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Free Practice Questions for Land and House Surveyor Examination

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Exam pass rate: 10.14% in 令和7 (489 of 4,824). 令和6: 505 of 4,589.
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Key Facts: Land and House Surveyor Examination Exam

8,300 JPY

Exam fee (収入印紙)

MOJ examinee guide / Legal Affairs Bureau notices

20 + 2

Afternoon written items (MCQ + descriptive)

MOJ examination structure / 令和7 results floors

2.5 hours

Afternoon written session

MOJ examinee schedule

76.0 / 100

令和7 afternoon written cut

MOJ 令和7 final results PDF

10.14%

令和7 final pass rate (489 / 4,824)

MOJ 令和7 final results PDF

土地家屋調査士試験 is MOJ's national surveyor exam. 令和8 written 18 Oct 2026; 8,300 JPY; ~10% pass rate. This bank is independent English MCQ study, not the official papers.

Sample Land and House Surveyor Examination Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Land and House Surveyor Examination exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In Japanese property law and surveying jurisprudence, how is a Public Parcel Boundary (筆界 / hikkai) strictly distinguished from a Private Ownership Boundary (所有権界 / shoyūkenkai)?
A.Public parcel boundaries and ownership boundaries are legally identical in all circumstances
B.A public parcel boundary (筆界) is the statutory boundary line dividing registered parcels created by an act of public administrative law (登記創設), and cannot be altered by private agreement between adjacent landowners; whereas an ownership boundary (所有権界) reflects the scope of private ownership and can be transferred or changed by private contract
C.A public parcel boundary can be modified at will by adjacent owners through an informal oral agreement
D.An ownership boundary is determined exclusively by the Director-General of the Legal Affairs Bureau and cannot be adjudicated in civil court
Explanation: Under Japanese land law and Supreme Court precedent, a Public Parcel Boundary (筆界 / hikkai) is the objective boundary separating registered land parcels established when the parcel was created in the public register. Because it is a matter of public order (公法上の境界), private parties cannot alter a parcel boundary by private contract. In contrast, an Ownership Boundary (所有権界) represents the physical extent of private property rights under the Civil Code, which can shift via sales, boundary settlements (和解), or acquisitive prescription.
2Under Civil Code Article 209 (as revised in 2023), when may a landowner or authorized land surveyor enter neighboring land (隣地使用権 / rinti shiyōken) to conduct boundary surveys and install boundary markers?
A.They may enter only after obtaining a court injunction under the Civil Execution Act
B.They may enter only if the neighboring land is unregistered public property
C.They may enter neighboring land to the extent necessary for boundary investigation or installing boundary markers, provided advance notice is given to the neighboring owner (and user) stating the purpose, date, and method of entry
D.They may enter neighboring land without notice whenever the work is for an official cadastral map (14条地図) project
Explanation: Under revised Civil Code Article 209, Paragraph 1, a landowner may enter neighboring land to the extent necessary for: (1) constructing or repairing walls or buildings, (2) boundary investigations or boundary marker installation (境界標の調査又は設置), or (3) cutting overhanging branches under Article 233. Under Paragraph 3, prior notice must be provided to the adjacent owner and possessor detailing the purpose, date, time, and entry method. (Dwelling interiors cannot be entered without occupant consent).
3Under the revised Civil Code Article 233 (effective April 2023), when is a landowner legally permitted to directly cut and remove overhanging tree branches (越境した竹木の枝の切除) originating from an adjoining parcel?
A.They may cut only roots, never overhanging branches, because branches remain the tree owner's property
B.A landowner may cut branches immediately upon seeing them without any prior notice or request
C.Only a Land and House Surveyor commissioned by the Legal Affairs Bureau may cut the branches
D.When the landowner has demanded that the tree owner cut the branches and the tree owner fails to do so within a reasonable period, OR when the tree owner/whereabouts are unknown, OR in urgent emergencies
Explanation: Prior to 2023, neighbors could only demand removal in court. Under revised Civil Code Article 233, Paragraph 3, a landowner may directly sever and remove overhanging branches themselves if: (1) they demanded removal with a reasonable grace period and the owner failed to comply, (2) the owner of the tree is unknown or their whereabouts cannot be ascertained after diligent inquiry, or (3) there is an urgent and imminent necessity.
4Under Civil Code Article 233, Paragraph 4, what is the legal rule regarding tree roots that penetrate across the property boundary line (越境した竹木の根の切取り)?
A.The adjoining landowner may cut and sever the penetrating roots directly without needing to give prior notice or demand removal from the tree owner
B.The landowner must first demand that the tree owner remove the roots and allow a reasonable period, exactly as for branches
C.The landowner may cut the roots only with the tree owner's written consent
D.The landowner must apply to the municipality for permission before cutting any root
Explanation: Under Civil Code Article 233, Paragraph 4 (retained from the original code), if tree roots cross the boundary line underground, the owner of the encroached land may cut and remove those roots directly (越境した竹木の根を切り取ることができる) without requiring prior notice or demand.
5Under Civil Code Article 210, what right is granted to the owner of an 'Enclosed Land' parcel (囲繞地通行権 / inyōchi tsūkōken) that has no access to a public road?
A.Enclosed parcels are legally barred from accessing public roads and must remain unoccupied
