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Key Facts: PS Surveying Exam
100
Exam Questions
NCEES
7 hrs
Appointment Time
NCEES
$375
Exam Fee
NCEES
56%
1st-Time Pass Rate
NCEES Jan 2026
39%
Repeat Pass Rate
NCEES Jan 2026
5
Content Domains
NCEES
The PS exam is a 100-question, 7-hour year-round CBT delivered at Pearson VUE for surveyors seeking professional licensure. NCEES currently charges $375, reports results on a scaled pass/fail basis rather than a published cutoff, and lists January 2026 pass rates at 56% for first-time takers and 39% for repeat takers. As of March 12, 2026, the current PS blueprint is still the existing CBT specification; NCEES has announced future surveying changes tied to a revised PS exam in July 2027 and a separate PLSS exam in October 2027.
About the PS Surveying Exam
The NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam is the national professional licensure exam for surveyors who have already moved beyond the FS stage and board education review. The current computer-based exam is a 100-question, closed-book test that emphasizes legal principles, professional survey practice, standards and specifications, business practices, and applied surveying work such as boundary, control, construction, route, topographic, ALTA/NSPS, and subdivision surveys.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
7 hours
Passing Score
NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score (scaled scoring)
Exam Fee
$375 (NCEES (Pearson VUE))
PS Surveying Exam Content Outline
Legal Principles
Evidence, common-law boundary doctrines, conveyance concepts, legal descriptions, easements, riparian or littoral issues, and PLSS evidence.
Professional Survey Practice
Records research, field procedures, GPS/GNSS methods, computations and adjustments, monumentation, land development implementation, maps and reports, and GIS datums or metadata.
Standards and Specifications
BLM Manual of Surveying Instructions, ALTA/NSPS 2021 land title survey standards, FEMA elevation and flood-study requirements, and accuracy standards such as FGDC GPAS and USNMAS.
Business Practices
Project planning, scope, budgeting, contracts, equipment selection, QA/QC, safety, risk management, insurance, professional conduct, and communication with clients, staff, and the public.
Areas of Practice
Applied surveying in ALTA/NSPS work, control and geodetic surveys, construction layout, boundary resolution, route and utility surveys, topographic or hydrographic work, subdivision platting, as-builts, and consultation.
How to Pass the PS Surveying Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score (scaled scoring)
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: 7 hours
- Exam fee: $375
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PS Surveying Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PS exam pass rate?
NCEES lists the PS pass rate at 56% for first-time takers and 39% for repeat takers in the pass-rate table updated in January 2026. That makes it a challenging professional licensure exam, especially for candidates who are weak in legal principles, applied boundary analysis, or current standards work.
How hard is the PS surveying exam?
Most candidates consider the PS exam difficult because it blends legal analysis, field practice, mapping standards, business judgment, and real project scenarios rather than testing only formulas. Success usually depends on strong command of boundary law, current standards such as ALTA/NSPS and FEMA requirements, and practical judgment in boundary, control, and development work.
What score do you need to pass the PS exam?
NCEES does not publish a fixed passing percentage or scaled score for the PS exam. Results are reported only as pass or fail after NCEES converts raw performance to a scaled standard and compares it to the minimum competency level set for the exam.
What reference materials and standards are provided during the exam?
NCEES provides the PS Reference Handbook plus the standards listed in the current specification, including the BLM Manual, ALTA/NSPS 2021 standards, FEMA Elevation Certificate materials, FGDC Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards, and the U.S. National Map Accuracy Standards. Because the exam is closed book, candidates should practice navigating those references electronically before test day.
Who is the PS exam designed for?
NCEES states that the PS exam is designed for surveyors who have gained at least four years of professional experience. Exact eligibility still depends on the jurisdiction where you are applying, and many boards also require approved education and later state-specific surveying exams or jurisprudence steps.
What 2026 changes should PS candidates know about?
As of March 12, 2026, NCEES has not put a new PS blueprint into effect, so candidates should study the current PS specification and current referenced standards. NCEES has announced future surveying changes, including a revised PS exam targeted for July 2027 in PLSS jurisdictions and a new national PLSS exam targeted for October 2027, but those are not the live 2026 PS format.