Free NCEES FS Practice Test
This free NCEES FS practice test has 55 original, unofficial Fundamentals of Surveying questions with worked solutions across all seven NCEES knowledge areas. It's a half-length sample, not an official exam or a pass predictor, and there's no signup.
Question 1. A grade stake is set where the design finished-grade elevation is 248.30 ft. The level's height of instrument (HI) is 254.62 ft, and the rod reading on the ground at the stake is 4.87 ft. What should be marked on the stake?
Show answer and explanation — Question 1
Correct answer: D — C 1.45 (cut 1.45 ft)
Ground elevation = HI − rod = 254.62 − 4.87 = 249.75 ft. Ground minus grade = 249.75 − 248.30 = +1.45 ft. The ground sits 1.45 ft above finished grade, so the stake reads C 1.45.
Why the other answers miss: A has the right size but the wrong direction. The ground is above grade, so material comes out. B subtracts the grade from the HI, treating the instrument height as if it were the ground. C uses the HI as the ground and also reverses the direction.
Source: WSDOT Highway Surveying Manual M 22-97, Ch. 15 (§15-02.3, pp. 15-5–15-6: cut/fill from existing ground vs. design grade); Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 12 (§12.4-3: C = cut, F = fill marking)
Question 2. In a two-peg test, the level is set up exactly midway between pegs A and B and reads A = 5.32 ft and B = 4.18 ft. It's then moved close to A, where A reads 4.95 ft. If the line of sight were perfectly horizontal, what should the rod on B read?
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 2
Correct answer: 3.81 ft
From the midway setup, collimation error cancels, so the true difference is 5.32 − 4.18 = 1.14 ft, with B higher. Close to A, the error in the A reading is negligible. The expected B reading is 4.95 − 1.14 = 3.81 ft. If B actually reads something else—say 3.77 ft—the difference is the collimation error over that sight, and the level needs adjusting.
Common wrong answers: 6.09 ft adds the difference instead of subtracting it (B is higher, so its rod reading is smaller). 4.18 ft repeats the midway reading, which came from a different instrument height.
Source: WSDOT Highway Surveying Manual M 22-97 (§3-03.3(b), pp. 3-4–3-5: two-peg (collimation) test)
Question 3. A crew has 45 minutes of static dual-frequency GPS data on a mark and wants NGS to process it online. Under NGS's current data-length rules, which OPUS processing does it get?
Show answer and explanation — Question 3
Correct answer: B — Rapid-static processing (OPUS-RS)
NGS processes files of 15 minutes to 2 hours with rapid-static software and files of 2 to 48 hours with static software. A 45-minute file goes to rapid-static. (Short files also need the right dual-frequency observables, which this crew collected.)
Why the other answers miss: A needs a file of at least 2 hours. C ignores rapid-static, which takes files from 15 minutes up to 2 hours. D confuses OPUS, a post-processing service, with real-time methods such as RTK.
Source: NOAA NGS, About OPUS (data-duration rules: static 2–48 h; rapid-static 15 min–2 h)
Question 4. Which method gives centimeter-level positions in the field, in real time, using corrections sent from a base station over a radio or cellular link?
Show answer and explanation — Question 4
Correct answer: A — Single-base real-time kinematic (RTK)
NGS's RTK guidelines describe relative accuracy on the order of a centimeter, with the base sending corrections to the rover by UHF radio or a cellular/internet connection.
Why the other answers miss: B is post-processed after the session, not real time. C uses no corrections and is far less accurate. D is also done after the fact.
Source: NOAA Manual NOS NGS 9, User Guidelines for Single Base Real Time GNSS Positioning, v3.1 (2014) (pp. 1, 4, 8: centimeter-level relative accuracy; radio or cellular correction link)
Question 5. GNSS mission planning shows the predicted PDOP for four observation windows. Which window has the best satellite geometry?
Show answer and explanation — Question 5
Correct answer: C — PDOP 1.8
Lower dilution of precision means better geometry: errors in the satellite ranges are magnified less. NGS's tightest single-base RTK class allows a PDOP no greater than 2.0.
Why the other answers miss: A is usable for some work but weaker geometry than 1.8. B magnifies ranging errors more. D is the weakest geometry here and exceeds every NGS RTK class limit.
Source: NOAA Manual NOS NGS 9, v3.1 (2014) (p. 31 (lower DOP is better); pp. 43–45 (maximum PDOP by accuracy class))
Question 6. A distance was written in the field book as 342.18 ft when it should have been 324.18 ft. What's the accepted way to correct it?
Show answer and explanation — Question 6
Correct answer: B — Draw a single line through 342.18 so it stays legible, and record 324.18 directly above it
Erasures aren't permitted in field books. Strike the error with one line so it can still be read, and write the correct value next to it—directly above, in Colorado DOT's wording.
Why the other answers miss: A destroys the original entry; field books are a legal record. C removes original evidence. D leaves neither value clearly readable.
Source: Colorado DOT Survey Manual, Ch. 2 (§2.4.7: no erasures; single line through the error, correct entry recorded above)
Question 7. Under FGDC Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards Part 2 (1998), at what confidence level are geodetic network accuracy classes such as “2 cm” stated?
Show answer and explanation — Question 7
Correct answer: A — 95%
Table 2.1 states each accuracy class at the 95-percent confidence level, and both local and network accuracy are reported at 95%.
Why the other answers miss: B is roughly one standard deviation, not the level the standard uses. C is the testing level used in the 1947 National Map Accuracy Standards, not GPAS Part 2. D isn't the level this standard uses.
Source: FGDC-STD-007.2-1998, Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards Part 2 (copy hosted by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet) (§2.2.1 Table 2.1, p. 2-3; §2.2.2, p. 2-4: accuracy classes at 95% confidence)
Question 8. A subdivision design would place fill in a wetland that is part of the waters of the United States. What federal authorization is generally needed?
Show answer and explanation — Question 8
Correct answer: A — A Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Section 404 regulates discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands, unless an exemption applies. The Corps runs the permit program, with EPA oversight. Whether a particular wetland is jurisdictional is a separate determination.
Why the other answers miss: B changes a flood map; it isn't a permit to fill a wetland. C is for submitting geodetic survey data. D ignores the federal Section 404 program.
