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Question 1

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When an original monument called for in a deed is found in place and appears undisturbed, which evidence generally controls over a conflicting record distance?

The found original monument

The distance written in the deed

The parcel dimensions shown in GIS

The nearest tax map annotation

to track

2026 Statistics

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

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.

Sample PS Surveying Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PS Surveying exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1When an original monument called for in a deed is found in place and appears undisturbed, which evidence generally controls over a conflicting record distance?

A.The found original monument

B.The distance written in the deed

C.The parcel dimensions shown in GIS

D.The nearest tax map annotation

Explanation: Under longstanding boundary law principles, original monuments usually control over course and distance calls when the evidence shows the monument is genuine and undisturbed. The reason is that the monument represents the boundary actually marked on the ground, while measurements and later mapping are secondary evidence that may contain error.

2Under common-law riparian principles, what is the usual boundary effect of gradual and imperceptible accretion along a nonnavigable stream?

A.The boundary remains fixed at the former waterline forever

B.The boundary moves with the changing waterline

C.The boundary shifts only if a new deed is recorded

D.The boundary automatically becomes the nearest section line

Explanation: Accretion is a gradual and imperceptible addition of land, and the boundary typically follows the changing waterline. This contrasts with avulsion, where a sudden change generally does not immediately shift the boundary. Surveyors need to distinguish the nature of the water movement before assigning the legal effect.

3If two deeds from a common grantor overlap because of a drafting error, which principle generally determines priority absent other controlling facts?

A.The deed with the larger acreage always prevails

B.The deed with the better tax parcel number prevails

C.The senior conveyance generally has priority over the junior conveyance

D.Both grantees automatically own one-half of the overlap

Explanation: In sequential conveyances from a common grantor, the grantor usually cannot convey the same interest twice, so the earlier valid conveyance is senior. The junior deed is effective only to the extent the grantor still had an interest to convey. Surveyors should still examine reservations, exceptions, and evidence of actual intent before reaching a final opinion.

4Which statement best describes a legally sufficient real property description?

A.It contains a tax parcel number and owner name

B.It matches the assessor's map exactly

C.It states acreage to the nearest tenth only

D.It allows the parcel to be located on the ground to the exclusion of others

Explanation: A legally sufficient description is one that lets a competent surveyor identify the parcel on the ground and distinguish it from all other lands. Parcel numbers, mailing addresses, and tax maps can assist research, but they are not a substitute for a description that actually locates the boundary.

5In retracing PLSS lands, which evidence normally controls over a later protracted position from a map or GIS layer?

A.An identified original corner position supported by evidence

B.A county parcel polygon

C.A modern aerial image center point

D.A roadway centerline station

Explanation: A protracted or mapped position is only a graphic or computed representation unless it is tied to actual controlling survey evidence. In the PLSS, the location of the original corner as established on the ground controls when it can be identified or properly restored. That is why record research and field evidence matter more than a convenient coordinate display.

6When is parol evidence generally admissible in boundary interpretation?

A.Whenever a client prefers a different line

B.When it clarifies a latent ambiguity without contradicting the deed's plain terms

C.Only after a new survey map is recorded

D.Only if no monuments are found

Explanation: Parol evidence may be used to explain a latent ambiguity, such as uncertainty that appears only when the written description is applied to the ground. It is not a free license to rewrite a clear deed. The surveyor's role is to use outside evidence to clarify intent, not to contradict unambiguous controlling language.

7Absent contrary language, a deed bounded by a nonnavigable stream generally extends to which line?

A.The nearest section line

B.The top of bank only

C.The thread or center of the stream

D.The floodway line shown on a FEMA map

Explanation: A common-law presumption for nonnavigable streams is that the riparian owner takes to the thread of the stream unless the deed or governing law shows a different intent. Navigability, sovereign ownership doctrines, and specific reservation language can change the result, so the presumption is a starting point rather than an automatic final answer.

8What is the usual legal effect of an appurtenant easement once it is properly created?

A.It expires whenever the dominant estate is sold

B.It becomes personal to the original surveyor

C.It merges into the tax parcel map automatically

D.It generally runs with the dominant estate unless legally terminated

Explanation: An appurtenant easement benefits the dominant estate, not just a particular owner, so it ordinarily passes with that land. Termination can occur by merger, release, abandonment if recognized with sufficient facts, or other legal doctrine. Surveyors should treat both the record instrument and evidence of location and use as important.

9What is the main purpose of the point of beginning in a metes-and-bounds description?

A.To anchor the description at a definite starting point for tracing the boundary

B.To state the tax assessment value

C.To replace all monument calls

D.To identify the county zoning district

Explanation: The point of beginning is the reference point from which the calls are intended to be followed around the parcel. If that point is vague or not uniquely identifiable, the entire description can become uncertain. Good descriptions tie the point of beginning to reliable controlling evidence.

10Which statement correctly distinguishes an obliterated corner from a lost corner under PLSS restoration principles?

A.An obliterated corner was never monumented, but a lost corner was

B.An obliterated corner lacks a visible monument but can still be recovered from substantial evidence

C.A lost corner is controlled by the nearest GIS coordinate pair

D.An obliterated corner must always be restored by single proportion

Explanation: An obliterated corner has no surviving physical monument, yet its location can still be determined from acceptable evidence such as accessories, testimony, or record evidence. A lost corner is one whose position cannot be determined beyond reasonable doubt from the available evidence and therefore must be restored by accepted proportionate methods. The distinction matters because recovery is preferred over mathematical replacement.

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

18-27 questions

Legal Principles

Evidence, common-law boundary doctrines, conveyance concepts, legal descriptions, easements, riparian or littoral issues, and PLSS evidence.

22-33 questions

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.

8-12 questions

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.

13-19 questions

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.

24-36 questions

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

1Study the legal-principles domain early because weak boundary-law judgment is hard to patch late.

2Practice with the current ALTA/NSPS 2021 standards, FEMA Elevation Certificate materials, and BLM Manual references instead of relying on outdated notes.

3Work scenario-based questions on boundary evidence, senior or junior rights, easements, and unwritten rights because the exam rewards judgment, not only recall.

4Use mixed GNSS, control, computation, and adjustment sets so you can switch between field methods and office analysis quickly.

5Review platting, land-development, and as-built workflows from real projects, including deliverables and client communication choices.

6Memorize where key reference sections live in the supplied handbook and standards so you do not waste time searching during the CBT.

7Do timed sets that blend legal, business, and applied-practice questions because the PS exam is broad and pacing matters.

8If you work mostly in one specialty, deliberately train outside your day job in topographic, route, construction, and ALTA/NSPS scenarios.

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.