Surveying Processes
15-22%of exam
InstrumentationGNSSControlTopographicConstructionRecords
Mapping Methods
13-19%of exam
ScaleCADGISTINRemote SensingMetadata
Boundary Law
17-26%of exam
RecordsMonumentsMetesPLSSEasementsWater
Surveying Principles
12-18%of exam
BearingsDatumsGeodesyHeightsSPCSRoute
Survey Computations
15-24%of exam
COGOTraverseLevelingCurvesVolumeGrade
Business Concepts
10-15%of exam
ScopeSafetyLiabilityEthicsRecordsCommunication
Math + Statistics
9-14%of exam
TrigStatisticsErrorUnitsRegressionRedundancy
Quick Facts
- Exam
- FS
- Owner
- NCEES
- Format
- CBT
- Questions
- 110
- Exam time
- 5 hr 20 min
- Appointment
- 6 hr
- Break
- 25 min
- Fee
- $225
- Reference
- Electronic
- Units
- SI + USCS
- Score
- Pass/fail
CBT Flow
Find formula, check units, flag
Search handbookCheck unitsEstimate answerFlag slow items
Static GNSS vs RTK
Static
- Long sessions
- Control quality
- Postprocess common
RTK
- Real-time positions
- Correction link
- Production shots
Control vs production
Field Method Picker
- Need control network→Static GNSS(High accuracy)
- Need rapid positions→RTK GNSS(Corrections required)
- Need precise elevations→Differential level(Close loop)
- Need terrain model→Topo survey(Breaklines matter)
- Need building layout→Construction staking(Design coordinates)
- Need dense surface→Scanner/UAS(Control required)
Exam Day
- CBT
- Computer-based testing
- NDA
- Two-minute agreement
- Tutorial
- Eight-minute orientation
- Exam block
- 5 hr 20 min
- Scheduled break
- 25 minutes
- Handbook
- Onscreen reference
- Standards
- Searchable exam PDFs
- MyNCEES
- Registration hub
Field Instruments
- GNSS
- Satellite positioning
- GPS
- US satellite system
- Level
- Elevation transfer
- Total station
- Angles + distances
- Robotic station
- Single-operator tracking
- Scanner
- Point-cloud capture
- UAS
- Drone mapping
- Field book
- Legal record
Control Work
- Horizontal control
- Position framework
- Vertical control
- Elevation framework
- Network design
- Redundant geometry
- Benchmark
- Known elevation
- Check shot
- Independent verification
- Accuracy standard
- Required tolerance
- Raw data
- Unadjusted observations
CAD vs GIS
CAD
- Drafting focus
- Design geometry
- Sheet deliverables
GIS
- Database focus
- Attributes matter
- Spatial analysis
Draw vs analyze
Map Products
- Plan view
- Horizontal layout
- Profile
- Alignment elevation
- Cross section
- Perpendicular slice
- Plat
- Boundary map
- ALTA
- Land-title survey
- Topographic
- Features + relief
- Planimetric
- Features, no relief
- Contours
- Equal-elevation lines
Data Systems
- CAD
- Drafting geometry
- BIM
- Building model
- GIS
- Spatial database
- Metadata
- Data about data
- TIN
- Triangle surface
- DEM
- Bare-earth grid
- DSM
- Surface-with-features
- LiDAR
- Laser scanning
Evidence First
Find ground before math
Original monumentsRecord callsOccupationComputations
Record vs Occupation
Record
- Deeds/plats
- Written intent
- Title chain
Occupation
- Fences/walls
- Use evidence
- Ground facts
Paper vs ground
Boundary Picker
- Found original monument→Hold evidence(Strong control)
- Record calls conflict→Weigh evidence(Legal analysis)
- Water boundary appears→Check law(Riparian/littoral)
- PLSS description appears→Township grid(Aliquot parts)
- Easement is listed→Map burden(Title review)
Boundary Evidence
- Deed
- Written conveyance
- Plat
- Recorded map
- Monument
- Physical control
- Occupation
- Possession evidence
- Senior rights
- Earlier conveyance
- Junior rights
- Later conveyance
- Easement
- Use right
- Encumbrance
- Title burden
Water Rights
Riparian rivers; littoral lakes
Rivers/streamsLakes/seasWater marksState law
Easement vs Encumbrance
Easement
- Specific use
- Access/utilities
- Nonpossessory right
Encumbrance
- Title burden
- Lien/covenant
- Broader category
Use vs burden
Land Systems
- Metes/bounds
- Courses + monuments
- PLSS
- Township-range system
- Aliquot part
- Fractional section
- Riparian
- River/stream rights
- Littoral
