NCEES PS Exam Prep: Study Plan, Topics, and Practice Questions
By Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team · Last verified October 11, 2026
Start preparing for the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam right here. One date decides what you study: exams taken before July 2027 follow the current PS specification, and exams taken in July 2027 or later follow the new July 2027 specification.
Your first 60 minutes
| Minutes | Do this | You're done when |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Write down your PS test date (or target month). Open the specification that matches it: before July 2027 or July 2027 and later. | You know which official topic list controls your exam. |
| 10–20 | Sign in to MyNCEES and open the PS Reference Handbook. Search three terms you already know, using the search box. | You've seen the reference you'll actually get on exam day. |
| 20–35 | Read the standards list at the end of your specification. For each one, write a sentence on what kind of problem would send you there. | You have a one-page "which document do I open?" map. |
| 35–50 | Work questions PS-01 through PS-05 below without peeking. Mark each one: knew it, found it (looked it up), guessed, or missed. | You have your first weak-spot signal. |
| 50–60 | Pick a start date for the 12-week plan and put three study sessions on your calendar. | Studying is scheduled, not just intended. |
20 original PS practice questions
These are original, unofficial questions written by Castleport Test Prep. They are not NCEES exam questions, and your score on them doesn't predict your exam result. They cover all five current topic areas, but they aren't weighted like the real exam.
How to work them: answer first, then open the explanation. Mark each one knew it, found it, guessed, or missed. That label tells you what to do next (see the table after question 20).
PS-01 · Controlling elements: monument vs. distance
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles (July 2027 spec)
A deed call reads: "…thence N 88°14' E, 300.00 feet to an iron pipe." You find an iron pipe 301.42 feet along that line. Your research and field evidence show it is the original, undisturbed pipe the deed calls for. Where is the corner?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
An original, undisturbed monument that the deed calls for generally controls over a measured distance. The 1.42 feet is a measurement discrepancy, not a reason to throw out the monument.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Gives a measurement priority over the called-for monument.
- C: Splitting the difference has no basis when the monument is proven original.
- D: Bearings and area rank below monuments in the usual order of importance.
The key condition is in the stem: the pipe is proven original and undisturbed. A disturbed or questionable monument changes the analysis.
Source: BLM, The Basics of Boundary Law Study Guide, pp. 12, 18
PS-02 · Sequential conveyances: senior and junior rights
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles (July 2027 spec)
Adams owns a parcel with 200 feet of frontage. In 2010, Adams deeds "the east 100 feet" to Brown, and the deed is recorded. In 2015, Adams deeds "the west 110 feet" to Cruz. Assuming no unwritten rights apply, how much frontage does Cruz own?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
This is a sequential conveyance. Brown's earlier deed is senior and receives everything it describes. After 2010, Adams only had 100 feet left to give, so Cruz, the junior grantee, gets the remainder. The 10-foot overlap stays with Brown.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Cruz can't receive land Adams no longer owned.
- C: Splitting the overlap ignores senior rights.
- D: Proration is a tool for simultaneous conveyances (lots created at the same time), not senior/junior overlaps.
Source: BLM, The Basics of Boundary Law Study Guide, pp. 7–8, 10, 15
PS-03 · Avulsion
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles; Boundary Division (littoral and riparian rights) (July 2027 spec)
Two parcels are separated by a river, and both deeds call for the center of the river as the common line. During one flood, the river suddenly cuts a new channel across the north parcel, leaving 6 acres of that parcel on the south side of the new channel. Where is the boundary now?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
A sudden, visible change in a river's course is avulsion. The boundary does not move with it. In Nebraska v. Iowa, the U.S. Supreme Court held that after an avulsion the boundary stays in the center of the old channel.
Why the others don't work:
- A: That would be the result for gradual change (accretion or erosion), not a sudden cut.
- C: No rule moves the line to a bank because of an avulsion.
- D: There's no averaging rule for avulsion.
