Becoming a Licensed Land Surveyor in New Jersey—Quick Guide

If you’re looking to operate as a land surveyor in New Jersey, you must first obtain a license that proves you can practice land surveying safely and ethically. Without a license, neither firms nor individuals can legally take on or perform land surveying activities as defined in the New Jersey Statutes.

However, obtaining a land surveyor license from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs-State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (the Board) means meeting various requirements. While individuals have to satisfy a set of experience, educational, and examination criteria, most firms must attain a Certificate of Authorization to provide surveying work legally.

Keeping up with these requirements is crucial, but it tends to be time-consuming and tedious. To help you out, we’ve created this guide with all the information you need regarding the land surveyor license in New Jersey. We’ll also show you how Harbor Compliance’s expert solutions make land surveying licensing quicker and easier for you.

What Is the Role of a Land Surveyor?

Any professional who uses advanced mathematical principles to measure or map out a specific area is called a land surveyor. With detailed readings, they learn and note the shape of a location, which later helps engineers and architects prepare accurate drawings for construction. They also assist clients with:

• Learning the boundaries of their land
• Construction staking
• Instructing construction workers
• Preparing land maps

For land surveyors in New Jersey, there are six main laws that govern all their practices and licensing process. These are:

1. Title 45 Chapter 8 of New Jersey Statutes
2. Title 13 Chapter 40 of New Jersey Administrative Code
3. Licensee Duty to Cooperate (Title 13 Chapter 45C of New Jersey Administrative Code)
4. Uniform Enforcement Act (Title 45 Chapter 1 of New Jersey Statutes)
5. Building Design Services Act (Title 45 Chapter 4B of New Jersey Statutes)
6. The Condominium Act (Title 46 Chapter 8B of New Jersey Statutes)

Basic Requirements for Obtaining a Land Surveyor License in New Jersey

From education and experience to passing specific exams, there are multiple requirements that both individuals and firms must meet to legally provide land surveying services in the state of New Jersey.

Individual License Requirements

Here are the four primary requirements for becoming a licensed land surveyor in New Jersey:

1. Language and demeanor—The candidate should be able to speak and write in English while being of “good character and reputation.”
2. Education—Applicants must possess a four-year degree in land surveying from an institution whose curriculum is approved by the Board.
3. Experience—Besides the educational criteria, the candidate should possess three years of professional work experience in land surveying.
4. Examination—Applicants must take and pass two exams before applying for the license, namely the Fundamentals of Land Surveying and Specialized Training exams.

There are provisions that allow land surveyors without three years of land surveying experience to qualify for a license. Explore the table below to see how further education can help you reduce the experience requirement.

Business Certificate of Authorization Requirements

Unlike individuals, businesses cannot obtain land surveying licenses. Instead, they receive Certificates of Authorization that grant them legal permission to offer land surveying services. There are three conditions businesses need to meet to obtain the Certificate:

1. Proof of licensed employee—The most basic requirement for firms is to have at least one full-time worker or contractor with a New Jersey land surveying license. For the latter, companies must provide written evidence that the contractor is responsible for all land surveying activities within the firm.
2. Incorporation documents—Firms founded in New Jersey must provide a certified copy of their Certificate of Incorporation. Those registered outside of the state but looking to do business in it need to provide a certificate from their home state along with a Certificate of Authority to conduct business in New Jersey.
3. Annual Report—Regardless of where your company is formed, you’ll have to provide the most recent annual report from the New Jersey Division of Revenue.

In addition, businesses must pay a non-refundable fee of $120/$60, depending on when they submit the form.

Becoming a Land Surveyor-in-Training

Land surveyors-in-training are professionals who are legally allowed to provide surveying services under the management of a licensed surveyor. This status allows them to gain experience after graduation and before they can apply for a license.

The Board provides certificates of registration for surveyor-in-training aspirants. However, to become one, candidates must have two basic qualifications:

1. Have a Board-approved bachelor’s degree in land surveying
2. Pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying exam

Land surveyors-in-training can apply for a license after meeting the experience requirements and other criteria defined by law.

Maintaining a Land Surveyor NJ License

The Board requires its licensed surveys to collect a minimum of 24 continuing education credits over a two-year period to be able to renew their licenses. With each credit equalling one hour of education, there are multiple ways surveyors can attain them, including attending courses and seminars.

Professionals licensed as both engineers and land surveyors must complete at least 27 credits—24 of which must be in engineering and land surveying (12 each). It’s key to note that failure to collect a minimum of 24 credits can result in a hefty penalty on license holders (maximum of $500) and the inability to renew the license.

It can be difficult for licensed land surveyors and the businesses they’re affiliated with to keep up with the complex and constantly evolving state requirements. However, doing so is essential for maintaining their licenses and retaining the right to operate in the state. To streamline the license management process and ensure uninterrupted operations, consider partnering with a professional service like Harbor Compliance.

Manage Your Land Surveyor License Seamlessly With Harbor Compliance

When it comes to land surveying licenses, our Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions enable you to easily navigate the entire licensing process and significantly reduce your compliance workload. By leveraging our centralized platform and cutting-edge software, we help individuals and firms keep track of the changing requirements and renewal dates to remain in good standing.

We assist land surveying firms in attaining their Certificate of Authorization. Apart from the land surveying businesses, our services also cater to firms in hydrology, geology, and soil science.

Harbor Compliance lets you outsource as much of the licensing process to us as you want—you can choose from fully managed, self-managed, or hybrid service options.

Benefits of Using Harbor Compliance’s Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions

Here are the main benefits of partnering with Harbor Compliance to manage your land surveying licenses:

• Compliance Core™—You get access to our proprietary algorithm that cross-references your company data with an extensive nationwide database containing 22,000+ compliance and licensing requirements in all jurisdictions. This lets you drastically reduce the time spent researching state licensing requirements.
• Reduced compliance workload—We can take over your entire licensing process, from the initial application to license renewals, to save you valuable time and resources.
• Team of experts—Our team consists of experts who understand the intricacies of the licensing regulatory landscape. We take a comprehensive approach to ensure that your surveying firm can easily meet every state requirement.
• Quick assistance—We know how quickly regulations can change over time. Hence, rest assured that our team will always be available to help you resolve any doubts or queries regarding land surveyor licensure in New Jersey.
• License Manager—We offer a separate software solution, a part of our comprehensive Compliance Software Suite, to help you visualize your entire license portfolio and track the status of individual and company licenses from a single location.

The Process of Ordering Harbor Compliance’s Service

To order Harbor Compliance’s licensure services, take the steps below and schedule a quick call with our team:

1. Visit the Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions page.
2. Populate the Contact Us form with your name, email address, company name, and phone number.
3. Let us know your preferred meeting time and any questions you’d like us to address during the meeting.

Additional Services by Harbor Compliance

Apart from our licensing solutions for architecture and engineering firms, we provide a wide range of services to help you meet all your state requirements and remain in good standing. Explore the table below for more details.

Land Surveyor NJ License FAQs

Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding a land surveyor license in New Jersey. If you want to dig deeper, visit our comprehensive Information Center.

Harbor Compliance—Your One-Stop Solution for Land Surveying Licensure

To stay on top of all licensing requirements as well as track renewal dates regardless of the number of jurisdictions you operate in, partner with Harbor Compliance. Get started with our Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions and reduce the licensing workload so you can focus on your primary responsibilities. Feel free to schedule a free software demo to get a better idea of our services.

You can also get your free Harbor Compliance Score™ to assess your overall compliance status and identify any matters needing your immediate attention.

Check out the table below to learn more about engineering licensing requirements across all U.S. states.