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100+ Free NSPS CST Level II Practice Questions

Pass your NSPS Certified Survey Technician Level II exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Key Facts: NSPS CST Level II Exam

130

Official Level II Questions

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

4 hours

Official Time Limit

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

Open book

Exam Reference Format

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

70%

Normal Passing Score

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

1.5 years

Experience Route

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

F/O

Field and Office Tracks

NSPS CST Program Book July 2024

Use this bank as a combined Field and Office Level II practice set. The official July 2024 CST Program Book lists Level II as open book, 130 multiple-choice questions, 4 hours, with a normal passing score of 70% subject to CST Board adjustment. Field emphasizes Field Equipment and Operations most heavily, while Office emphasizes Survey Computations and Office Operations/Plan Reading/Preparation more strongly.

Sample NSPS CST Level II Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NSPS CST Level II exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which official NSPS CST Level II exam format is described in the July 2024 Program Book?
A.Closed book, 100 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours
B.Open book, 130 multiple-choice questions, 4 hours
C.Open book, 80 written problems, 6 hours
D.Closed book, oral and field demonstration only
Explanation: The NSPS CST Level II examination is listed as open book with 130 multiple-choice questions and a 4-hour time limit. This practice bank uses 100 questions for study, not as a duplicate of the official exam length.
2A candidate has no college transcript hours. What minimum experience route matches the official Level II eligibility path?
A.Six months of full-time survey work
B.One year of drafting experience only
C.One and one-half years of surveying experience
D.Five years of responsible charge experience
Explanation: One Level II eligibility route is 1.5 years of surveying experience. The alternate education route combines transcripted hours, surveying or engineering-related semester hours, and six months of full-time survey work.
3For the education-based Level II eligibility route, which combination best matches the official requirement?
A.30 transcript hours, 6 surveying hours, and no field work
B.65 transcripted semester or quarter equivalent hours, 18 surveying or engineering-related semester hours, and six months full-time survey work
C.A bachelor's degree in any subject and no survey experience
D.A high school diploma and three months of part-time office work
Explanation: The official alternate route combines transcripted semester or quarter equivalent hours, at least 18 surveying or engineering-related semester hours, and six months of full-time survey work.
4Why does this practice set include both Field and Office topics for one Level II exam ID?
A.The official Level II outline has Field and Office tracks, but this repository uses one combined exam ID
B.NSPS no longer distinguishes Field and Office work elements at any level
C.Office topics are only for Level IV candidates
D.Field topics are optional and never tested at Level II
Explanation: The official Level II outline includes Field and Office tracks with different work-element counts. Because this repository has one Level II exam ID, the practice bank covers the common competency range across both tracks.
5A leveling crew reads a backsight of 5.42 ft on BM A, elevation 812.35 ft. The foresight to TP1 is 3.18 ft. What is the elevation of TP1?
A.803.75 ft
B.810.11 ft
C.814.59 ft
D.820.95 ft
Explanation: Height of instrument is 812.35 + 5.42 = 817.77 ft. The turning point elevation is 817.77 - 3.18 = 814.59 ft.
6During instrument setup, what is the best reason to center the total station over the occupied point before carefully leveling it?
A.Centering keeps measured angles and distances referenced to the correct ground point
B.Centering automatically corrects atmospheric refraction
C.Centering replaces the need to enter prism constants
D.Centering makes all slope distances horizontal
Explanation: The instrument must occupy the intended station so angles and distances originate at the correct point. Leveling makes the vertical axis properly oriented, but it cannot fix a setup that is not centered over the station.
7Which field note entry is most useful for later office reduction of a side shot collected with a total station?
A.Point number, description, horizontal angle, zenith or vertical angle, slope distance, and target height
B.Only the crew chief's initials
C.Only the weather at lunch
D.A note that the point looked correct
Explanation: Office reduction needs enough information to identify the point, classify it, and reduce the raw observation correctly. Angles, distance, target height, and description are central for checking and processing the side shot.
8What does a data collector point code such as EP, FL, or BLDG usually support?
A.Feature identification and automated linework or mapping in the office
B.Changing the legal bearing basis of the survey
C.Replacing instrument calibration
D.Increasing the GPS satellite count
Explanation: Point codes identify features such as edge of pavement, flow line, or building corners. Consistent coding supports drafting, CAD linework, GIS attributes, and quality checks after field collection.
9A prism pole bubble is out of adjustment. What error is most directly introduced when side shots are taken with the pole apparently plumb?
A.The target may be horizontally displaced from the ground point
B.The total station clock will drift
C.The instrument will convert all angles to radians
D.The backsight azimuth will become magnetic north
Explanation: If the pole bubble is wrong, the pole can lean even though it appears centered. That moves the prism horizontally away from the point and can contaminate both position and elevation.
10In a construction stake marked "C 1.25", what does the notation usually tell the grading crew?
A.Cut 1.25 units from the stake reference mark to reach design grade
B.Curve radius is 1.25 units
C.Coordinate number 1.25 should be used
D.The stake is 1.25 units north of the property corner
Explanation: A cut mark tells the contractor that the existing reference elevation is above design grade by the stated amount. Stake markings must be read with the project's stated units and reference convention.

