100+ Free TSSE Practice Questions
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A retracement reveals that the original surveyor never actually ran a particular interior line but merely 'protracted' (computed) it on paper. For that protracted line, the controlling evidence is:
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Key Facts: TSSE Exam
65
Exam Questions
TBPELS
4 hrs
Test Time
TBPELS
$75
Exam Fee
TBPELS
3x/yr
Administrations
TBPELS
51%
Case Law Weight
TSSE Blueprint
6
Content Domains
TSSE Blueprint
The TSSE is a 4-hour, closed-book, multiple-choice exam of approximately 65 questions administered by TBPELS. It costs $75 per registration and is offered three times per year (spring, summer, and fall) in Austin. The exam is required for Texas RPLS licensure in addition to the national NCEES PS exam, which may be taken in either order. The blueprint is weighted most heavily toward Case Law and Legal Principles (about 51%), followed by Statutes and Rules (about 20%), with smaller domains covering the public domain, water boundaries, units of measure, and records research.
Sample TSSE Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your TSSE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which Texas statute is the primary 'Professional Land Surveying Practices Act' that governs the licensing and regulation of Registered Professional Land Surveyors (RPLS)?
2The TSSE replaced the legacy 8-hour Texas RPLS examination. To obtain RPLS licensure in Texas, a candidate must pass the TSSE in addition to which national examination?
3Which agency administers the TSSE and regulates the practice of professional land surveying in Texas?
4Under the Texas Natural Resources Code, the field notes of a survey of public land are required to state distances using which historic Spanish unit of measurement?
5Which Texas code chapter specifically governs 'Surveys and Field Notes' of public land, including how surveys must front navigable streams?
6Texas Board rules require continuing education for RPLS license renewal. The required CE specifically must include a minimum number of hours on the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act, Board rules, and/or ethics. How many such hours are required annually?
7Under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232, county approval of a subdivision plat in unincorporated areas is generally required. What is the primary purpose of this county plat regulation?
8Within an incorporated city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), which Texas Local Government Code chapter principally governs the municipality's authority over the platting and subdivision of land?
9A survey plat prepared by an RPLS for filing in Texas must bear which of the following to be valid under Board rules?
10Which Texas code primarily governs conveyances, deeds, recording of instruments affecting real property, and adverse possession periods that a surveyor must understand?
About the TSSE Exam
The Texas Specific Surveying Exam (TSSE) is the state-specific component of Texas Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) licensure. Introduced in May 2023 to replace the legacy 8-hour RPLS exam, it is an in-person, closed-book, multiple-choice exam of approximately 65 questions completed in 4 hours and offered three times per year. The TSSE supplements the national NCEES PS exam by testing Texas-specific law, rules, and practice across six domains: statutes and rules, disposition of the public domain, riparian and littoral boundaries, Texas units of measure, case law and legal principles, and records research.
Questions
65 scored questions
Time Limit
4 hours
Passing Score
TBPELS does not publish a fixed passing percentage
Exam Fee
$75 (Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS))
TSSE Exam Content Outline
Statutes and Rules
Occupations Code 1071, TBPELS Board rules, and Texas Natural Resources, Transportation, Local Government, and Property Code provisions affecting surveying
Disposition of Public Domain
Texas public lands history, land grants, the General Land Office, common vs. civil law, district/county surveyors, and the Texas/Mexico border
Riparian and Littoral Boundaries
Gradient boundary surveys, navigable and non-navigable streams, coastal boundaries, the Open Beaches Act, and the Red River boundary
Texas Specific Units of Measure
Spanish measurements (vara, league, labor), U.S. Survey Foot vs. International Foot, the Texas Coordinate System, chains, and meters
Case Law and Legal Principles
Landmark Texas boundary cases, controlling elements, junior/senior rights, dignity of calls, footsteps of the original surveyor, and lost-corner methodology
Records Research
General Land Office records, Spanish Archives, scrap files, original and corrected field notes, and roll sketch and sketch files
How to Pass the TSSE Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: TBPELS does not publish a fixed passing percentage
- Exam length: 65 questions
- Time limit: 4 hours
- Exam fee: $75
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
TSSE Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TSSE and who must take it?
The Texas Specific Surveying Exam (TSSE) is the state-specific exam required for Texas Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) licensure. Since May 2023 it replaced the legacy 8-hour RPLS exam, and candidates must pass it in addition to the national NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam. It is administered by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS).
How many questions are on the TSSE and how long is it?
The TSSE has approximately 65 multiple-choice questions, and candidates have 4 hours to complete it. It is an in-person, closed-book exam currently administered in Austin, Texas, and is offered three times per year in the spring, summer, and fall.
What does the TSSE cost?
The TSSE registration fee is $75 per exam. This is separate from the NCEES PS exam fee and from any TBPELS RPLS application fees. Candidates re-register and pay the fee again for each attempt at a later administration.
What topics does the TSSE cover?
The TBPELS blueprint covers six domains: Statutes and Rules (about 20%), Disposition of Public Domain (about 8%), Riparian and Littoral Boundaries (about 8%), Texas Specific Units of Measure (about 8%), Case Law and Legal Principles (about 51%), and Records Research (about 5%). Case law and boundary principles carry by far the heaviest weight.
Do I have to take the TSSE before or after the NCEES PS exam?
The TSSE and the NCEES PS exam may be taken in either order, and passing one does not require retaking it when you later pass the other. Both must be passed to satisfy the examination requirement for Texas RPLS licensure. The PS exam covers national surveying practice, while the TSSE covers Texas-specific law and practice.
Why does the TSSE emphasize Texas boundary case law so heavily?
Texas retained its public domain when it joined the Union, so original land is described by metes-and-bounds and Spanish league/labor grants rather than the federal township-and-range grid. Boundary determination therefore turns on legal doctrines such as the dignity of calls, junior/senior rights, and following the footsteps of the original surveyor, which is why case law makes up about 51% of the exam.