It’s important to remember your certification as a PLSIT is not a license to practice; rather it is a special designation that allows you to perform land surveying duties while still under the direct supervision of a licensed professional land surveyor. Your supervisor remains in responsible charge of all work performed while you gain the progressive practical experience necessary to complete your licensure requirements.
Applicants must pass the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam administered through the National Council of Examiners for Engineers & Surveyors (NCEES) prior to applying for the PLSIT. The FS exam is currently offered year-round via computer-based testing at approved Pearson Vue testing centers throughout the state. A list of locations is available at https://ncees.org and an exam fee will be paid directly at the testing center.
All progressive experience is now under the direct supervision of a Professional Land Surveyor.
Experience can be accrued before taking the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam.
A Land Surveyor in Training (PLSIT) certificate is a prerequisite to Land Surveyor licensure. The experience obtained as a Land Surveyor in Training (PLSIT) can be applied toward the total experience required for the Land Surveyor license. Applicants with an active license in at least one other state or jurisdiction may apply by Comity without first acquiring the Land Surveyor in Training (PLSIT) certificate.
Step 1: Examination
Applicants who wish to sit for the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam in Tennessee may register directly with NCEES at, https://ncees.org. No prior approval is required.
Once the applicant has passed the FS exam, they should submit the Professional Surveyor-In-Training application on core.tn.gov to obtain PLSIT certification in Tennessee.
If an applicant did not take the FS in TN they will need to provide a verification from the state they took it in.
Step 2: Application
Once you’ve passed the FS it’s time to submit your PLSIT application. You’ll be required to demonstrate to the Board which of the approved licensure paths you intend to satisfy. Each requires its own combination of education and experience. Applicants are required to indicate the pathway in which they are seeking licensure in accordance with current requirements. Please see the information below:
All potential registrants must have a high school education or its equivalent, must write and speak the English language, and must be of good character and repute. Three (3) character references are required, one (1) of whom must be a professional land surveyor. These references should each submit an approved reference form on behalf of the applicant so the Board can make a determination of that applicant’s character.
The applicant must also attest that they meet one of the approved methods of licensure. The following five paths are excerpted from Tennessee Code Annotated § 62-18-109.
Always refer directly to the TCA for a full and current listing of requirements.
- Obtain a baccalaureate degree from a surveying or surveying technology curriculum of four or more years, approved by the board.
- Obtain a baccalaureate degree from a surveying-related field (science, engineering, or technology) of four or more years approved by the board, with a minimum of 24 semester hours of survey-specific coursework approved by the board.
- Obtain a baccalaureate degree from a curriculum unrelated to the surveying of four or more years, approved by the board, plus an addition 36 semester hours of survey-specific coursework approved by the board.
- Obtain an associate degree in surveying technology or a related science, engineering, or a similar technical field, approved by the board, with a minimum of 30 semester hours of survey-specific coursework approved by the board, as well as four (4) years progressive practical experience which shall have been under the direct supervision of a practicing professional land surveyor.
- Obtain a high school education diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED) with a record satisfactory to the board of six (6) years of progressive practical experience which shall have been under the direct supervision or a practicing professional land surveyor.
You are required to submit the following with your Professional Land-Surveyor-in-Training (PLSIT) application:
I. "Initial Land Surveyor In Training Application" on core.tn.gov
II. Applicants are required to provide three (3) references, one (1) being a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS). This form must be completed and sent to the Board directly by the reference via email at Land.Surveyors@TN.Gov
III. Applicants are required to provide the board with official transcripts. These transcripts are to be sent to the board directly by the university (or the transcript service utilized by the university) via email at Land.Surveyors@TN.Gov
IV. Attachments
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- Applicants applying via education methods 2-4 must provide the course reporting form. This form can be found in an attachment at the bottom of this page.
- Applicants applying via education methods 4 & 5 must provide the Experience Verification Form. This form can be found in an attachment at the bottom of this page. It must also be sent directly by the land surveyor verifying the experience to: Land.Surveyors@TN.Gov
- Proof of passage of the Fundaments of Surveying (FS) exam
IIV. Fee, $25
Once all documents are received, applications are transmitted to the board for their review. Once transmitted, the review process takes approximately 4 weeks to complete. Once a certificate is issued, a decorative wall certificate will be mailed to the address we have on file for you. Please allow adequate time for this certificate to arrive (approximately 16 weeks).