Professional Licensing - New Jersey
New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
Professional Land Surveyor
Professional Engineer

Professional Land Surveyor

Directions to Apply for Consideration As a Professional Land Surveyor

Failure to follow directions will result in the delay of your application. Any application that does not meet board deadlines will be deferred to the next examination date. All applications must be typed. Application fee: $75.00

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

The application for examination/licensure as a land surveyor provides an opportunity for candidates to sit for both the eight-hour Fundamentals of Land Surveying examination (Part F) and the eight-hour Principles and Practices of Land Surveying examination (Part P).

There is no requirement as to the order in which a candidate must take or pass the exams (F).

Applicants should not file both a land surveyor-in-training and a professional land surveyor application during the same examination period. Applicants who believe they meet the statutory requirements for full licensure should file the professional land surveyor application only. If both land surveyor-in-trailing and professional land surveyor applications are filed during the same examination period, the land surveyor-in-training application will be canceled and the fee forfeited. The professional land surveyor application will be the only application of record.

  1. GENERAL INFORMATION

    Applicants are required to state their full legal name and residence. Indicate the New Jersey land surveyor-in-training application number if you have applied to be considered as a land surveyor-in-training but are not yet registered as such.

  2. PHOTOGRAPH

    Applicants are required to attach a photograph two inches by two inches by two and one-quarter inches with the face not less than three-quarters of an inch wide. The photograph should have been taken within six months of filing this application.

  3. AFFIDAVIT

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    All applications must be notarized.

  4. PRESENT LAND SURVEYOR LICENSE STATUS

    The Board's enabling legislation does not contain an eminence or grandfather clause, nor does it provide for reciprocity with any state, territory or country. Comity licensure, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:8-35(2)d, shall be granted provided that the minimum requirements for examination and licensure by the issuing agency in effect at the time of application to the issuing agency, which the applicant satisfied in order to qualify for examination by that issuing agency, are at least comparable to those same minimum requirements of the Board which were in effect in this State at that time. The issuing agency also must attest to the licensing criteria at the time of the applicant's original licensure in that jurisdiction, and the applicant must receive a passing grade on the New Jersey specific portion of the current land surveying examination and any portions of a nationally administered two-day examination required by the Board not already passed by the applicant.

The following minimum comparable standards exist:

    1. Graduation from a Board-approved curriculum in surveying of four years or more.
    2. *Three full years of Board-approved professional surveying experience.
    3. Successful completion of 16 hours of written exams. (Eight hours of the fundamentals of land surveying exam, with a minimum score of 70 percent, six hours of the principles and practices of land surveying exam, with a minimum score of 70 percent, two hours of the New Jersey State Specific exam, with a minimum score of 70 percent, and a passing grade on the New Jersey Law exam.)


    *Two years of which must have been gained in the United States.

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  2. A certificate of registration issued by any state, territory or possession of the United States, or of any country if the requirements of that state, territory, possession or country are comparable to New Jersey State requirements at the time of application.
  1. EDUCATION

    Indicate the degree you received and the year you graduated. It is your responsibility to request that your transcript be sent to the Board office. Transcripts must contain the Board-assigned application number of the applicant, must be sent directly from the institution to the Board office and must contain the seal of the institution's registrar. Transcripts without application numbers will not be accepted.

    Foreign institutions

    1. All applicants must have their foreign degrees evaluated by a review service selected by the Board. Previous reviews will not be accepted. You will receive directions with your acknowledgment letter.
    2. All applicants who are from non-English speaking countries or countries wherein the primary language is other than English, prior to board review of the application, must submit a T.0.E.EL. (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Certificate with a minimum score of 233, and a T.S.E. (Test of Spoken English) with a minimum score of 50. An applicant who has received a four-year B.S. degree from a country wherein the primary language is English will be exempted. However, the degree must be evaluated to A above. The scores must be sent directly to the Board from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). These tests must have been taken within two years of application or at the time of application. For further information, contact:



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  2. REFERENCES OF CHARACTER AND QUALIFICATIONS

    Applicants must furnish, on Board forms only, the names of five individuals not related to the applicant. Three of the references must be United States-licensed land surveyors familiar with the applicant's experience or training. No current Board members may be used. Reference forms will be sent to you for distribution with your acknowledgment letter. All reference forms must contain the applicant's Board-assigned number. References which are more than one year old will not be accepted.

  3. REPORT OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (RPE)

    Experience must be listed in the format provided. Do not attach other formats. The cumulative total of the RPE page must equal the Detailed Breakdown of Experience total.