Source: Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1892); BLM, The Basics of Boundary Law Study Guide, p. 25
PS-04 · Accretion
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles; Boundary Division (littoral and riparian rights) (July 2027 spec)
Over 30 years, sediment slowly and almost imperceptibly builds out the shoreline in front of a riparian lot. Under the general common-law rule, who owns the new land?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Gradual, imperceptible buildup is accretion. Title follows the shifting shoreline, so the riparian owner gains the new land.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Sovereign and state rules can matter for some waters, but they don't make the state the owner in every case.
- C: Accretion isn't returned to the owner whose land eroded upstream.
- D: Accretion doesn't require a court order to take effect.
The stem says "general rule" on purpose. State law and sovereign-land rules can change the result for particular waters.
Source: BLM, The Basics of Boundary Law Study Guide, p. 26; Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1892)
PS-05 · Appurtenant easements
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles (easements, servitudes, and rights of way) (July 2027 spec)
Lot 7 has a recorded driveway easement across Lot 8 for Lot 7's benefit. Lot 7 is sold, and the new deed doesn't mention the easement. What happened to the easement?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
An appurtenant easement is tied to the land it benefits (the dominant parcel, Lot 7). It runs with that land when ownership changes, even if the deed is silent.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Selling the dominant parcel doesn't end an appurtenant easement.
- C: The seller no longer owns the land the easement serves.
- D: The easement was already recorded; a sale doesn't require recording it again.
Source: Cornell LII Wex: Easement
PS-06 · Adverse possession
Topic area: Legal Principles (current spec) · Legal Principles (unwritten rights) (July 2027 spec)
A neighbor has fenced and farmed a 12-foot strip for 25 years, openly and continuously. The whole time, the neighbor held a signed letter from the record owner giving permission. Which element of adverse possession fails?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
Use with the owner's permission isn't hostile. Long, open, continuous use doesn't fix that.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Fencing and farming is actual possession.
- B: The use was open and visible.
- D: Twenty-five years of uninterrupted use is continuous.
Permission defeats the hostile/adverse element under the general rule. State law controls the exact elements, limitations period, and any jurisdiction-specific exceptions.
PS-07 · ALTA/NSPS Relative Positional Precision
Topic area: Standards and Specifications (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
Two adjacent boundary corners on an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey are 350.00 feet apart. Under the 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, the maximum allowable Relative Positional Precision between them is closest to:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The 2021 standard allows 2 cm (0.07 ft) plus 50 parts per million of the distance. 0.07 + (0.000050 × 350) = 0.07 + 0.0175 = 0.0875 ft, which is about 0.09 ft. If you convert 2 cm exactly (0.066 ft), you get 0.083 ft, still closest to 0.09.
Why the others don't work:
- A: That is roughly the 2 cm term alone, written in the wrong unit.
- B: Forgets the 50 ppm term.
- D: Far larger than the standard allows.
The PS exam scores the 2021 edition, even though the 2026 edition now governs real surveys.
Source: 2021 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, §3.E.i and §3.E.v
PS-08 · ALTA/NSPS Table A
Topic area: Standards and Specifications (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
Select all that apply.
Under the 2021 ALTA/NSPS standards, which of these are optional Table A items that the client may negotiate? Select all that apply.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A, B
Flood zone classification is Table A Item 3, and parking is Item 9. Both are optional. Relative Positional Precision (§3.E) and the fieldwork-completion date in the certification (§7) are required on every ALTA/NSPS survey.
Why the others don't work:
- C: Required by §3.E, not optional.
- D: Required wording in the §7 certification.
Scored all-or-nothing: you need both correct choices and no wrong ones, the same way the real exam gives no partial credit.
Source: 2021 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, §3.E, §7, Table A Items 3 and 9
PS-09 · ALTA/NSPS Table A Item 3
Topic area: Standards and Specifications (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
A client orders Table A Item 3 (flood zone classification) on a 2021 ALTA/NSPS survey. How is the zone determined?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Item 3 calls for flood zone classification by scaled map location and graphic plotting only. Elevation work and Elevation Certificates are separate services.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Item 3 doesn't call for any elevation determination.
- C: An Elevation Certificate is a separate FEMA form and service.
- D: A title commitment doesn't classify flood zones.
