Surveyor In Training (SIT)
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New SIT Rules Application Process Exam Continuing EducationRenewalIf you are interested in land surveying, the Surveyor in Training (SIT) certification is the beginning point. SIT certification allows you time to obtain additional education and/or experience as you move towards licensure as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS).
Only after all documents required are completed and submitted to the Board can an applicant be reviewed for approval. Once a decision has been reached by the Board in regard to an application, the applicant will be emailed the results of the review. If the application is rejected, the applicant will be told what they must supply to the Board in order for their application to become approved. Incomplete applications, miscellaneous application materials that have been sent to the Board and rejected applications will be held for a period of one year at the Board office before being discarded. Please contact licensing at the Board office if you should need any assistance.
There are five different ways to qualify to take the exam and upon passing, become an SIT:
1. hold a Bachelor of Science in surveying;
2. hold a Bachelor’s degree with 32 hours in civil engineering, land surveying, math, photogrammetry, forestry, land law or the physical sciences and one year of experience working under a RPLS;
3. hold an Associate’s degree in surveying and have two years of experience working under a RPLS
4. have 32 hours in land surveying courses and two years of experience working under a RPLS; or
5. graduated from high school, have four years of experience working under an RPLS, and can prove you are self-educated in land surveying.
New SIT Rules
TBPELS adopted new rules to align the rule requirements for the land surveying and engineering professions when possible. One of these changes concerns the SIT certification renewal and continuing education requirements.
The new rule (134.3) requires 32 hours of continuing education for each eight-year renewal. The rule also eliminates the one-year renewal and the eight hours of continuing education for every one-year renewal following the first. Therefore, we have decided in applying these new rules to existing SITS, the following will take place in April, 2021.
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All SITS in the one-year renewal cycle will have their expiration extended seven years to match the new rules.
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The new expiration date will be indicated in the online roster and on the re-issued certificate.
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Continuing education requirements will now match the new rules. Thus, every SIT in this one-year renewal cycle will have the remaining seven years to complete the 32 hours of continuing education prior to their renewal.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these rule changes, please don’t hesitate to email our licensing division at licensing@pels.texas.gov.
Application Process
The following documents/items are required to complete an application to take the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying Exam (FS Exam):
1. Surveyor In Training (S.I.T.) Application
All questions must be answered. Failure to complete any portion of the application form will disqualify your application from the Board review.
This application must be accompanied by a check or money order (unless applicant is a military service member - see section 2).
2. Application Payment
The application fee must be submitted with the application. The fee is $15.00 (effective 9/1/21 - previously was $75).
This payment must be in the form of a check or money order.
No cash is accepted.
3. Reference Waiver
A minimum of three reference waivers must be sent to the Board office by a Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) or Licensed State Land Surveyor (LSLS).
The form must be submitted in a sealed envelope with their seal stamped on the back of the envelope.
4. Approved Courses Checklist
This form must be accompanied by course descriptions for each course from your collegiate catalog;
not required if applying under section 1071.253 (1) All courses must be conferred by an official transcript.
5. Transcripts
The applicant must submit certified college transcripts and any certificates of completion from other seminars/courses taken.
Only transcripts in sealed envelopes from the collegiate institution will be accepted as ‘certified’.
Fundamentals of Surveying (FS)
An applicant can take the FS Exam as many times as needed to pass the exam. There is no limit to the amount of attempts an applicant has to pass the FS Exam and become certified. Once you have passed the FS Exam, an SIT certificate will be mailed to you.
NCEES generates and administers the FS Exam. The exam is computer based, offered at testing centers around the nation, and offered year-round. For more information about the FS exam protocol, please visit NCEES.org. All applicants are required to register with NCEES and pay the exam fee before the Board can approve the individual to sit for the exam. Once the applicant has completed these activities, they will receive an email from NCEES inviting them to select an exam time and location.
Once an applicant takes the exam, they and the Board, will be notified of their results.
Continuing Education
As a condition for maintaining a SIT during the eight-year period of working towards RPLS registration, the certificate holder must complete professional education activities. This includes successful completion of courses supporting the development of skill and competence in professional land surveying and other Continuing Education (CE) approved by the Board. For more information on board approved CE please see our Land Surveyor Continuing Education page.
At the end of the eight year period if the certificate holder has not successfully completed registration but wishes to maintain the SIT certification, the Board will require written proof of completion of at least 32 hours of acceptable continuing education during the eight year period as set out in subsection (b) of this section. The certificate can then be renewed each 8 years. As a condition for renewal of a SIT certificate, the Board shall require a certificate holder to successfully complete 32 hours of continuing professional education courses per 8 years.
Renewal
A SIT certification is valid for eight (8) years. However, a SIT is permitted to extend their certification on a 8 year basis. In order to extend a SIT certification an individual must apply to be extended and have completed 32 hours of Board approved course work or Board approved continuing education credits.