- Lake/sea rights
- Water mark
- Boundary evidence
- Adverse possession
- Unwritten claim
- Mineral rights
- Subsurface interests
Azimuth vs Bearing
Azimuth
- 0-360 degrees
- Clockwise from north
- No quadrant
Bearing
- Acute angle
- Uses quadrant
- N/S then E/W
Circle vs quadrant
Geodesy Basics
- Azimuth
- Clockwise from north
- Bearing
- Quadrant angle
- Declination
- Magnetic-true angle
- Geoid
- Gravity surface
- Ellipsoid
- Mathematical surface
- Datum
- Reference frame
- SPCS
- State plane coordinates
- Convergence
- Grid-true angle
Geoid vs Ellipsoid
Geoid
- Gravity surface
- Orthometric heights
- Elevation reference
Ellipsoid
- Math surface
- GNSS heights
- Datum model
Gravity vs geometry
Traverse Components
Lat north-south; dep east-west
Lat: N/SDep: E/WSum for closureAdjust after checks
Cut vs Fill
Cut
- Remove material
- Existing above design
- Excavation volume
Fill
- Add material
- Existing below design
- Embankment volume
Above vs below
Computation Picker
- Course to coordinates→Lat/depart(Component method)
- Closure residual remains→Traverse adjustment(Find blunders first)
- Elevation difference needed→Differential leveling(BS minus FS)
- Curve stakeout appears→Curve elements(Identify givens)
- Cut/fill requested→Volume method(Match sections)
- Grid-ground mismatch→Combined factor(Scale coordinates)
Traverse + COGO
- Latitude
- North-south component
- Departure
- East-west component
- Misclosure
- Closure residual
- Compass rule
- Length-weighted adjustment
- Least squares
- Redundant adjustment
- Inverse
- Coordinates to course
- Intersection
- Lines to point
- Area
- Ordered coordinates
Curves + Grades
- Radius
- Curve size
- Delta
- Central angle
- Tangent
- PI to curve
- Arc length
- Curve distance
- Chord
- Straight curve span
- PVI
- Grade intersection
- PVC
- Vertical curve start
- PVT
- Vertical curve end
- Grade
- Rise/run percent
Business Ops
- Scope
- Defined deliverables
- Specifications
- Required standards
- Cost estimate
- Projected resources
- Schedule
- Planned timing
- E&O
- Professional insurance
- Negligence
- Below standard
- Safety plan
- Hazard controls
- Ethics
- Professional duty
Error Types
Random scatters; systematic shifts; blunders break
ScatterBiasMistakeCheck residuals
Precision vs Accuracy
Precision
- Repeatability
- Small scatter
- May be biased
Accuracy
- Near truth
- Low bias
- Needs control
Repeat vs true
Error Picker
- Repeated scatter→Random error(Adjust statistically)
- Constant bias→Systematic error(Correct cause)
- Impossible value→Blunder check(Reject mistake)
- Extra observations→Least squares(Use redundancy)
- Mixed units→Conversion check(Track dimensions)
Math + Error
- Mean
- Average value
- Median
- Middle value
- Std dev
- Spread measure
- Random error
- Scattered variation
- Systematic error
- Consistent bias
- Blunder
- Gross mistake
- Unit conversion
- Dimensional check
- Regression
- Trend model
Common Traps
FE vs FS
FE = engineering ≠ FS = surveying
DMS vs decimal
DMS has parts ≠ Decimal is single
Slope vs horizontal
Slope is inclined ≠ Horizontal is plan
Grid vs ground
Grid is projected ≠ Ground is measured
Accuracy vs precision
Accuracy needs truth ≠ Precision repeats tightly
Backsight vs foresight
Backsight known ≠ Foresight unknown
Monument vs coordinate
Monument is evidence ≠ Coordinate is calculation
Standard vs statute
Standard guides practice ≠ Statute controls law
Last Minute
- 1.110 questions; 5 hr 20 min
- 2.Use official electronic references
- 3.Boundary 17-26%; compute 15-24%
- 4.Lat = north/south component
- 5.Dep = east/west component
- 6.Azimuth = full circle
- 7.Bearing = quadrant angle
- 8.Geoid height differs from ellipsoid
- 9.Grid distance differs from ground
- 10.Close levels and traverses
- 11.Find blunders before adjustment
- 12.Monuments beat blind math
- 13.Scope defines deliverables
- 14.Results are pass/fail
Buy on Amazon
Take courses on UdemySame family resources
Explore More Land Surveyor
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.