Source: 2021 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, Table A, Item 3
PS-10 · FEMA Elevation Certificate
Topic area: Standards and Specifications (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
On a FEMA Elevation Certificate (the 2023 form), Section C1 is checked "Building Under Construction." What does the form require later?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The footnote on Section C1 says a new Elevation Certificate will be required when construction is complete if "Construction Drawings" or "Building Under Construction" was checked.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Only "Finished Construction" certificates avoid this requirement.
- C: The form requires a new certificate, not a letter.
- D: A map amendment is a different FEMA process.
Source: FEMA Elevation Certificate, Form FF-206-FY-22-152 (2023), Section C1, page 4 of 8
PS-11 · National Map Accuracy Standards
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (map accuracy; supplied standard) (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
A map is published at 1 inch = 200 feet. To meet the 1947 U.S. National Map Accuracy Standards horizontally, no more than 10% of the well-defined points tested may be off by more than about:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
1 inch = 200 feet is 1:2,400, which is larger than 1:20,000, so the 1/30-inch rule applies. (1/30 inch) × 200 ft per inch = 6.67 ft.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Uses 100 ft per inch instead of 200.
- B: Uses the 1/50-inch rule, which is for scales of 1:20,000 or smaller.
- D: Not a value either rule produces at this scale.
PS-12 · NSSDA horizontal accuracy
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (map accuracy; supplied standard) (current spec) · Standards and Specifications (July 2027 spec)
An accuracy test of 25 well-defined check points gives RMSEx = RMSEy = 0.18 ft. The NSSDA horizontal accuracy at the 95% confidence level is closest to:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
First find radial RMSE: √(0.18² + 0.18²) = 0.2546 ft. Then multiply by 1.7308 (the NSSDA factor when RMSEx equals RMSEy): 1.7308 × 0.2546 = 0.441 ft.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Stops at RMSEr and skips the 95% factor.
- B: Applies 1.7308 to one component (0.18) instead of RMSEr.
- D: Uses 1.96, the vertical factor.
NSSDA calls for at least 20 check points, which this test meets.
Source: Minnesota Planning, Positional Accuracy Handbook (NSSDA), 1999, pp. 3–6
Primary NSSDA standard: FGDC Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards, Part 3: National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy.
PS-13 · Professional conduct: compensation
Topic area: Business Practices (current spec) · Business Practices (July 2027 spec)
The buyer and the seller each offer to pay you for the same boundary survey. Under the NCEES Model Rules of Professional Conduct, you may accept payment from both only if:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Model Rule 240.15 B.7 allows compensation from more than one party for the same project only when the circumstances are fully disclosed and all interested parties agree in writing.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Equal fees don't satisfy the disclosure-and-agreement rule.
- C: The title company isn't the one who must agree.
- D: A plat note isn't written agreement from all interested parties.
These are model rules. Your state board's rules govern your license.
Source: NCEES Model Rules (August 2026), §240.15, §240.15 B.7
PS-14 · Professional conduct: sealing
Topic area: Business Practices (current spec) · Business Practices (July 2027 spec)
An outside drafting contractor, not supervised by you, prepared a plat. Your manager asks you to seal it after a quick review. Under the NCEES Model Rules:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
Model Rule 240.15 B.2 bars sealing documents not prepared under your responsible charge, or outside your competence. A quick after-the-fact review isn't responsible charge.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Checking the math doesn't create responsible charge.
- B: The contractor's experience doesn't change who was in charge.
- D: A disclaimer doesn't cure sealing work you didn't direct.
Source: NCEES Model Rules (August 2026), §240.15, §240.15 B.2
PS-15 · Professional conduct: confidentiality
Topic area: Business Practices (current spec) · Business Practices (July 2027 spec)
A developer asks you for a copy of a boundary survey you did last year for a different client, along with your field notes. No law requires you to disclose them. What should you do?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Model Rule 240.15 B.4 says you may not reveal facts, data, or information gained in your professional capacity without the prior consent of the client, unless law or rules require or allow it.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Some surveys are recorded, but your work product and notes aren't automatically public.
- C: Payment doesn't replace client consent.
- D: Field notes are still information gained in your professional capacity.
If the plat was recorded, the recorded copy is a public record. The rule covers what you hold from the engagement.
