Starting May 2023, the current RPLS exam will be replaced with a combination of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Principles and Practice of Professional Surveying (PS) exam and a new Texas Specific Surveying Exam (TSSE).
April 2023 will be the last 8-hour RPLS exam. After April 2023, all applicants will be required to take and pass the NCEES PS and the TSSE to be registered as an RPLS in Texas.
TBPELS will begin approving NCEES PS exam registrations starting May 1, 2023.
TBPELS will offer the first TSSE in October 2023. Exam dates are located on our Surveying Exams Page.
Yes. To meet the exam requirement to be an RPLS in Texas, you must take and pass the NCEES PS Examination as well as the Texas State Specific Exam (TSSE).
Your application for registration must be approved by TBPELS prior to taking the NCEES PS exam. Once your application is complete and approved, you will be notified by TBPELS and NCEES will be notified to allow you to register for the PS exam and TSSE. If you already hold a surveying license or registration in another state / jurisdiction and/or took the NCEES PS exam as part of that license or registration process, then you can use that exam result to meet the Texas exam requirement. You will NOT need to take the NCEES PS exam again if you passed the PS exam prior to applying for your Texas License. However, you will still need to take and pass the TSSE.
The NCEES PS exam specifications are located on the NCEES Website. This exam covers general surveying knowledge and practice. The TSSE specifications will be posted starting May 2023 and will be located on our Surveying Exams Page. The TSSE was developed to supplement the NCEES PS exam and focuses on Texas specific laws, rules, practice, and procedures that are not covered in the NCEES PS exam.
The TSSE was built using exam specifications put together by Texas RPLS and based on questions and scenarios from the previous RPLS exam item bank. Therefore, questions will be similar to the questions used on previous versions of the Texas RPLS exams. The TSSE specifications will be posted starting May 2023 and will be located on our Surveying Exams Page.
No. April 2023 is the last traditional RPLS exam. After that, all applicants approved for exams must take and pass the NCEES PS and TSSE exams.
No. April 2023 is the last traditional RPLS exam. After that, all applicants approved for exams must take and pass the NCEES PS and TSSE exams.
No. Once you pass the TSSE the board will have your score and you will not have to take the exam again.
No. Once you pass the NCEES PS exam the board will have your score and you will not have to take the exam again.
TBD
No. You may take either exam in any order. You can also continue to take exams in any order if you do not pass the first time until you have passed both exams.
All other requirements remain the same for your application, including the required amount of qualifying experience.
The TSSE is an in-person paper-and-pencil exam similar to the current RPLS exam format. It is a multiple-choice exam.
Yes. The exam is planned to be held in Austin. We will post all exam dates, locations and registration deadlines on our Surveying Exams Page.
After October 2023, the TSSE exam will be offered 3 times per year – once in the fall, spring, and summer. All exam dates, locations, and registration deadlines are on our Surveying Exams Page.
The exam is designed for a maximum of 4 hours.
No. You can take the exams in any order. You must pass them both prior to becoming registered as an RPLS.
TBD
TBD
Once you have been notified by TBPELS that your application has been approved, you can register for the next exam during the exam registration window on the TBPELS website Surveying Exams Page.
The exams must be graded and analyzed prior to release of the results. The timing may vary, but the board strives to release the exam results within 6 weeks of the exam date.
The NCEES PS exam is developed by NCEES and delivered at Pearson VUE computer based testing centers. Information about the exam format, along with exam specifications, study materials, and videos are located on the NCEES Website.
Once you have been notified by TBPELS that your application has been approved, you will register for the NCEES PS exam on the NCEES Website
Information about the NCEES PS exam can be found on the NCEES Website The total appointment time is approximately 7 hours—2 minutes for nondisclosure agreement, 8 minutes for a tutorial, and 6 hours for the actual exam
The NCEES PS exam is a computer-based exam offered at Pearson VUE testing centers. It is offered year-round. You will need to schedule an appointment with NCEES / Pearson VUE. Go to their website to register and pick your date / location. NCEES Website
The NCEES PS exam is a computer-based exam offered at Pearson VUE testing centers. You can take the exam at any available Pearson VUE testing center in Texas or any other US state. You will need to schedule an appointment with NCEES / Pearson VUE. Go to their website to register and pick your date / location. NCEES Website
You will be notified by NCEES directly with your exam results. TBPELS will be notified automatically; you do not need to notify the board of your results.
The current NCEES PS exam cost is $300. These exam fees are set by NCEES. For more information, check out the NCEES Website.
The NCEES PS exam is a computer-based exam and not a paper and pencil exam. For more information about the exam format, what you can bring to the testing center, exam preparation materials, approved calculators, and other exam information please visit the NCEES Website.
TBD