Source: U.S. EPA, Permit Program under CWA Section 404 (overview: dredged or fill material, wetlands, Corps administers permits)
Question 9. On a FEMA flood map, which zone is a Special Flood Hazard Area where base flood elevations have been determined?
Show answer and explanation — Question 9
Correct answer: B — Zone AE
Zone AE is the base (1% annual chance) floodplain where FEMA provides base flood elevations. It's one of the Special Flood Hazard Area labels.
Why the other answers miss: A is the moderate-hazard area between the 1% and 0.2% annual-chance floodplains. C is a minimal-hazard area. D is the older label for minimal-hazard areas.
Source: FEMA Glossary, Zone AE (definition); FEMA, Flood Zones (moderate- and minimal-hazard zones (X shaded/B, X unshaded/C))
Mapping Processes and Methods
Question 10. On a 1:24,000 map, two features measure 3.25 in apart. What's the ground distance between them, in feet?
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 1)
Show answer and explanation — Question 10
Correct answer: 6500 ft
Ground = 3.25 in × 24,000 = 78,000 in. Divide by 12: 6,500 ft. (At 1:24,000, 1 in on the map is 2,000 ft on the ground.)
Common wrong answers: 78,000 is the answer in inches. 2,000 is the ground distance for 1 in, not 3.25 in.
Source: worked from the numbers given (unit arithmetic).
Question 11. Under the United States National Map Accuracy Standards (1947), what horizontal tolerance, in ground feet, applies to a map published at 1:24,000?
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 1)
Show answer and explanation — Question 11
Correct answer: 40 ft
For publication scales of 1:20,000 or smaller, no more than 10% of tested points may be off by more than 1/50 inch at map scale. 24,000 ÷ 50 = 480 in = 40 ft on the ground.
Common wrong answers: 66.7 ft uses 1/30 inch, which applies only to maps at scales larger than 1:20,000. 480 is still in inches.
Source: U.S. National Map Accuracy Standards (USGS reprint) (horizontal accuracy: 1/30 inch above 1:20,000; 1/50 inch at 1:20,000 or smaller; vertical: half the contour interval)
Question 12. A checkpoint test of an orthoimage gives RMSE_r = 0.100 m, with RMSE_x = RMSE_y. What horizontal accuracy should be reported under the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (FGDC GPAS Part 3)? Round to the nearest 0.001 m.
Your answer: ________ m (round to the nearest 0.001)
Show answer and explanation — Question 12
Correct answer: 0.173 m
When RMSE_x = RMSE_y, NSSDA horizontal accuracy = 1.7308 × RMSE_r = 1.7308 × 0.100 = 0.173 m, reported at 95% confidence. The standard calls for at least 20 checkpoints.
Common wrong answers: 0.196 m uses 1.9600, the factor for vertical accuracy. 0.100 m reports the RMSE itself, not the 95% accuracy.
Source: FGDC-STD-007.3-1998, Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards Part 3: NSSDA (§3.2.1–3.2.2, p. 3-4; Appendix 3-A, pp. 3-10–3-11)
Question 13. Where contour lines cross a stream valley, how do they bend?
Show answer and explanation — Question 13
Correct answer: C — Into a V that points upstream
The valley floor rises upstream, so each contour has to travel up the valley before it can cross the stream at its own elevation. That makes a V pointing upstream.
Why the other answers miss: A reverses the rule. B breaks the rule that contours are continuous. D breaks the rule that contours don't cross on a normal land surface.
Source: Tulane University, Geology 113: Topographic Maps (contour rule 4: V's point upstream)
Question 14. A vertical aerial photo is taken with a 152.4 mm lens from 1,500 m above the datum, over terrain at 300 m elevation. What's the photo scale over that terrain?
Show answer and explanation — Question 14
Correct answer: D — 1:7,874
Scale = f/(H − h) = 0.1524 m / (1,500 − 300) m = 0.1524/1,200 = 1:7,874. Keep f and H in the same units.
Why the other answers miss: A ignores the terrain and uses the full flying height. B adds the terrain elevation instead of subtracting it. C uses the terrain elevation as if it were the flying height.
Source: Almohanna, Aerial Surveying and Photogrammetry notes (King Saud University) (p. 4 (scale = f/(H − h)); pp. 7–9 (relief displacement))
Question 15. On a vertical photo, the top of a 50 m tower images 80 mm from the principal point. The flying height above the tower's base is 1,000 m. What's the relief displacement of the tower top?
Show answer and explanation — Question 15
Correct answer: B — 4.0 mm
d = r·h/H = 80 mm × 50 m / 1,000 m = 4.0 mm, displaced radially outward from the principal point.
Why the other answers miss: A is off by a factor of ten. C is also off by a factor of ten. D inverts the ratio (r × H ÷ h).
Source: Almohanna, Aerial Surveying and Photogrammetry notes (King Saud University) (p. 4 (scale = f/(H − h)); pp. 7–9 (relief displacement)); Portland State University GEOG 493, Week 2 slides (slides 7–8: relief displacement d = rh/H)
Question 16. Under the 2021 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, what's the maximum allowable Relative Positional Precision between two corners 400 ft apart? Round to the nearest 0.01 ft.
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 16
Correct answer: 0.09 ft
Allowable RPP = 0.07 ft (2 cm) + 50 ppm of the distance. 50 × 10⁻⁶ × 400 ft = 0.02 ft, so 0.07 + 0.02 = 0.09 ft, at 95% confidence. Watch the edition: a 2026 ALTA/NSPS edition took effect February 23, 2026, but the FS exam supplies the 2021 edition, and NCEES scores standards-based answers to the edition it lists.
Common wrong answers: 0.07 ft leaves out the 50 ppm term. 0.27 ft uses 500 ppm.
Source: 2021 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements (§3.E.i and §3.E.v: Relative Positional Precision, 2 cm (0.07 ft) + 50 ppm at 95%); NCEES FS CBT Exam Specifications (effective July 2020) (standards list, last page)
Boundary Law and Real Property Principles
Boundary law varies by state. These questions test widely taught principles from the cited sources; in practice, follow your own state's statutes and case law.
Question 17. A deed calls “thence N 45° E, 300.00 ft to an iron pipe.” The pipe is found undisturbed and accepted as the original monument, 306.20 ft from the previous corner. Under the usual rule of construction, where is the corner?