Source: NCEES Model Rules (August 2026), §240.15, §240.15 B.4
PS-16 · Horizontal curve: arc length
Topic area: Areas of Practice (route surveys) (current spec) · Areas of Practice/Types of Surveys (July 2027 spec)
A circular curve has radius R = 800.00 ft and central angle Δ = 24°30'00". What is the arc length?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Convert Δ to radians: 24.5° × π/180 = 0.427606. Arc length L = R × Δ = 800.00 × 0.427606 = 342.08 ft.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Treats 24°30' as 24.30° instead of 24.50°.
- C: That's the long chord, 2R sin(Δ/2).
- D: That's the tangent length, R tan(Δ/2).
Degrees-minutes-seconds conversion errors are an easy way to lose points. 30 minutes is 0.5 degree, not 0.30.
Source: Worked calculation (shown above).
PS-17 · Traverse precision
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (technical computations) (current spec) · Professional Survey Practices (July 2027 spec)
A closed traverse has a perimeter of 2,450.62 ft. It misses closure by +0.12 ft in latitude and −0.09 ft in departure. What is the precision ratio?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Linear misclosure = √(0.12² + 0.09²) = 0.15 ft. Precision = 2,450.62 ÷ 0.15 = 16,337, or about 1:16,300.
Why the others don't work:
- A: Adds the two errors (0.21 ft) instead of combining them as a right triangle.
- C: Uses only the latitude error (0.12 ft).
- D: Uses only the departure error (0.09 ft).
Source: Worked calculation (shown above).
PS-18 · Area by coordinates
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (technical computations) (current spec) · Professional Survey Practices (July 2027 spec)
Numeric entry.
A parcel has these corners, listed in order as (Northing, Easting) in feet: 1 (1000.00, 2000.00); 2 (1000.00, 2250.00); 3 (1180.00, 2310.00); 4 (1240.00, 2050.00). Enter the area in square feet, to the nearest whole number.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 55,200 sq ft
Use the coordinate (shoelace) method: Area = ½ |Σ (Eᵢ × Nᵢ₊₁ − Eᵢ₊₁ × Nᵢ)|, going around the parcel and closing back to point 1. The sum is 110,400, so the area is 55,200 sq ft (about 1.267 acres).
Common mistakes: swapping northings and eastings partway through, or forgetting the last term that closes back to point 1.
Source: Worked calculation (shown above).
PS-19 · Ellipsoid, geoid, and orthometric heights
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (GNSS and datums) (current spec) · Professional Survey Practices (July 2027 spec)
Numeric entry.
A GNSS point has an ellipsoid height h = −28.412 m. The geoid model gives a geoid height N = −30.118 m at that point. Enter the orthometric height H in meters, to three decimals.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 1.706 m
H = h − N = −28.412 − (−30.118) = 1.706 m.
The classic error is a sign slip: −28.412 + (−30.118) = −58.530 m. Keep the sign on N when you apply H = h − N.
Source: Milbert & Smith, NGS (1996), Converting GPS Height into NAVD88 Elevation
Keep the sign on N when applying H = h − N.
PS-20 · Ground to grid distance
Topic area: Professional Survey Practices (technical computations) (current spec) · Professional Survey Practices (July 2027 spec)
You measure a horizontal ground distance of 1,500.00 ft. The combined factor (grid scale factor × elevation factor) for the line is 0.99985. What is the grid distance?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
Grid distance = ground distance × combined factor = 1,500.00 × 0.99985 = 1,499.775, or 1,499.78 ft.
Why the others don't work:
- B: Divides by the factor, which converts grid back to ground.
- C: Subtracts 0.15 instead of 0.225.
- D: Moves the distance the wrong way; a factor below 1 should shorten it.
Quick check: a combined factor below 1 makes the grid distance shorter than the ground distance.