About the NSPS CST Level II Exam

The NSPS Certified Survey Technician Level II credential recognizes survey technicians who have moved beyond Level I basics into more detailed survey computations, field operations, types of surveys, comprehensive field notes, plan reading, plan preparation, standard field equipment, related office software, safety, and basic principles of the profession. Level II may be pursued in Field, Office, or both tracks, and certification is by examination and experience.

Assessment

Open-book, proctored Level II examination with 130 multiple-choice questions. The Program Book lists Field and Office tracks with different work-element counts; this practice bank combines both because the repository has one Level II exam ID.

Time Limit

4 hours

Passing Score

Normal passing score is 70%, subject to Board adjustment based on exam analysis.

Exam Fee

$180 individual fee in the July 2024 Program Book; reduced rates may apply (National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) Certified Survey Technician Board)

NSPS CST Level II Exam Content Outline

F=7; O=10

Survey Types and History

Survey types, historical development, boundary, topographic, construction, public land, metes and bounds, GPS, photo control, hydrographic, as-built, and related survey purposes.

F=56; O=25

Field Equipment and Operations

Leveling, traversing, triangulation, trilateration, public land and metes and bounds surveys, construction surveys, GPS surveys, total stations, robotic instruments, data collectors, levels, compasses, tribrachs, tripods, field notes, standard survey operations, measurement errors, staking, and stake markings.

F=7; O=7

Survey Control

Interpreting control point records and data sheets, locating control in the field, creating project control, checking control point stability, and understanding horizontal and vertical control references.

F=30; O=40

Survey Computations

Trigonometry, geometry, algebra, coordinate geometry, leveling, traversing, stadia, topographic mapping, construction stakeout, lot and area computations, bearing-bearing, distance-distance, and bearing-distance intersections, field-note reduction, elevation checks, and basic adjustment.

F=10; O=31

Office Operations, Plan Reading and Preparation

Site plans, boundary plans, highway plans, profiles, cross sections, horizontal and vertical curves, pipeline plans, foundation plans, existing and finished contours, CAD terminology, drafting procedures, operating systems, hardware peripherals, and GIS basics.

F=10; O=10

First Aid and Safety

Medical emergency response, traffic control, survey and construction safety, PPE, utility notification, heat illness prevention, laser safety, and OSHA-related safety concepts.

F=10; O=7

Principles of the Profession

Survey ethics, technical standards, honesty, appropriate attire, respect for personal property, evidence handling, recordkeeping, and professional association awareness.

How to Pass the NSPS CST Level II Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Normal passing score is 70%, subject to Board adjustment based on exam analysis.
  • Assessment: Open-book, proctored Level II examination with 130 multiple-choice questions. The Program Book lists Field and Office tracks with different work-element counts; this practice bank combines both because the repository has one Level II exam ID.
  • Time limit: 4 hours
  • Exam fee: $180 individual fee in the July 2024 Program Book; reduced rates may apply

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NSPS CST Level II Study Tips from Top Performers

1Treat open book as a reference advantage, not a substitute for fluency. Practice computations until formulas, units, and sign conventions are fast.
2Organize reference tabs around the official Level II work elements: Field Equipment and Operations, Survey Computations, Office Operations, Control, Safety, Survey Types, and Principles.
3For field operations, practice setup checks: centering, leveling, backsight, target height, prism constant, direct/reverse observations, and check shots.
4For computations, write the coordinate order and sign convention before solving. Many survey errors come from swapped northing/easting or wrong bearing quadrant signs.
5For plan reading, practice stationing, profiles, cross sections, contours, cut/fill, horizontal curves, and revision control using current plan sheets.
6For CAD and GIS, verify units, coordinate system, datum, feature codes, layers, and point import formats before trusting plotted data.
7For safety, know the field response before production starts: traffic control, PPE, first aid activation, utilities, heat stress, and laser exposure precautions.
8For principles of the profession, focus on accurate reporting, preserving evidence, respecting property, and escalating conflicts to the responsible surveyor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NSPS CST Level II exam?

The July 2024 NSPS CST Program Book lists Level II as 130 questions with 4 hours to complete. This practice bank contains 100 study questions and is not intended to reproduce the full official exam length.

Is the CST Level II exam open book?

Yes. The Program Book identifies Level II as an open-book exam, but it also warns that open book can give examinees a false sense of security because the 4-hour test requires quick, purposeful work.

What score is needed to pass CST Level II?

The Program Book states that the normal passing score for the survey technician examination is 70%, while the Board may modify the cut-off score for any exam based on exam analysis.

What are the Level II eligibility requirements?

The Program Book lists Field and Office Level II qualifications as 1.5 years of surveying experience, or 65 transcripted semester hours or quarterly equivalent including 18 surveying/engineering-related semester hours plus six months of full-time survey-related work.

Why does this bank combine Field and Office topics?

The official Program Book lists separate Field and Office work-element counts, but this repository uses a single exam ID for Level II. The practice content therefore covers the shared Level II competency range across both tracks.

Does CST certification license someone to practice surveying?

No. The Program Book states that certification does not license individuals to practice surveying; professional survey licensing is regulated by state boards of registration.