Show answer and explanation — Question 17
Correct answer: B — At the iron pipe
Original monuments called for in a deed generally control over measurements. California codifies the rule: when visible monuments conflict with measured lines, angles or surfaces, the monuments are paramount—and among measurements, surfaces (area) rank last. Follow your own state's law in practice.
Why the other answers miss: A lets the measurement override the monument the deed calls for. C splits a conflict the rule resolves in favor of the monument. D puts area, the weakest measurement, first.
Source: California Code of Civil Procedure §2077 (Rule 2 (monuments paramount over measurements); Rule 3 (lines, then angles, then surfaces))
Question 18. A recorded subdivision provision says no lot may contain more than one single-family dwelling. What is it?
Show answer and explanation — Question 18
Correct answer: D — A restrictive covenant
A restrictive covenant is a provision in a conveyance that limits how the grantee may use the property. Subdivision use restrictions are a classic example.
Why the other answers miss: A gives a right to use land; it doesn't limit the owner's own use like this. B secures payment for work or materials. C secures a loan.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Restrictive covenant (definition)
Question 19. A neighbor has fenced, mowed and openly used a strip of land for longer than the statutory period. Which fact most likely defeats an adverse possession claim?
Show answer and explanation — Question 19
Correct answer: C — The owner had given the neighbor written permission to use the strip
Possession must be hostile—without the true owner's consent. Permission (a license) defeats the claim.
Why the other answers miss: A supports the open-and-notorious element. B supports actual, exclusive possession. D satisfies the continuity requirement.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Adverse possession (elements; hostile possession)
Question 20. For longer than the statutory period, a neighbor has openly and continuously driven across a corner of a lot, without permission and adverse to the owner. If a court finds a prescriptive easement, what does the neighbor get?
Show answer and explanation — Question 20
Correct answer: B — A nonpossessory right to use that path
A prescriptive easement is an easement, and an easement is a nonpossessory interest that lets the holder use another person's land. The owner keeps title.
Why the other answers miss: A describes adverse possession, not an easement. C describes permissive use, which is the opposite of prescription. D overstates the rule; some states, such as Oregon, don't require exclusive use.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Prescriptive easement (definition and elements); Cornell LII Wex, Easement (nonpossessory property interest)
Question 21. Which pair of facts is required for a traditional easement by necessity?
Show answer and explanation — Question 21
Correct answer: A — The parcels were once under common ownership, and access was necessary when they were severed
An easement by necessity needs unity of ownership before the separation and necessity at the time of severance—typically a landlocked parcel. A deed that expressly negates the easement prevents it.
Why the other answers miss: B describes a prescriptive easement. C describes dedication. D describes an express grant.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Implied easement by necessity (requirements: unity of ownership; necessity at severance)
Question 22. Overnight, a hurricane strips a large area of beach from an oceanfront lot. Under the common-law rule the U.S. Supreme Court described in Stop the Beach Renourishment (2010), what happens to the property boundary?
Show answer and explanation — Question 22
Correct answer: C — It stays where it was before the storm
A sudden, perceptible change is an avulsion, and the boundary doesn't move. Gradual, imperceptible change (accretion or reliction) is different: the boundary follows the water.
Why the other answers miss: A applies the accretion rule to a sudden change. B also treats the event as gradual. D isn't the rule for water boundaries.
Source: Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc. v. Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, 560 U.S. 702 (2010) (opinion of the Court, Part I-A: accretion, reliction and avulsion)
Question 23. Which two statements are correct?
Select two.
Show answer and explanation — Question 23
Correct answer: A and C
Riparian land borders a river or stream; littoral land borders an ocean, sea or lake. Many courts use “riparian” loosely for both.
Why the other answers miss: B reverses the meaning; littoral refers to standing bodies of water. D also reverses it; riparian refers to rivers and streams. Scoring is all or nothing: both correct choices and nothing else.
Source: Ohio Attorney General Opinion No. 93-025 (1993) (p. 2-128 n.1 (littoral); p. 2-129 n.2 (riparian))
Question 24. In a normal 640-acre section, how many acres are in the NE¼ of the SW¼?
Your answer: ________ acres (round to the nearest 1)
Show answer and explanation — Question 24
Correct answer: 40 acres
Read an aliquot description from the end backward. SW¼ of 640 ac = 160 ac. NE¼ of that = 40 ac.
Common wrong answers: 160 stops at the quarter section. 10 divides by four once too often.
Source: 43 U.S.C. §751 (Cornell LII) (First and Third rules: six-mile townships, 640-acre sections, section numbering)
Question 25. In a regular township, which section is in the southeast corner?
Show answer and explanation — Question 25
Correct answer: B — Section 36
Numbering starts with 1 in the northeast corner, runs west to 6, then alternates direction row by row, ending with 36 in the southeast corner.
Why the other answers miss: A is the southwest corner. C is the northwest corner. D is the northeast corner.
Source: 43 U.S.C. §751 (Cornell LII) (First and Third rules: six-mile townships, 640-acre sections, section numbering); BLM Manual of Surveying Instructions (1902) (¶30, p. 21: section 36 in the southeast corner)
Question 26. Which of these is primary legal authority?
Show answer and explanation — Question 26
Correct answer: A — A state statute
Primary authority is law issued by a legislature, court or agency—statutes, cases and regulations. Treatises, law reviews and encyclopedias explain the law but don't make it.
Why the other answers miss: B is secondary commentary. C is secondary commentary. D is a secondary finding aid.
Source: Georgetown Law Library, Secondary Sources Research Guide (introduction); Cornell LII Wex, Primary authority (definition)
Surveying Principles
Question 27. A GNSS point has an ellipsoid height h = 120.50 m. The geoid height there is N = −28.30 m. What's the orthometric height H?
Your answer: ________ m (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 27
Correct answer: 148.80 m
h = H + N, so H = h − N = 120.50 − (−28.30) = 148.80 m. In most of the conterminous U.S., N is negative, so orthometric heights are larger than ellipsoid heights.
Common wrong answers: 92.20 m adds a negative N instead of subtracting it.
Source: NOAA NGS, Milbert & Smith, Converting GPS Height into NAVD88 Elevation (“Height Relationships”: h = H + N)
Question 28. A line's magnetic bearing is N 32°15′ E. The declination is 9°30′ W. What's the true bearing?
Show answer and explanation — Question 28
Correct answer: C — N 22°45′ E
True bearing = magnetic bearing + declination, with east positive and west negative: 32°15′ − 9°30′ = 22°45′, so N 22°45′ E.
