bearings.

Question 48Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

To become licensed as a land surveyor in Missouri, an applicant must pass which examination?

  1. Only a state-specific Missouri statutes exam
  2. The Missouri real estate licensing exam
  3. The NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying and Principles and Practice of Surveying exams Correct answer.
  4. The bar examination

Explanation

Missouri uses the national NCEES examination sequence, consisting of the Fundamentals of Surveying and the Principles and Practice of Surveying, as part of licensure. A state-specific component may also apply but does not replace the national exams.

Question 49Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

A Missouri surveyor is preparing a boundary survey plat. Which item must appear on the plat to meet minimum standards?

  1. The client's Social Security number
  2. The lender's appraisal value
  3. The contractor's bid amount
  4. The surveyor's signature and license number Correct answer.

Explanation

Missouri requires survey plats to bear the surveyor's signature and license number to establish responsibility for the work. Personal financial data of the client is unrelated to the technical content of a plat.

Question 50Missouri Minimum Standards and State Statutes

Under Missouri minimum standards, a surveyor who finds a prior monument at a corner should:

  1. Replace it without noting the change
  2. Disregard it if it lacks a cap
  3. Remove it and set a new monument
  4. Hold and reference the existing monument Correct answer.

Explanation

Existing monuments are evidence of prior boundary location and should be held and referenced in the survey. Removing or disregarding them destroys evidence and violates minimum standards.