B.The right to pass over the surrounding land to reach a public road, by the route and method causing the least damage to that land, on payment of compensation
C.The right to seize absolute fee simple ownership of the entire neighboring parcel without paying compensation
D.The right to pass over any one of the surrounding parcels chosen freely by the enclosed owner, without paying compensation
Explanation: Under Article 210, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Code, if a parcel of land is surrounded by other land and has no access to a public road (袋地 / enclosed land), the owner has the right of passage over the surrounding land (囲繞地) to reach a public highway. Under Article 211, the route and manner of passage must be chosen to minimize damage to the surrounding land, and standard compensation for damage must be paid under Article 212.
6Under Civil Code Article 213, what special rule governs the Right of Passage when a parcel becomes landlocked (袋地) as a result of a partition of co-owned land or the partial transfer of a parcel (共有物分割又は土地の一部譲渡)?
A.The landlocked owner may freely choose to pass through unrelated third-party lands and demand free passage from strangers
B.The landlocked owner may demand that the partition be rescinded and the parcel restored
C.The landlocked owner may pass ONLY over the remaining partitioned land or the transferred parcel, and NO compensation (償金) is payable to the owner of that passing parcel
D.The landlocked owner may pass over the other partitioned land, but must pay compensation for the damage caused
Explanation: Under Article 213, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Code, if a partition of co-owned land (分割) results in a parcel having no access to a public highway, the landlocked owner can pass only through the other parcels that were part of the partition. Crucially, under Paragraph 2, no compensation (償金) is required for this passage (無償通行権). This rule also applies to landlocked parcels created by the partial sale/transfer of a single parcel.
7Under Civil Code Articles 223 and 224, how are the costs of installing and maintaining Boundary Markers (境界標の設置及び保存の費用) allocated between adjacent landowners?
A.The owner of the smaller parcel must pay 100% of all installation and surveying costs
B.All boundary marker installation costs are funded by the Ministry of Justice
C.The party who contacted the land surveyor first must pay all surveying and installation costs
D.Installation and maintenance costs for boundary markers are borne equally by both adjacent landowners (折半), whereas surveying and measurement costs (測量の費用) are borne in proportion to the area of each person's land
Explanation: Under Article 223 of the Civil Code, a landowner may install boundary markers at the common expense of adjacent owners. Under Article 224, the expenses of installing and maintaining boundary markers are shared equally (等しい割合) between adjoining owners. However, the costs of surveying (測量の費用) are apportioned in proportion to the surface area of each parcel of land (広狭に応じて分担).
8Under Civil Code Article 229, what legal presumption applies to boundary walls, fences, ditches, and boundary markers constructed on the boundary line between adjoining parcels?
A.They are presumed to be co-owned by the adjacent landowners (相隣者の共有に属するものと推定する)
B.They are conclusively owned by the municipality
C.They are deemed illegal structures subject to immediate demolition
D.They belong solely to the party with the higher assessed property tax value
Explanation: Under Article 229 of the Civil Code, boundary markers, fences, walls, and ditches installed on the boundary line are presumed to be the common co-owned property of the adjoining landowners (相隣者の共有に属するものと推定する). This presumption applies unless there is evidence that one owner built them exclusively at their sole expense on their own side of the line.
9Under Civil Code Article 162, what is required for an occupant to acquire ownership of real property through Acquisitive Prescription in Bad Faith or with Negligence (長期取得時効)?
A.Paying utility bills for 30 consecutive months
B.Possession for 20 years peacefully and openly with the intention to own (所有の意思をもって、平穏に、かつ、公然と他人の物を占有したこと)
C.Possession for 5 years without paying rent
D.Possession for 10 years regardless of intent
Explanation: Under Article 162, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Code, a person who possesses real property belonging to another for 20 years peacefully, openly, and with the intention to own (所有の意思 / animus domini) acquires ownership thereof, even if they knew the property belonged to another (bad faith / 悪意) or were negligent. (Paragraph 2 reduces the period to 10 years if the possessor was in good faith and without negligence at the start of possession).
10When a neighbor acquires ownership of a 5-meter strip of adjoining land through Acquisitive Prescription (取得時効), how does this affect the Public Parcel Boundary (筆界) versus the Private Ownership Boundary (所有権界)?
A.Acquisitive prescription is void unless the Registrar personally witnesses the 20 years of possession
B.The neighbor becomes the sole owner of both entire parcels automatically
C.The private ownership boundary shifts to include the 5-meter strip, but the public parcel boundary (筆界) remains completely unchanged; to align the public register with ownership, a parcel subdivision registration (分筆登記) and ownership transfer registration must be executed
D.The public parcel boundary automatically shifts overnight in the Legal Affairs Bureau computer system
Explanation: This is a fundamental principle of Japanese land law: Acquisitive prescription affects private property ownership (所有権界), transferring title to the encroached strip. However, Public Parcel Boundaries (筆界) are matters of public law established by registry creation and cannot be moved by prescription. Therefore, the 5-meter strip remains part of the neighbor's original registered parcel until a Land and House Surveyor conducts a survey, prepares a Parcel Survey Map (地積測量図), registers a parcel subdivision (分筆登記), and registers title transfer.