Why the other answers miss: A adds a west declination as if it were east. B ignores declination. D reports the declination, not the bearing.
Source: NOAA NCEI, Geomagnetism Frequently Asked Questions (declination: true bearing = magnetic bearing + declination; east positive)
Question 29. A horizontal ground distance is 1,500.000 m. The grid scale factor is 0.99992, the mean ellipsoid height is 300 m, and you use an Earth radius of R = 6,371,000 m. What's the grid distance? Round to the nearest 0.001 m.
Your answer: ________ m (round to the nearest 0.001)
Show answer and explanation — Question 29
Correct answer: 1499.809 m
Elevation (height) factor = R/(R + h) = 6,371,000/6,371,300 = 0.9999529. Combined factor = 0.99992 × 0.9999529 = 0.9998729. Grid distance = 1,500.000 × 0.9998729 = 1,499.809 m.
Common wrong answers: 1,499.880 m applies only the grid scale factor. 1,500.191 m divides by the combined factor instead of multiplying.
Source: NOAA NGS, SPCS2022 Procedures (NGS 2019-1214-01-A1) (p. 14, §6.g.ii–iii: height factor from ellipsoid height; combined factor = scale × height factor); Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 4 (§4.3-2(a), pp. 4-19–4-20: elevation factor R/(R + h); grid = ground × combined factor)
Question 30. Which best describes the geoid?
Show answer and explanation — Question 30
Correct answer: D — An equipotential surface of Earth's gravity field that best fits global mean sea level
The geoid is a level (equipotential) surface of the gravity field that best fits global mean sea level. Orthometric heights are measured from it.
Why the other answers miss: A is a smooth mathematical surface, not a gravity surface. B is a mapping surface. C is a local tidal datum.
Source: Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 4 (§4.4-4, p. 4-24: geoid definition); NOAA NGS, Milbert & Smith, Converting GPS Height into NAVD88 Elevation (“Height Relationships”: h = H + N)
Question 31. Which two statements are correct?
Select two.
Show answer and explanation — Question 31
Correct answer: B and D
NGS describes NAVD 88 as the vertical datum and NAD 83 as a geometric datum referenced to an ellipsoid, replacing the earlier horizontal datums.
Why the other answers miss: A is wrong: NAVD 88 heights are orthometric (gravity-related) heights. C is wrong: tidal datums come from water-level observations. Scoring is all or nothing: both correct choices and nothing else.
Source: NOAA NGS, Datums (NAD 83 (geometric) and NAVD 88 (vertical))
Question 32. What is the deflection of the vertical?
Show answer and explanation — Question 32
Correct answer: C — The angle between the plumb line and the ellipsoid normal
NGS defines it as the departure of a plumb line's actual direction from the ellipsoid normal at that point.
Why the other answers miss: A is the convergence angle. B is magnetic declination. D is just a measured vertical angle.
Source: NOAA NGS, DEFLEC18 (definition of the deflection of the vertical)
Question 33. Curvature is about 0.0239F² ft (F = sight length in thousands of feet), and refraction reduces it by about 14%. What's the combined curvature-and-refraction correction for a 2,000-ft sight?
Show answer and explanation — Question 33
Correct answer: C — 0.082 ft
Curvature = 0.0239 × 2² = 0.0956 ft. Refraction removes about 14%: 0.0956 × 0.86 = 0.082 ft. That's the familiar 0.0206F² rule (0.0206 × 4 = 0.082 ft).
Why the other answers miss: A is curvature alone, without the refraction reduction. B uses F instead of F². D leaves out the square entirely.
Source: NOAA CO-OPS, User's Guide to Vertical Control and Geodetic Leveling (May 2018) (§3.5.1–3.5.2, pp. 40–41: curvature 0.0239D²; refraction about 14% of curvature)
Survey Computations and Computer Applications
Question 34. A closed traverse has a perimeter of 1,500.00 ft. The latitudes sum to +0.12 ft and the departures to −0.09 ft. What's the relative precision?
Show answer and explanation — Question 34
Correct answer: A — 1:10,000
Linear misclosure = √(0.12² + 0.09²) = 0.15 ft. Relative precision = 0.15/1,500 = 1:10,000.
Why the other answers miss: B adds 0.12 + 0.09 instead of combining them as vector components. C uses the latitude error alone. D uses the departure error alone.
Source: Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 5 (§5.3-2, p. 5-17 (relative precision); §5.6, p. 5-29 (compass rule))
Question 35. The six interior angles of a closed traverse add up to 720°00′36″. All angles were measured with equal care. How should they be adjusted?
Show answer and explanation — Question 35
Correct answer: A — Subtract 6″ from each angle
Required sum = (6 − 2) × 180° = 720°00′00″. Misclosure = +36″. Spread equally: 36″ ÷ 6 = 6″ subtracted from each angle.
Why the other answers miss: B has the wrong sign; the sum is already too large. C dumps the whole error on one angle. D divides the misclosure by 7 instead of 6.
Source: Brach & Zeytinci, ASEE 2008 (surveying computations paper) (traverse section: Σ interior angles = (n − 2)180°)
Question 36. From point A to point B, ΔN = −120.00 ft and ΔE = +160.00 ft. What are the distance and azimuth from A to B?
Show answer and explanation — Question 36
Correct answer: D — 200.00 ft at 126°52′12″
Distance = √(120² + 160²) = 200.00 ft. The line runs south and east: bearing angle = arctan(160/120) = 53°07′48″, so the bearing is S 53°07′48″ E and the azimuth is 180° − 53°07′48″ = 126°52′12″.
Why the other answers miss: A puts the line in the wrong quadrant. B is the back azimuth, from B to A. C adds the components instead of using the Pythagorean theorem.
Source: OpenStax, Precalculus 2e (§5.4, right-triangle trigonometry)
Question 37. A parcel's corners, in order, have these coordinates in feet (E, N): 1 (1,000, 1,000); 2 (1,400, 1,000); 3 (1,500, 1,350); 4 (1,100, 1,500). What's its area in acres? Round to the nearest 0.01 ac.
Your answer: ________ acres (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 37
Correct answer: 4.07 acres
Use the coordinate (cross-multiplication) method. Twice the area = |Σ(Eᵢ·Nᵢ₊₁ − Eᵢ₊₁·Nᵢ)| = 355,000 ft², so the area is 177,500 ft². Divide by 43,560 ft²/ac: 4.07 ac.