    On the "Report of Professional Experience" (RPE) form, provide a record of your active professional practice in accordance with the following instructions:

    Note  If additional sheets are required, use the same format. On the top of each sheet put your name, signature, the date, the page number and the total of RPE pages. Staple all sheets in sequence on top of the original (first) RPE page.

    1. In column 1, assign sequential numbers and in column 2, give dates for all engagements. List these in chronological order (earliest first).
    2. In column 3, describe your experience in each engagement by stating in order:
      1. Title of position held;
      2. Name and address of employer;
      3. A general job description;
      4. A complete list of your surveying duties; and
      5. A description of your personal responsibility for the duties performed in this title.

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      Note  Be specific. Do not use such terms as "involved with," "responsible for," "participated in," "assigned in, "coordinated" and similar terms. Provide a clear and precise explanation for each job and your specific duties.

      List the name and title, address, and the relationship of person to whom you reported, or with whom you were associated, or of some responsible person familiar with the engagement.

    3. Us separate sheets of paper for each employer.
    4. Leave a space between engagement entries.



  4. DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF SURVEYING EXPERIENCE

    This page is to list in years and tenths the total time you spent in specific areas of surveying. No one spends 100 percent of his or her time in one area. Break down each engagement into the specific areas listed. Make sure the total of this page equals the cumulative total of the RPE page.

    MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

    DEADLINES

    All applications and supplemental documents must be submitted to the Board office within the prescribed deadlines to be considered for admission to the next regularly scheduled examination. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify the receipt of all documents by the Board office. Failure to meet prescribed deadlines will result in the deferral of the application and will require rescheduling for a subsequent examination.

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    FEES

    All fees, whether application or examination, shall be retained by the Board and are nonrefundable, and will not be transferred to a subsequent examination. Fees must be submitted by certified check or money order, payable to the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Applicants are requested not to file their application for a license unless they are fully prepared to take the written examination when they are notified by the Board. Extension of time for the purpose of taking review or refresher courses for the examination will not be granted by the Board.

    EXAMS

    Notice of two scheduled written examinations will be sent to the applicant. Failure of the applicant to appear for the examination following such notice or failure to communicate with the Board office should the applicant choose not to appear for the examination following such notice may result in cancellation (destruction) of the application, even though examination fees have been paid. If an applicant fails to appear for or fails to complete two consecutive examinations because he/she has appeared only for a morning or afternoon session, or if an applicant receives a zero on two consecutive examinations, his/her application will be canceled (destroyed) automatically.

    TEMPORARY PERMIT

    N.J.S.A. 45:8-40 provides for the issuance of a temporary permit. A temporary permit, which is valid for 30 days, may only be issued if the required qualifications in the state of original licensure are comparable to New Jersey's licensing requirements. In order to be reviewed for a temporary permit, you must submit the following:

    1. A typed application form;
    2. The application fee;
    3. Licensure verification sent directly from another state to this office;
    4. An official college transcript sent directly from the institution to this office with the Board's assigned application number; and
    5. A letter requesting a temporary permit which includes a description of the project (subdivision: topographical boundary survey), the location of the project (lot (block number, city and county) and the number of days needed to practice in New Jersey. (However, no final plans, surveys or reports may be signed or sealed under this provision.)

    HANDLING OTHER MATERIALS

    Do not forward material or have material such as transcripts forwarded until your application is on file and you have received your application number. All references and transcripts must be identified by your application number.

Professional Engineer

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Failure to follow directions will result in the delay of your application. Any application that does not meet board deadlines will be deferred to the next examination date. All applications must be typed. Application fee: $75.00

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

The application for examination/licensure as a professional engineer provides an opportunity for candidates to sit for both the eight-hour Fundamentals of Engineering examination (Part F) and the eight-hour Principles and Practices of Engineering examination (Part P).

There is no requirement as to the order in which a candidate must take or pass the exams (F&P).

Applicants should not file both an engineer-in-training and a professional engineer application for the same examination period. Applicants who believe thev meet the statutorv reuuirements for full licensure should file the professional engineer application only. If both engineer-in-training and professional engineer applications are filed during the same examination period, the engineer-in-training application will be canceled and the fee forfeited. The professional engineer application will be the only application of record.

  1. GENERAL INFORMATION
    Applicants are required to state their full legal name and current residence. Indicate the New Jersey engineer-in-training application number if you have applied to be considered as an engineer-in-training but are not yet registered as such.
  2. PHOTOGRAPH
  3. Applicants are required to attach a photograph two inches by two and one-quarter inches with the face not less than threequarters of an inch wide. The photograph should have been taken within six months of filing this application.
  4. AFFIDAVIT
  5. All applications must be notarized
  6. PRESENT ENGINEER LICENSE STATUS
  7. The Board's enabling legislation does not contain an eminence or grandfather clause, nor does it provide for reciprocity with any state, territory or country.

