1.3 Qualifications, Surveyor Intern Enrollment, Examinations & Comity

The five statutory routes (§ 73-13-23(3))

Since July 1, 2026, the qualifications for Professional Surveyor licensure appear in § 73-13-23(3). Every route also requires passing the surveying examinations prescribed by the Board and good character and reputation as defined in the Code of Professional Conduct (§ 73-13-23(5)).

Surveyor Intern enrollment (§ 73-13-23(4)) uses the same education list with no experience requirement for the degree routes. The high-school route requires 8 years of qualifying experience. Every route requires passing the FS exam. The Board's requirements page adds that SI applicants must be Mississippi residents and must pass the FS before applying. Enrollment does not expire (Rule 6.6), and licensure replaces enrollment status (Rule 6.1).

Board definitions of the curricula (Rule 5.1)

A related science curriculum for SI or PS purposes is a four-year Bachelor of Science in engineering, mathematics, forestry, GIS, cartography, or a similar science the Board accepts. The 62 semester hours in surveying curriculum means completing the curriculum with at least a 2.00 GPA and these minimum subject hours:

What counts as experience (Rule 5.2)

For PS applicants the Board looks for progressive experience of increasing quality and responsibility. It should include field assignments, office assignments, records research, and boundary line surveying. An applicant for initial PS licensure (first licensure in any state) must show boundary line surveying for at least 50% of the minimum required experience. Other rules:

• Experience must be under the Supervision of a licensed PE or PS. If supervision was indirect, the applicant must explain its degree and type.
• Military experience counts if equivalent to civilian work of the same kind.
• Teaching counts when it is in junior-, senior-, or graduate-level surveying courses approved by the Board.
• Experience must be complete when the application is filed. Anticipated experience and post-dated applications are not considered.
• A dual licensee must meet the experience requirement for each license separately; the same years cannot count twice.
• SI applicants qualifying on education alone file no experience verification. Those qualifying on experience need at least one verification form from a PS supervisor.

Applications and references (§ 73-13-25; Rules 5.3 and 5.6)

A PS application must be made under oath and list at least five references; the statute requires that at least three be professional surveyors with personal knowledge of the applicant's surveying experience. Initial applicants must include at least one reference from their licensed supervisor or mentor dated within the past six months. Reference forms signed within the previous two years may be transferred from a closed application. The statute caps the PS application fee at $150 and the SI fee at $50; the current schedule charges $75 and $25.

Residency. Only Mississippi legal residents (domicile) may apply for SI enrollment or initial PS licensure. Proof may be a Mississippi driver's license, a voter registration card, or a homestead-exemption certificate. Military personnel and dependents assigned to a Mississippi installation are excepted. Comity applicants are not subject to this rule.

English proficiency. An initial applicant whose primary language is not English submits TOEFL results (550 paper-based or 79 internet-based) or an IELTS score of 6.5, taken within two years. A degree from an English-speaking country exempts the applicant.

Reconsideration. A denied applicant may request reconsideration in writing, with the additional information, within 30 days of the denial notice.

Examinations (§ 73-13-27; Rule 5.4)

The statute requires examinations for SI enrollment and PS licensure and directs the Board to test the applicant's ability to exercise direct control and personal supervision of all surveying functions. Under the rules, the FS and PPS are NCEES exams scheduled directly with NCEES without Board approval; the 2026 rule revision "decoupled" the surveying exams. The Mississippi Section is Board-prepared and closed book. Initial applicants are cited to it after they apply for licensure with FS, PPS, and experience complete. Mississippi does not issue temporary or one-project licenses.

Comity licensure (§ 73-13-35; Rule 5.7)

The Board may license a surveyor who holds a license from another state, territory, or country if the applicant's qualifications meet Mississippi's current requirements. Rule 5.7 adds three surveyor-specific conditions:

1. The applicant must be currently licensed and in good standing with other NCEES member boards and meet all current Mississippi requirements.
2. The applicant must have been licensed after fourteen (14) hours of NCEES examinations, or its equivalency as determined by the Board. The paper-era FS was 8 hours and the PS 6 hours, which is why the rule counts hours.
3. The Mississippi Section two-hour examination is required of all comity applicants. A comity PS license bears the date the applicant passes the Mississippi Section exam.

For experience documentation, applicants licensed and practicing for 10 years or more submit character references from licensees familiar with their work. Those licensed less than 10 years submit experience verification from supervisors who had review and approval authority. Licensure by reciprocity for military-trained applicants, military spouses, and new residents follows §§ 73-50-1 and 73-50-2.