Source: Stem, The State Plane Coordinate System of 1983, NOAA Manual NOS NGS 5, §2.6, pp. 18–19
What to do with your results
| Your mark | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Knew it | You can recall it under time pressure. | Review it again in a week or two so it sticks. |
| Found it | You know where the answer lives, but you needed to look. | Repeat the lookup until it's fast. On exam day, time is the cost of every search. |
| Guessed | You got lucky or half-knew it. | Treat it like a miss. Study the principle, then retry the question cold. |
| Missed | There's a gap. | Read the source linked in the explanation, then redo the question from a blank page in a few days. |
Your percent correct is feedback on these 20 questions only. NCEES doesn't publish a passing score, so no practice percentage can tell you whether you'd pass (NCEES exam scoring).
What's on the PS exam: current vs. July 2027
Every PS exam has 100 questions. NCEES publishes a range of questions for each topic area, and the map changes in July 2027.
| Current specification (exams before July 2027) | Questions | July 2027 specification | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Principles | 18–27 | Legal Principles | 23–35 |
| Professional Survey Practices | 22–33 | Professional Survey Practices | 20–30 |
| Standards and Specifications | 8–12 | Standards and Specifications | 11–17 |
| Business Practices | 13–19 | Business Practices | 6–9 |
| Areas of Practice | 24–36 | Areas of Practice/Types of Surveys | 10–15 |
| — | — | Areas of Practice/Types of Surveys (Boundary Division) | 15–23 |
Sources: current PS specification (effective January 1, 2019); July 2027 PS specification.
What the change means for your studying:
- Boundary work gets its own area. In July 2027, Legal Principles and the new Boundary Division together cover 38 to 58 questions. Today, Legal Principles alone is 18 to 27, but today's Areas of Practice also includes boundary surveys. So it's a reorganization, not a simple swap.
- Business Practices shrinks from 13–19 questions to 6–9.
- The standards list stays the same. Both specifications list the same five standards and editions (more on those below).
These are question ranges, not study-hour formulas. Spend your time where the ranges are large and where your own practice results are weakest.
Which specification applies to you?
- Testing before July 2027: study the current (January 2019) specification.
- Testing in July 2027 or later: study the July 2027 specification.
A separate PLSS exam is also coming. NCEES plans the first Public Land Survey System (PLSS) exam administration for October 2027, with a $325 fee. Only some states will require it, so check with your board (NCEES PLSS exam).
Your 12-week PS study plan
Assumptions: about 8 to 10 hours a week, in three or four sessions, with one longer weekend block. This is our editorial plan, not an NCEES requirement. If you have more or less time, use the compression table below.
| Week | Focus | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline and references | Finish the first-60-minutes session above. Work all 20 questions and mark them. Read your specification start to finish. Read the NCEES Examinee Guide. Start a miss log. |
| 2 | Legal I: evidence and controlling elements | Monuments vs. measurements, order of calls, parol evidence, senior and junior rights, simultaneous conveyances. Redo PS-01 and PS-02 cold at the end of the week. |
| 3 | Legal II: unwritten rights and easements | Adverse possession, acquiescence, prescriptive rights, easement types, legal description interpretation. Write one metes-and-bounds description from a plat you know. |
| 4 | Legal III: water and sovereign lands | Riparian and littoral rights; accretion, reliction, avulsion; navigable waters; land grants. Redo PS-03 through PS-06. |
| 5 | Standards I: ALTA/NSPS | Read the 2021 ALTA/NSPS standards end to end: Table A items, Relative Positional Precision, certification wording. Do the reference sprint below. |
| 6 | Standards II: FEMA and accuracy | FEMA Elevation Certificate (2023) sections and instructions; 1947 National Map Accuracy Standards; Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards (NSSDA); FGCS geodetic leveling, Section 3.5. |
| 7 | Practices I: records and positioning | Public and private records research; GNSS methods (static, RTK, PPP, networks); datums, projections, and heights. |
| 8 | Computations | Curves, traverses, areas, coordinate geometry, grid vs. ground. Work everything on the calculator you'll bring. |
| 9 | Business practices | The NCEES Model Rules and your own state's rules; scope, contracts, budgets, risk, QA/QC, communication. |
| 10 | Areas of practice | Construction, route, topographic, as-built, subdivision and new-parcel surveys, control networks, boundary scenarios. |
| 11 | Timed practice | Two mixed, timed sets with only searchable references. Log time spent on each lookup, not just right or wrong. |
| 12 | Close gaps and logistics | Redo every guessed or missed item. Re-run the reference sprint. Confirm your calculator, ID, appointment, and test-day rules. |
If you test July 2027 or later: give boundary work a second week. Add retracement, subdivision and condominium issues, easement termination, and littoral rights. Shrink business practices to about half a week to match its smaller range.