Comity

Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:8-35(l)e: ~'A certificate of registration, issued by any state or territory or possession of the United States, or of any country, may, in the discretion of the board, be accepted as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for registration as a professional engineer; provided that the minimum requirements for examination and license by the issuing agency in effect at the time of application to the issuing agency, which the applicant satisfied in order to qualify for examination by that issuing agency, are at least comparable to those same minimum requirements of the board which were in effect in this State at that time; and provided that the applicant has not failed any portion of a nationally administered, two-day examination, required by the board, that was taken in order to receive licensure by the issuing agency." All prior state licenses must be current, active and in good standing in order for licensure pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:8-35(1)e to be granted.The following current standards exist:

  1. Four-year Board-approved Bachelor of Science degree in engineering
  2. *Four years of full-time experience in engineering work to be approved by the Board.
  3. Successful completion of the 16-hour N.C.E.E.S. written exam.
    • Eight-hour fundamentals of engineering exam with a minimum score of 70 percent.
    • Eight-hour principles and practices of engineering exam with a minimum score of 70 percent and a passing grade on the New Jersey Law exam.

OR

  1. Four-year Board-approved Bachelor of Science degree in engineering technology.
  2. *Six years of full-time experience in engineering work, to be approved by the Board.
  3. Successful completion of the 16-hour N.C.E.E.S. written exam.
    • Eight-hour fundamentals of engineering exam with a minimum score of 70 percent.
    • Eight-hour principles and practices of engineering exam with a minimum score of 70 percent and a passing grade on the New Jersey Law exam.

OR

  1. Four-year Board-approved Bachelor of Science degree in engineering technology.
  2. **
  3. Four-year Board-approved Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or engineering technology.
    • 15 years of full-time experience in engineering work, to be approved by the Board.
    • Evidence of successful completion of an N.C.E.E.S. eight-hour principles and practices of engineering written exam with a minimum score of 70 percent.
  4. A passing grade on the New Jersey Law exam.

OR

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A certificate of registration issued by any state, territory or possession of the United States or any country if the requirements of the state, territory, possession or country are comparable to New Jersey State requirements, which were in effect at the time of application to the issuing agency.

* Applicants must have at least two years of experience gained in the United States.

Two years of said experience shall be original engineering design experience demonstrating increased responsibility over time, that is of a character acceptable to the Board. All experience must have been gained while under the regular and effective supervision of a licensed professional engineer.

** The Board may waive the fundamentals of engineering portion of the exam provided that, at the time of application, in addition to the educational requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:4O~2.3, the applicant has a specific record of an additional 15 years or more of experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the Board. Eight of the 15 years of experience must have been gained in the United States or must have been acquired while working for a United States-based firm. At least two years of experience gained in the United States shall be original engineering design experience demonstrating increased responsibility over time. All experience must have been gained while under the regular and effective supervision of a licensed professional engineer.

  1. List the state where you received initial licensure indicating the license number you hold in that state.
  2. List other states where you have taken written examinations and the state where you hold a current valid license.
  3. If you are registered as an engineer-in-training in New Jersey, list the certificate number. If you hold such an application or have taken any such fundamentals, intern or engineer-in-training exam in any other state, list the application or certificate number and the state.
  4. The Board office will request written verification from any State Board you have indicated on your application. It is your responsibility to contact the applicable State Board office(s) to ascertain that they have submitted the written verification to our office. If another State Board requires a fee to be paid for written verification to be sent, it is the applicant's responsibility to pay the fee.
  5. EDUCATION
    • Indicate the degree you received and the year you graduated.
    • It is your responsibility to request that your transcript be sent to the Board office.
    • Transcripts must contain the Board's assigned application number of the applicant, must be sent directly from the institution to the Board Office, and must contain the seal of the institution's registrar. Transcripts without application numbers will not be accepted.