Common wrong answers: 8.15 ac forgets to halve the cross-product sum. 177,500 is the area in square feet.
Source: J. Mahun, Open Access Traverse Computations, Ch. G (§2, Area by Coordinates (Eq. G-3))
Question 38. A simple circular curve has R = 1,000.00 ft and Δ = 24°00′00″, with the PI at station 25+00.00. What's the station of the PT? Enter it in feet (for example, 27+06.32 is entered as 2706.32).
Your answer: ________ ft (station) (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 38
Correct answer: 2706.32 ft (station)
T = R tan(Δ/2) = 1,000 tan 12° = 212.56 ft, so PC = 2,500.00 − 212.56 = 2,287.44. L = RΔ (radians) = 1,000 × 0.418879 = 418.88 ft. PT = PC + L = 2,706.32 (27+06.32).
Common wrong answers: 2712.56 adds T to the PI. Stationing runs along the curve, so the PT is the PC plus the arc length, not the PI plus a tangent.
Source: WSDOT Highway Surveying Manual M 22-97, Ch. 11 (pp. 11-3–11-4: T, L, PC, PT; PT ≠ PI + T)
Question 39. An equal-tangent vertical curve has g₁ = +3.00%, g₂ = −2.00% and L = 600 ft. The PVC is at station 10+00 with an elevation of 500.00 ft. What's the elevation of the curve's high point? Round to the nearest 0.01 ft.
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 39
Correct answer: 505.40 ft
Rate of grade change r = (g₂ − g₁)/L = −0.05/600 per ft. High point: x = g₁/|r| = 0.03 × 600/0.05 = 360 ft (station 13+60). Elevation = 500.00 + 0.03(360) − (0.05/1,200)(360²) = 500.00 + 10.80 − 5.40 = 505.40 ft.
Common wrong answers: 509.00 ft is the PVI elevation, a point on the tangents, not the curve. 505.25 ft is the curve elevation at mid-curve (x = 300 ft), which isn't the high point when the grades differ.
Source: Caltrans Bridge Design Details, Ch. 2 (§2.3.1 and Attachment D, Eq. 5: parabolic vertical curve and high/low point)
Question 40. Two cut cross sections 100 ft apart have end areas of 210 ft² and 330 ft². What's the volume between them by the average end area method?
Show answer and explanation — Question 40
Correct answer: A — 1,000 yd³
V = L(A₁ + A₂)/2 = 100 × (210 + 330)/2 = 27,000 ft³. Divide by 27 ft³/yd³: 1,000 yd³.
Why the other answers miss: B is the answer in cubic feet, mislabeled as cubic yards. C forgets to divide the sum of the areas by 2. D uses only the smaller end area.
Source: FHWA Federal Lands Project Development and Design Manual: Earthwork Design (Eq. 9.5.1A(1), average end area)
Question 41. A total station with an instrument height of 5.20 ft measures a slope distance of 350.00 ft at a zenith angle of 86°30′00″ to a prism on a 6.00-ft pole. What's the elevation difference from the instrument point to the target point? Round to the nearest 0.01 ft.
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.01)
Show answer and explanation — Question 41
Correct answer: 20.57 ft
Vertical component V = 350.00 × cos 86°30′ = 21.37 ft. Elevation difference = V + HI − HR = 21.37 + 5.20 − 6.00 = +20.57 ft. (The horizontal distance is 350.00 × sin 86°30′ = 349.35 ft.)
Common wrong answers: 21.37 ft ignores the instrument and target heights. 22.17 ft swaps them.
Source: J. Mahun, Open Access Elevations, Ch. F (§1a, Eqs. F-3/F-4: elevation = HI + V − HR)
Question 42. In Excel, ΔN is in cell B2 and ΔE is in cell C2. Which formula returns the azimuth from 0° to 360°, measured clockwise from north?
Show answer and explanation — Question 42
Correct answer: A — =MOD(DEGREES(ATAN2(B2,C2)),360)
Excel's ATAN2(x_num, y_num) returns the angle from the x-axis to the point (x, y), between −π and π. Put ΔN in the x position and ΔE in the y position, and the angle is measured from north toward east—an azimuth. MOD(…,360) turns negative results into 180°–360°.
Why the other answers miss: B measures the angle from east, the math convention, not from north. C loses the quadrant, so lines in the second through fourth quadrants come out wrong. D returns negative angles for westerly lines.
Source: Microsoft Support, ATAN2 function (syntax and description)
Question 43. An elevation difference was leveled over two independent routes: 10.124 m over a 2-km route and 10.130 m over a 4-km route. Weighting each result in inverse proportion to its route length, what's the best estimate?
Show answer and explanation — Question 43
Correct answer: B — 10.126 m
Weights are 1/2 and 1/4, a 2:1 ratio. Weighted mean = (2 × 10.124 + 1 × 10.130)/3 = 10.126 m. Longer routes accumulate more random error, so they get less weight.
Why the other answers miss: A is the unweighted average. C weights by route length, giving the longer route more say instead of less. D ignores the second route.
Source: Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 5 (§5.5-1, p. 5-23: weight = 1/σ²); J. Mahun, Least Squares Lite, Ch. E: Weights (§2.a(1): leveling weights inversely proportional to distance or setups)
Business Concepts
Question 44. A survey crew costs $185 per hour. A job needs 3 days at 10 hours a day, plus $75 per day for equipment. What's the estimated direct cost?
Show answer and explanation — Question 44
Correct answer: D — $5,775
Labor = 3 × 10 × $185 = $5,550. Equipment = 3 × $75 = $225. Total = $5,775.
Why the other answers miss: A leaves out the equipment. B charges equipment for only one day. C prices a single day.
Source: worked from the numbers given (unit arithmetic).
Question 45. A crew must locate a pipe in a 6-ft-deep trench dug in soil, not stable rock. Under OSHA rule 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1), what's required before anyone enters?
Show answer and explanation — Question 45
Correct answer: D — An adequate protective system, such as sloping, shoring or a trench shield
Protective systems are required unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock, or is less than 5 ft deep and a competent person finds no sign of a potential cave-in. A 6-ft trench in soil needs protection.
Why the other answers miss: A invents an exemption; the depth line is 5 ft. B doesn't protect against a cave-in. C doesn't replace OSHA's protective-system requirement.