Short on time?
| Time left | How to compress |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks | Combine each pair of weeks. Keep one standards session and one mixed-practice session every week. |
| 4 weeks | Work the 20 questions on day one. Spend most of your time on legal/boundary work, the supplied standards, and your weakest areas. Do mixed practice twice a week. |
| 2 weeks | Don't try to read everything. Focus on your misses, on navigating the handbook and standards quickly, and on the biggest topic areas for your specification. |
No schedule guarantees a result. The plan is there to make sure nothing important gets skipped.
The references you'll have on exam day
The PS is closed book, but you aren't working from memory alone. NCEES gives you these on screen (Examinee Guide; current specification):
- The current PS Reference Handbook, as a searchable PDF. You can preview it free in your MyNCEES account now.
- Five supplied standards, also as searchable PDFs:
| Standard | Edition scored on the PS |
|---|---|
| Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys | 2021 |
| FEMA Elevation Certificate and Instructions | 2023 |
| FGCS Specifications and Procedures, Section 3.5 (Geodetic Leveling) | 2004 |
| Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards | Parts 1–3: 1998; Part 4: 2002; Part 5: 2005 |
| United States National Map Accuracy Standards | 1947 |
Three things that catch people:
- Searching works differently. You search with the exam software's search box. Ctrl+F doesn't work.
- Only one standard opens at a time. The specification says standards are provided as separate documents and only one can be open at a time.
- The edition trap. NCEES scores questions about a standard against the edition on its list, and says answers based on other standards get no credit. The 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards took effect for real surveys on February 23, 2026 (ALTA standards page). For the exam, study the 2021 edition, because that's what both PS specifications list. The 2026 version added an Item 20 to Table A and renumbered the catch-all custom item, so don't mix them up.
10-minute reference sprint
Match each task to the supplied document you'd open first. Then, when you have the documents, time yourself finding the exact section.
- A lender wants the survey to show the number and type of parking spaces.
- A building's elevations came from construction drawings, and you need the right checkbox and what follows from it.
- You're checking whether a map published at 1:2,400 meets the horizontal accuracy rule for its scale.
- You need to report horizontal accuracy at the 95% confidence level from 25 check points.
- You're reviewing a procedure for digital bar-code leveling.
Show answers
- ALTA/NSPS 2021, Table A Item 9 (parking).
- FEMA Elevation Certificate (2023), Section C1. A new certificate is required once construction is complete.
- U.S. National Map Accuracy Standards (1947). Scales larger than 1:20,000 use the 1/30-inch rule.
- Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards, the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) part.
- FGCS Section 3.5, Geodetic Leveling (2004).
Is the PS exam mostly math?
No, but there is math. The specifications give large ranges to legal principles, professional practice, standards, and business practices, alongside technical computations. Many surveyors in online discussions describe the PS as less calculation-heavy than the FS. That's a useful impression, but build your plan from the specification, not someone's memory of one exam.
The computations worth drilling are the ones the specifications and supplied standards point to: curves and traverses, areas and coordinate geometry, datums and heights, grid vs. ground, and the accuracy calculations in the supplied standards (questions PS-07, PS-11, PS-12, and PS-16 through PS-20 above).
