PS Surveying Exam Guide 2026: Boundary Law, Standards, and Practice
Video
In what year did Kamehameha III initiate the Great Mahele, which divided Hawaiian Kingdom lands?
Hawaii Land History
Question · Easy
Prepare for the 2026 NCEES PS exam with July 2026 pass rates, the current five-domain blueprint, official reference rules, test policies, and the July 2027 transition.
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Original monument
Boundary Law and Evidence
Flashcard
The Great Mahele divided Hawaiian Kingdom lands into which three principal categories?
PS Exam Framework and Boundary Evidence
1.1 Current NCEES Format and Blueprint
Study guide
Which body adjudicated native land claims and issued Land Commission Awards in the Hawaiian Kingdom?
Engineering Exam Prep Podcast
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Controlling elements in a deed
Before the Land Commission could issue a final award on a claim, what was generally required?
Question · Medium
What document represented the FINAL step conveying allodial fee title after a Land Commission Award?
Parol evidence in boundary work
The Kuleana Act of 1850 primarily benefited which group?
1.2 Legal Evidence Framework
What is a 'kuleana' parcel in Hawaiian land tenure?
Adverse possession
Kuleana parcels in Hawaii commonly carry which appurtenant rights that affect boundary and access surveys?
Question · Hard
Under the Mahele framework, 'Crown Lands' were intended for which purpose?
Prescriptive easement
An 'LCA number' that a Hawaii surveyor encounters in a title chain refers to a:
1.3 Parol Evidence, Prescription, Adverse Possession, and Acquiescence
Which agency today administers professional land surveyor licensing in Hawaii?
Hawaii Statutes Licensing
Boundary by acquiescence
Hawaii professional land surveyor licensing is governed primarily by which chapter of the Hawaii Revised Statutes?
In addition to the NCEES FS and PS exams, what additional examination must a Hawaii land surveyor applicant pass?
Riparian vs. littoral rights
The Hawaii Board-produced state surveyor exam is sometimes historically referred to by what name?
1.4 Legal Descriptions and Conveyance Types
In the Hawaiian land division hierarchy, which is the LARGEST unit?
Hawaiian Land Terminology
Accretion vs. avulsion
An ahupuaʻa is classically described as a land division that runs:
The Hawaiian directional term 'mauka' means toward the:
Senior and junior rights
The Hawaiian term 'makai' indicates a direction toward the:
Professional Practice and Standards
2.1 Records, Field, GNSS, and Computations
Who served as the manager or overseer of an ahupuaʻa, regulating resource use and collecting tribute?
PLSS corner status
A 'moku' in the Hawaiian land system is best described as a:
An 'ʻili' is most accurately described as a:
Metes and bounds description
Legal Descriptions and Rights
An 'ʻili lele' presents what particular challenge to a retracing surveyor?
2.2 Standards, ALTA, BLM, FEMA, and Accuracy
In Hawaiian, the word 'pali' that appears in land descriptions refers to a:
Strip description
The Hawaiian land term 'awa' (e.g., in a boundary call) most commonly denotes a:
The Hawaiian word 'puʻu' in a metes-and-bounds call typically refers to a:
Easement appurtenant
In Hawaiian boundary descriptions, the term 'kahawai' refers to a:
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