Source: 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart P (eCFR) (§1926.652(a)(1) protective systems; §1926.651(k)(1) inspections)
Question 46. Under 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1), who inspects an excavation where workers will be exposed, and when?
Show answer and explanation — Question 46
Correct answer: C — A competent person, daily before work starts, as needed during the shift, and after rainstorms or other hazard-increasing events
OSHA requires daily inspections by a competent person—before work and as needed through the shift—plus inspections after rainstorms or other events that increase the hazard.
Why the other answers miss: A isn't the rule; inspections are daily and by a competent person. B gets both the person and the frequency wrong. D isn't who OSHA assigns this duty to.
Source: 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart P (eCFR) (§1926.652(a)(1) protective systems; §1926.651(k)(1) inspections)
Question 47. A crew chief misreads a monument, but the mistake is caught and corrected before the plat is recorded or relied on, and the client suffers no loss. A negligence claim would most likely fail for lack of which element?
Show answer and explanation — Question 47
Correct answer: D — Harm (damages)
Negligence requires duty, breach, causation and harm. Without any harm, the claim fails.
Why the other answers miss: A exists; the surveyor owed the client reasonable care. B arguably occurred when the monument was misread. C isn't an element of negligence.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Negligence (elements)
Question 48. A surveyor promises to stake a neighbor's fence line for free next month, and the neighbor promises nothing in return. If the surveyor later backs out, which element of a binding contract was missing?
Show answer and explanation — Question 48
Correct answer: B — Consideration
Consideration is the bargained-for exchange of promises or obligations. A one-sided promise to work for free has none, so it isn't an enforceable contract.
Why the other answers miss: A isn't in question; both parties are able to contract. C isn't in question; staking a fence line is lawful. D isn't a general requirement for contract formation.
Source: Cornell LII Wex, Contract (formation elements); Cornell LII Wex, Consideration (definition)
Question 49. A colleague at another firm asks a licensed surveyor to seal a plat the colleague prepared. The surveyor didn't direct or supervise the work. Under the NCEES Model Rules, what should the surveyor do?
Show answer and explanation — Question 49
Correct answer: B — Decline to seal it, because it wasn't prepared under the surveyor's responsible charge
The Model Rules bar licensees from sealing documents outside their competence or not prepared under their responsible charge. Your state board's rules govern actual practice.
Why the other answers miss: A still seals work the surveyor didn't control. C doesn't fix the responsible-charge problem. D is still sealing work not prepared under the surveyor's responsible charge.
Source: NCEES Model Rules (revised August 2026) (§240.15 B.2: sealing and responsible charge)
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Question 50. A distance is measured five times: 425.62, 425.58, 425.65, 425.60 and 425.55 ft. What's the sample standard deviation? Round to the nearest 0.001 ft.
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.001)
Show answer and explanation — Question 50
Correct answer: 0.038 ft
Mean = 425.600 ft. Deviations: +0.02, −0.02, +0.05, 0.00, −0.05. Squares sum to 0.0058. Divide by n − 1 = 4: 0.00145. Square root: 0.038 ft.
Common wrong answers: 0.034 ft divides by n (the population formula) instead of n − 1.
Source: OpenStax, Introductory Statistics 2e (§2.7, sample standard deviation)
Question 51. A line is taped in four full tape lengths. Treat each tape-length result as having an independent standard uncertainty of 0.02 ft. What's the combined standard uncertainty of the total?
Show answer and explanation — Question 51
Correct answer: A — 0.04 ft
Independent standard uncertainties combine by the root-sum-of-squares rule: √(4 × 0.02²) = 0.02√4 = 0.04 ft.
Why the other answers miss: B adds the uncertainties directly, which would treat them as fully correlated rather than independent. C divides instead of combining four independent contributions. D reports the sum of variances rather than its square root.
Source: NIST Technical Note 1297, Appendix A (Eq. A-3, law of propagation of uncertainty)
Independent standard uncertainties combine by the root-sum-of-squares rule: √(4 × 0.02²) = 0.02√4 = 0.04 ft. Adding them directly would treat the uncertainties as fully correlated rather than independent.
Question 52. Which two are systematic errors?
Select two.
Show answer and explanation — Question 52
Correct answer: B and C
Systematic errors follow a pattern: same sign and size under the same conditions, so they accumulate and can be corrected. A too-long tape and an uncorrected temperature effect both behave that way.
Why the other answers miss: A is random error. D is a blunder (a mistake). Scoring is all or nothing: both correct choices and nothing else.
Source: Caltrans Surveys Manual, Ch. 5 (§5.4-1: systematic and random errors)
Question 53. Convert 1,000.000 m to international feet. Round to the nearest 0.001 ft.
Your answer: ________ ft (round to the nearest 0.001)
Show answer and explanation — Question 53
Correct answer: 3280.840 ft
The international foot is exactly 0.3048 m: 1,000 ÷ 0.3048 = 3,280.840 ft. In U.S. survey feet (1200/3937 m) it would be 3,280.833 ft—a 2-ppm difference that matters on long lines. NIST and NOAA deprecated the U.S. survey foot after December 31, 2022, though legacy SPCS 83 work in some states still uses it.
Common wrong answers: 3,280.833 ft is the U.S. survey foot value. 304.800 multiplies by 0.3048 instead of dividing.
Source: Federal Register, 85 FR 62698 (Oct. 5, 2020), Deprecation of the United States Survey Foot (summary and supplementary information); NIST, U.S. Survey Foot (exact definitions of both feet)
Question 54. A measurement error is normally distributed with standard deviation 0.015 m. What symmetric bound contains the central 95% of errors?
Show answer and explanation — Question 54
Correct answer: C — ±0.029 m
The central 95% of a normal distribution lies within about ±1.96σ: 1.96 × 0.015 = 0.0294 m, which rounds to ±0.029 m.
Why the other answers miss: A is the 90% bound (1.645σ). B is one standard deviation, about 68%. D is three standard deviations.
Source: OpenStax, Introductory Statistics 2e (§8.1, z = 1.96 for 95% confidence)
The central 95% of a normal distribution lies within about ±1.96σ. Here, 1.96 × 0.015 = 0.0294 m, which rounds to ±0.029 m.
Question 55. From an instrument point, the distances to two property corners are 250.00 ft and 310.00 ft, and the angle between the two lines is 72°00′. What's the distance between the corners?