PS exam format and rules
| Item | What NCEES says |
|---|---|
| Questions | 100 |
| Appointment | 7 hours total: 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial, 6 hours of exam time, and a 50-minute optional scheduled break |
| Pacing | About 3.5 minutes per question uses 350 of the 360 exam minutes, leaving about 10 minutes for review. The 50-minute scheduled break is separate from the 6 hours of exam time. |
| Break timing | Offered after you finish and submit about half the questions. You can't go back to submitted questions. |
| Delivery | Computer-based, year-round, at Pearson VUE test centers |
| Fee | $375, paid to NCEES. Your board may charge its own application fee. |
| Question types | Multiple choice, multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, and fill in the blank |
| Scoring | Pass/fail. No penalty for wrong answers and no partial credit. NCEES doesn't publish the passing score. |
| Results | Usually within 7–10 business days, in MyNCEES |
| If you don't pass | A diagnostic report showing your performance in each topic area |
| Attempts | One per testing window, no more than three in 12 months. Some boards are stricter. |
| Calculator | One NCEES-approved model (2026 list: Casio fx-115 and fx-991 models; HP 33s and 35s; TI-30X and TI-36X models). A TI-30XS is also available on screen. |
| Scratch paper | Two reusable booklets and three markers from the test center |
| Units | U.S. Customary System |
Sources: NCEES PS exam page; NCEES Examinee Guide (May 2026); NCEES exam scoring; NCEES calculator policy; PS specifications linked above.
More detail on the process: NCEES exam registration · NCEES exam results · NCEES retake policy · NCEES exam accommodations
Didn't pass? Use your diagnostic report
If you don't pass, NCEES sends a diagnostic report that shows your relative strengths and weaknesses by topic area (NCEES exam scoring). Use it to aim your next round, not to guess a score.
Fill in one row per topic area:
| Topic area | Weak on the report? | Why I missed it | Study action | Practice source | Recheck date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Principles | |||||
| Professional Survey Practices | |||||
| Standards and Specifications | |||||
| Business Practices | |||||
| Areas of Practice |
For "why I missed it," pick the closest cause: concept gap, legal or standards rule, wrong reference, slow lookup, misread scenario, units or arithmetic, or running out of time. Put most of your hours on the weakest areas, but keep doing mixed practice so your strong areas don't slip. If your retake falls in July 2027 or later, rebuild this table using the six July 2027 topic areas.
Before you rebook, check the timing rules on our NCEES retake policy page.
Common questions
Is there an official NCEES practice exam for the PS?
Yes. NCEES sells a PS e-book practice exam with 50 questions and solutions for $29.95, built on the January 2019 specification (NCEES practice exam listing). Work it untimed first, review every miss and every lucky guess, then do a timed run later with your references. Its percent correct isn't an official prediction either.
Does the national PS cover my state's laws?
Not necessarily. NCEES writes the PS as a national exam, while state boards control licensure. Some boards add their own state-specific exam. Maine, for example, lists a state-specific multiple-choice exam alongside the national PS (Maine Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors). Find your board in the NCEES member board directory.
How do I register?
It depends on your state. Some boards require their own application and approval before you can register with NCEES; others let you register directly. Pick your state on the NCEES PS exam page, then see our NCEES exam registration guide.
Sources
- NCEES, PS Exam (fee, delivery, results, state requirements)
- NCEES, PS Specifications, effective January 1, 2019 (exams before July 2027)
- NCEES, PS Specifications, effective beginning July 2027
- NCEES, Examinee Guide (May 2026 edition)
- NCEES, Exam scoring, Calculator policy, PLSS Exam, Model Rules (August 2026)
- 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys
- FEMA, Elevation Certificate, Form FF-206-FY-22-152 (2023)
- USGS, United States National Map Accuracy Standards (1947)
- Federal Geographic Data Committee, Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards, Part 3: NSSDA
- U.S. Supreme Court, Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1892)
- BLM, The Basics of Boundary Law Study Guide
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, Easement and Adverse possession
- National Geodetic Survey, Converting GPS Height into NAVD88 Elevation; The State Plane Coordinate System of 1983
Last verified October 11, 2026. We checked the PS format, fee, both specifications, the supplied standards list, scoring, calculator list, and attempt limits against NCEES documents, and checked each practice question's underlying rule against the source cited with it. The study plan and study-priority advice are Castleport editorial recommendations.
AI-assisted tools were used to help develop and source-check this page. That editorial source checking is not a licensed surveyor review.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by NCEES, Pearson VUE, or any state licensing board. Exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. The practice questions on this page are original and are not NCEES exam questions. This page doesn't guarantee an exam result, eligibility, or licensure; your state board makes licensing decisions.