      Foreign Institutions

      1. All applicants must have their foreign degrees evaluated by a review service selected by the Board. Previous reviews Will not be accepted. You will receive directions with your acknowledgment letter.
      2. All applicants who are from non-English speaking countries or countries wherein the primary language is other than English, prior to board review of the application, must submit a T.O.E.F.L. (Test of English as Foreign Language) certificate with a minimum score of 233, and a T.S.E. (Test of Spoken English) with a minimum score of 50. An applicant who has received a four-year B.S. from a country wherein the primary language is English will be exempted. However, the degree must be evaluated as in A above. The scores must be sent directly to the Board from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). These tests must have been taken within two years of application or at the time of application. For further information, contact:

    Director
    T.O.E.FI. Program and Services
    P.O. Box 6159
    Princeton, NJ. 08541-6159 (800) 468-6335 http:Ilwww.toefl.org

  6. REFERENCES OF CHARACTER AND OUALIFICATIONS
    1. References will not be accepted from relatives of the applicant. No current Board member shall be used as a reference. All reference forms must contain the applicant's Board-assigned number. References which are more than one year old will not be accepted.
      All references should be properly identified as to whether or not they are professional engineers.
    2. Professional Engineer applicants: Of the five references required, three must be licensed professional engineers in the United States and have regularly and effectively supervised the applicant's professional experience.
    3. N.C.E.E.S. Record Book
    4. A record book from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) shall be acceptable to the Board only if it is sent directly to the Board office from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. The applicant shall complete the personal data portion of the Board application form in its entirety. The record book shall meet the following requirements:
        1. The book shall be labeled with the application number;
        2. References over one year old will not be acceptable; and
        3. All references and transcripts shall be submitted to the Board in conformance with NJ.A.C.13:40-2.3(a) and 2.6.

    Do not forward material or have material such as transcripts forwarded until your application is on file and you have received your application number. All references and transcripts must be identified by your application number.

  7. DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPERIENCE
  8. (Fill out completely.)
  9. Experience may not be anticipated. Only experience gained by the date of application will be reviewed.
    • Number each engagement
    • Please note that you are required to submit:
      • Experience statements on the forms prescribed. You may make additional copies of the detailed statement of experience form and attach it to this application.
      • Names, addresses and license numbers of supervisors orpersons to whom you reported.
      • Descriptions which include specific duties performed for each project. These should be typed, outlined statements which delineate the character of each engagement, the complexity of the work, the duties and the degree of responsibility. Mere job titles are not satisfactory descriptions.
      • Indicate all engagements in chronological order from the beginning of your work experience to the present time without overlapping time periods. The total time spent in an engagement is the sum of your engineering design experience, plus other engineering experience.
      • Notations that experience was gained on a full-time or a part-time basis. If experience was accrued while attending college, note if it was during a full-time or part-time curriculum.
      • This is the only document utilized by the Board to determine if your experience is of a nature "acceptable to the Board."
      • Simply because you have the necessary calendar time does not mean that the experience is automatically acceptable.
      • Therefore, you should list your experience in a comprehensively detalled and thorough manner.
      • All experience galned must be under the regular and effective supervision of a licensed professional engineer

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

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Deadlines

    All applications and supplemental documents must be submitted to the Board office within the prescribed deadlines to be considered for admission to the next regularly scheduled examination. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify the receipt of all documents by the Board office. Failure to meet prescribed deadlines will result in the deferral of the application and will require rescheduling for a subsequent examination.

Fees

    All fees, whether application or examination, shall be retained by the Board and are nonrefundable, and will not be transferred to a subsequent examination. Fees must be submitted by certified check or money order, payable to the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Applicants are requested not to file their application for a license unless they are fully prepared to take the written examination when they are notified by the Board. Extension of time for the purpose of taking review or refresher courses for the examination will not be granted by the Board.

Exams

    Notice of two scheduled written examinations will be sent to the applicant. Fallure of the applicant to appear for the examination following such notice or failure to communicate with the Board office should the applicant choose not to appear for the examination following such notice may result in cancellation (destruction) of the application, even though examination fees have been paid. If an applicant fails to appear for or fails to complete two consecutive examinations because he/she has appeared only for a morning or afternoon session, or if an applicant receives a zero on two consecutive examinations, his/her application will be canceled (destroyed) automatically.

Temporary Permit

    N.J.S.A.45:8-40 provides for the issuance of a temporary permit.

    • A temporary permit, which is valid for 30 days, may only be issued if the required qualifications in the state of original licensure are comparable to New Jersey's licensing requirements. In order to be reviewed for a temporary permit, you must submit the following:
      1. A typed application form;
      2. The application fee;
      3. Licensure vertification sent directly from another state to this office;
      4. An official college transcript sent directly from the institution to this office; and
      5. A letter requesting a temporary permit which includes a description of the project, location and number of days needed to practice in New Jersey. (However, no fmal plans, surveys or reports may be signed or sealed under this provision.)
        1. Description and type of project i.e.: Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Structural:remodeling of a building, or an extension or addition to a building.
        2. Location: Street, lot/block number, and city and county

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/pels/pelsinfo.htm

Arthur Russo
Executive Director
P.O. Box 45015
Newark, New Jersey 07102
973-504-6460

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