Show answer and explanation — Question 55
Correct answer: D — 332.72 ft
Law of cosines: c² = 250² + 310² − 2(250)(310)cos 72° = 62,500 + 96,100 − 47,898 = 110,702. c = 332.72 ft.
Why the other answers miss: A assumes a 90° angle. B adds the 2ab·cos C term instead of subtracting it. C adds the two sides.
Source: OpenStax, Precalculus 2e (§8.2, Law of Cosines)
Score your attempt
Give yourself 1 point for each question you got right on your first try. There's no partial credit: the three select-two questions (23, 31 and 52) count only if you picked exactly the two correct choices. For number-entry questions, round your answer to the precision the question asks for, using half-up rounding, then compare it with the key.
For a percentage, divide your first-try correct answers by the number you answered before opening the explanation, then multiply by 100. Leave out questions you skipped or peeked at. For example, 30 correct out of 40 attempted is 75% of those 40 items, not 30 out of 55.
Answer key
| Q | Knowledge area | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surveying Processes and Methods | D — C 1.45 (cut 1.45 ft) |
| 2 | Surveying Processes and Methods | 3.81 ft |
| 3 | Surveying Processes and Methods | B — Rapid-static processing (OPUS-RS) |
| 4 | Surveying Processes and Methods | A — Single-base real-time kinematic (RTK) |
| 5 | Surveying Processes and Methods | C — PDOP 1.8 |
| 6 | Surveying Processes and Methods | B — Draw a single line through 342.18 so it stays legible, and record 324.18 directly above it |
| 7 | Surveying Processes and Methods | A — 95% |
| 8 | Surveying Processes and Methods | A — A Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| 9 | Surveying Processes and Methods | B — Zone AE |
| 10 | Mapping Processes and Methods | 6500 ft |
| 11 | Mapping Processes and Methods | 40 ft |
| 12 | Mapping Processes and Methods | 0.173 m |
| 13 | Mapping Processes and Methods | C — Into a V that points upstream |
| 14 | Mapping Processes and Methods | D — 1:7,874 |
| 15 | Mapping Processes and Methods | B — 4.0 mm |
| 16 | Mapping Processes and Methods | 0.09 ft |
| 17 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | B — At the iron pipe |
| 18 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | D — A restrictive covenant |
| 19 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | C — The owner had given the neighbor written permission to use the strip |
| 20 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | B — A nonpossessory right to use that path |
| 21 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | A — The parcels were once under common ownership, and access was necessary when they were severed |
| 22 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | C — It stays where it was before the storm |
| 23 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | A and C |
| 24 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | 40 acres |
| 25 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | B — Section 36 |
| 26 | Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | A — A state statute |
| 27 | Surveying Principles | 148.80 m |
| 28 | Surveying Principles | C — N 22°45′ E |
| 29 | Surveying Principles | 1499.809 m |
| 30 | Surveying Principles | D — An equipotential surface of Earth's gravity field that best fits global mean sea level |
| 31 | Surveying Principles | B and D |
| 32 | Surveying Principles | C — The angle between the plumb line and the ellipsoid normal |
| 33 | Surveying Principles | C — 0.082 ft |
| 34 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | A — 1:10,000 |
| 35 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | A — Subtract 6″ from each angle |
| 36 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | D — 200.00 ft at 126°52′12″ |
| 37 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | 4.07 acres |
| 38 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | 2706.32 ft (station) |
| 39 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | 505.40 ft |
| 40 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | A — 1,000 yd³ |
| 41 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | 20.57 ft |
| 42 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | A — =MOD(DEGREES(ATAN2(B2,C2)),360) |
| 43 | Survey Computations and Computer Applications | B — 10.126 m |
| 44 | Business Concepts | D — $5,775 |
| 45 | Business Concepts | D — An adequate protective system, such as sloping, shoring or a trench shield |
| 46 | Business Concepts | C — A competent person, daily before work starts, as needed during the shift, and after rainstorms or other hazard-increasing events |
| 47 | Business Concepts | D — Harm (damages) |
| 48 | Business Concepts | B — Consideration |
| 49 | Business Concepts | B — Decline to seal it, because it wasn't prepared under the surveyor's responsible charge |
| 50 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | 0.038 ft |
| 51 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | A — 0.04 ft |
| 52 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | B and C |
| 53 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | 3280.840 ft |
| 54 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | C — ±0.029 m |
| 55 | Applied Mathematics and Statistics | D — 332.72 ft |
What your score means: it describes your performance on these 55 questions, nothing more. It isn't an NCEES scaled score, and no percentage on this page predicts a pass. NCEES doesn't publish a passing score or a percentage cut. It counts your correct answers with no deduction for wrong ones, then converts that count to a scaled score that adjusts for small differences between exam forms (NCEES, Exam scoring). Two practical takeaways: never leave a question blank on the real exam, and be skeptical of any site that quotes a "70% pass mark" for the FS—that number doesn't come from NCEES.
How to review a missed question
- Name the mistake: wrong concept, wrong formula, unit slip, sign or quadrant error, or misreading the stem.
- Write the corrected setup before you recalculate anything.
- Close the explanation and rework the problem from scratch.
- For a calculation, find the matching equation in your copy of the FS Reference Handbook so you can find it fast on exam day. For a standards question, open the supplied standard and find the passage. For a law or business question, reread the linked source.
What to study next, by knowledge area
Each knowledge area here has only six to ten questions, so treat your misses as a pointer, not a measurement. Match each miss to its area below, then work through that area's subtopics in the official specification.