About the Land and House Surveyor Examination Exam

土地家屋調査士試験 is Japan's national exam for land and building surveyors who identify parcel boundaries and register physical descriptions. The Ministry of Justice administers it under the Land and House Surveyor Act. The written sitting is the third Sunday of October (令和8: 18 October 2026); written passers sit an oral in January. The fee is 8,300 JPY in revenue stamps. There is no education bar. The afternoon paper is 20 multiple-choice items plus two descriptive drafting problems; many candidates are exempt from the morning surveying paper. 令和7 final pass rate was 10.14% (489 of 4,824). OpenExamPrep publishes independent English multiple-choice study for registration, boundary, and surveyor-act rules. It is not an official translation and not a substitute for Japanese descriptive drafting or the oral.

Exam sponsor: Ministry of Justice (法務省 / Civil Affairs Bureau); applications at Legal Affairs Bureaus. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

National exam under the Land and House Surveyor Act, run by the Ministry of Justice. Written exam on the third Sunday of October (令和8: 18 October 2026); oral for written passers in January. Japanese only. Licensed surveyors and architects are exempt from the morning paper.

Time Limit

Afternoon written session: 2.5 hours (13:00–15:30). Oral time is notified to written passers.

Passing Score

Per-sitting floors. 令和7: afternoon 76.0/100 overall, afternoon MCQ 37.5/50, afternoon descriptive 32.5/50; morning sitters also needed 70.0/100 morning (MCQ 30.0/60 and descriptive 32.0/40).

Exam / Certification Fees

8,300 JPY (収入印紙; cash not accepted)

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: 10.14% in 令和7 (489 of 4,824). 令和6: 505 of 4,589.. This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

15% of this local practice set

民法 (Civil Code Property Law)

Ownership boundaries, shared ownership, easements, neighbor law, and acquisitive prescription affecting surveys.

30% of this local practice set

不動産登記法 総論 (Registration General Rules)

Structure of the real estate register, application procedures, heading versus rights records, and registrar review.

33% of this local practice set

土地表示登記・筆界特定 (Land Registration & Demarcation)

Subdivisions, consolidations, land-use categories, official boundary identification (筆界特定), and surveying maps.

22% of this local practice set

建物表示登記・調査士法 (Building Registration & Surveyor Act)

Building and condominium-unit registration, common areas, survey drawings, ethics, and disciplinary rules.

Preparing for the Land and House Surveyor Examination Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Per-sitting floors. 令和7: afternoon 76.0/100 overall, afternoon MCQ 37.5/50, afternoon descriptive 32.5/50; morning sitters also needed 70.0/100 morning (MCQ 30.0/60 and descriptive 32.0/40).
  • Assessment: National exam under the Land and House Surveyor Act, run by the Ministry of Justice. Written exam on the third Sunday of October (令和8: 18 October 2026); oral for written passers in January. Japanese only. Licensed surveyors and architects are exempt from the morning paper.
  • Time limit: Afternoon written session: 2.5 hours (13:00–15:30). Oral time is notified to written passers.
  • Exam / certification fees: 8,300 JPY (収入印紙; cash not accepted) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Land and House Surveyor Examination: Suggested Study Strategy

1Treat afternoon multiple-choice as a floor subject: 令和7 required 37.5 of 50, so several misses can fail the sitting even with a high descriptive score.
2Keep public parcel boundaries (筆界) distinct from private ownership boundaries (所有権界).
3Master subdivision (分筆) and consolidation (合筆) limits, including ownership identity and encumbrance restrictions.
4For condominium units, drill exclusive portions, statutory versus bylaw common areas, and site rights (敷地権).
5Review Land and House Surveyor Act confidentiality and document-preservation duties; they appear in both written and oral stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who administers 土地家屋調査士試験?

The Ministry of Justice (法務省) administers the examination. Applications are taken at Legal Affairs Bureaus / District Legal Affairs Bureaus.

What is the format of the written exam?

The afternoon paper is 20 multiple-choice items (50 points) and two descriptive surveying/registration problems (50 points) in 2.5 hours. A morning surveying paper is required unless the candidate is exempt as a licensed surveyor or architect. Written passers sit an oral.

What were the 令和7 written floors?

MOJ required 76.0 of 100 on the afternoon paper, including 37.5/50 on afternoon multiple-choice and 32.5/50 on afternoon descriptive items. Candidates who sat the morning paper also needed 70.0/100 morning.

Are OpenExamPrep questions official translations?

No. The official exam is Japanese and includes descriptive drafting and an oral. OpenExamPrep provides independent English-language MCQ study for the statutes and is not a drawing, coordinate-calculation, or oral simulation.