PS Surveying

It is a computer-based test delivered year-round at approved Pearson test centers. You register and schedule through your MyNCEES account, where you select an exam location and then pick from a list of available exam dates; you can browse other NCEES-approved test centers if the nearby dates do not suit you.

A $375 exam fee is payable directly to NCEES. Your licensing board may also charge a separate application or registration fee - the D.C. board, for instance, requires PS examinees to submit an application and/or pay a board fee before registering with NCEES, and other boards set their own requirements.

Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so check your board's page. Some boards require an application and fee before you may register; once the board notifies you of approval, you register with NCEES and schedule. Others handle authorization differently, and NCEES directs examinees to contact the board directly for details.

Examinees are provided one attempt per testing window and no more than three attempts in a 12-month period. Plan your study time around that limit rather than assuming you can sit repeatedly in quick succession.

Results are typically available within 7–10 business days. NCEES emails you with instructions to view them in your MyNCEES account, and the results include a link to your licensing board for state-specific information. All results are reported as pass or fail.

You receive a diagnostic report showing your performance for each of the major topics covered on the exam. Passing examinees do not receive a diagnostic report. Use the failing report to rank topics by weakness and build your study plan around the lowest-scoring areas first.

Start from your diagnostic report if you are retaking, otherwise from a self-assessment of the practice areas you handle least often. Work weak topics first, then cycle back through all areas for reinforcement, and use the NCEES exam prep materials and calculator policy so exam-day mechanics are not a surprise.

Yes. Reasonable accommodations are available for examinees who meet certain eligibility criteria and sufficiently document their request. Apply early, since documentation must be reviewed before scheduling, and follow the accommodations instructions NCEES publishes rather than raising the request at the test center.

Refer to the computer-based exams section of the NCEES Examinee Guide, which covers cancellations, refunds, rescheduling, and discipline changes. Because policies are administered by NCEES rather than the individual board, read that guide before you cancel anything in your MyNCEES account.

It is designed for surveyors who have gained at least four years of professional experience and who are working toward licensure through their state or territorial board. It tests the ability to practice competently within the surveying profession rather than entry-level fundamentals.