| Knowledge area | NCEES range (of 110) | Questions here | Question numbers | Subtopics in the NCEES specification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Surveying Processes and Methods | 16–24 | 9 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Instrumentation; GNSS/GPS surveys; control surveys; cadastral; topographic; construction; land development; field records |
| 2. Mapping Processes and Methods | 14–21 | 7 | 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 | Basic mapping concepts; types of maps (including ALTA); CAD; GIS; digital terrain models; photogrammetry and remote sensing |
| 3. Boundary Law and Real Property Principles | 19–29 | 10 | 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 | Public records and descriptions; common law principles; easements; simultaneous and sequential conveyances; metes and bounds; PLSS; water law; sources of law; encumbrances; real property law |
| 4. Surveying Principles | 13–20 | 7 | 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Basic surveying (horizontal, vertical, route, declination); geodesy; applied geodesy (datums, SPCS, projections, transformations) |
| 5. Survey Computations and Computer Applications | 17–26 | 10 | 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 | Coordinate geometry; traverse closure and adjustment; leveling; least squares; area; horizontal and vertical curves; volume; spreadsheets; slopes and grades |
| 6. Business Concepts | 11–17 | 6 | 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 | Project planning; safety; liabilities; contracts; supervision; documentation; ethics; communication |
| 7. Applied Mathematics and Statistics | 10–15 | 6 | 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 | College mathematics; probability and statistics; measurement science; quantitative reasoning |
| Total | 110 | 55 |
Ranges and subtopics come from the NCEES FS exam specifications (effective with exams beginning July 2020). Our 55-question split roughly follows the middle of each range; it's an editorial choice, not an official weighting. Areas such as CAD, simultaneous conveyances, supervision and communication appear in the specification but not in this sample, so cover them from the spec list even if you aced this set.
How close is this to the real FS exam?
This set uses the same seven knowledge areas and three of the question formats NCEES uses. It doesn't reproduce an official exam form, its difficulty or its format mix.
| Row label | Real FS exam | This practice test |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 110, including a few unscored pretest items you can't identify | 55 |
| Exam time | 5 hours 20 minutes | Untimed, or an optional 160 minutes (55 × 320 ÷ 110) |
| Rest of the appointment | 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial and a 25-minute scheduled break; NCEES calls it a 6-hour appointment, and the listed parts add up to 5 hours 55 minutes | — |
| Structure | Two sections; you review and submit about the first half before the optional break, and can't go back to it afterward | One continuous set |
| Question formats | Mostly multiple choice, plus multiple correct, point-and-click, drag-and-drop and numerical fill-in-the-blank; no partial credit | 38 multiple choice, 14 number entry, 3 select-two |
| References | FS Reference Handbook and six standards, shown on screen as searchable PDFs | Use your own downloaded handbook |
| Units | SI and U.S. customary | Both |
| Scoring | Scaled score, pass/fail; passing score not published | 1 point per question; no official meaning |
Sources: NCEES FS exam page; NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (pp. 10–11 for references, format and pretest items; p. 16 for the format table); NCEES computer-based testing.
The handbook, the supplied standards and your calculator
Handbook. The FS is closed book, but NCEES puts the current FS Reference Handbook on screen as a searchable PDF. You search it with the box on the left side of the viewer; Ctrl + F doesn't work. Download the current version from your MyNCEES dashboard (NCEES says the download is free) and use it while you work these questions, so finding a formula becomes routine (Examinee Guide, p. 10).
Supplied standards. NCEES also supplies six standards, one document open at a time, and scores answers that depend on a standard to the edition it lists—answers based on other editions don't get credit (FS specifications, standards page):
| Standard | Edition NCEES lists |
|---|---|
| ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys | 2021 |
| FEMA Elevation Certificate and Instructions | 2023 |
| FGCS Section 3.5, Geodetic Leveling (digital/bar-code leveling) | 2004 |
| FGDC Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards | Parts 1–3, 1998; Part 4, 2002; Part 5, 2005 |
| NSPS Model Standards, Sections A–H | 2002 |
| United States National Map Accuracy Standards | 1947 |
The edition trap is real for ALTA work: a newer 2026 ALTA/NSPS edition took effect February 23, 2026, but the FS lists the 2021 edition. Questions 7, 11, 12 and 16 use supplied standards.
Calculator. You may bring one NCEES-approved calculator. For 2026 exams that means a Casio fx-115 or fx-991 model, an HP 33s or 35s, or a TI-30X or TI-36X model. A TI-30XS is also available on screen (NCEES calculator policy; Examinee Guide, p. 8). Practice with the model you'll bring—traverse and curve work goes faster when the keystrokes are automatic.
Pace. 320 minutes for 110 questions is a little under 3 minutes each. Work this set untimed first if the methods are new, then try it against the 160-minute allocation.
Official FS resources
- NCEES FS exam page: format, the $225 exam fee and links to each licensing board's requirements.
- FS exam specifications (PDF): the full subtopic list and the standards list.
- FS Reference Handbook: free from your MyNCEES dashboard.
- NCEES Examinee Guide: ID, calculator, format, scoring and attempt rules. You can attempt the FS once per calendar-quarter testing window and no more than three times in any 12 months; some boards are stricter.
- NCEES FS Interactive Practice Exam: NCEES's own 50-item practice exam, $50, with a timed option and solution review. It's the only practice set written by the exam owner, built to the current July 2020 specifications. It's non-refundable and will be retired when new FS specifications take effect. If you want exam-owner questions after this free set, that's the one to consider.
Is the FS changing? NCEES's July 2026 notice of upcoming changes lists new PS specifications for July 2027 and a new PLSS exam starting in fall 2027, but no change to the FS (NCEES notice, July 20, 2026; NCEES PLSS exam).
Booking or already scheduled? Our NCEES exam registration guide covers MyNCEES registration, board approval and scheduling. After the exam, see when NCEES results arrive or, if you need another attempt, the NCEES retake policy. Who can sit for the FS is set by your licensing board, not NCEES; find yours in the NCEES Member Licensing Board Directory.
Sources and verification
Source access note: the cited Tulane Topographic Maps page currently returns “not found.” Its original citation and locator are retained; no replacement document is implied.
Last verified: October 11, 2026. On that date we checked the NCEES FS exam page, the FS exam specifications and standards list, the May 2026 Examinee Guide, NCEES's scoring, computer-based testing and calculator pages, the FS Interactive Practice Exam listing, and NCEES's July 2026 notice of exam changes. Each question links a source for its principle or method, and we recalculated every numerical answer. The questions haven't been tested on candidates, and our source checking isn't the same as review by a licensed professional surveyor.
By Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. We use AI-assisted tools in research and drafting, as described in our methodology; Castleport is responsible for what we publish. Read our editorial standards.
Independence: Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We aren't affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by NCEES. These are original practice questions, not actual or recalled NCEES exam questions. Exam and credential names are used only to identify the exam; trademarks belong to their respective owners. Using this resource doesn't guarantee a passing result or licensure. See our independence policy.
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Build your study schedule with NCEES FS exam prep: the seven-area exam map, supplied standards and a 10-week plan.