Professional Licensing - Rhode Island
Rhode Island State Board of Design Professionals
Professional Land Surveyor
Professional Engineer

Professional Land Surveyor

Chapter 5-8.1

Section 5-8.1-9

Application and qualification for registration.

  1. Application for registration as a professional land surveyor or certification as a surveyor-in-training is made, in writing, on a form prescribed and furnished by the board of land surveyors. The application:

    1. Contains statements made under oath,
    2. Shows the applicant's education,
    3. Contains a detailed summary of the applicant's technical and professional experience, and
    4. Designates references as described in this section.

  2. The fee established in § 5-8.1-11 must accompany each application. Failure to include this fee will result in the application being returned to the applicant without consideration by the board.

    1. To be eligible for registration as a professional land surveyor, an applicant must be of good character and reputation. Additionally, the applicant must submit five (5) references with his or her application, three (3) of whom are registered professional land surveyors having personal knowledge of his or her land surveying experience. No person seeking his or her initial registration as a professional land surveyor is granted the certificate without first completing a surveyor-in-training program as prescribed and approved by the board.
    2. To be eligible for certification as a surveyor-in-training, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and additionally must submit three (3) character references one of which must be from a professional land surveyor.



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  3. One of the following is considered as minimum evidence to the board that the applicant is qualified for registration as a professional land surveyor or for certification as a land surveyor in training, respectively:

    1. Graduation from a four (4) year accredited program, experience and examination. A graduate of a land surveying curriculum of four (4) years or more approved by the board, as being of satisfactory standing is admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a surveyor in training certificate in this state providing the applicant is qualified. Additionally, upon obtaining a specific record of a minimum of three (3) years of experience, after graduation, of combined office and field experience of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying, the applicant may be admitted to a six (6) hour written examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.
    2. Graduation from a four (4) year non-accredited program, experience and examination. A graduate of land surveying or related curriculum of four (4) years or more other than those approved by the board as being of satisfactory standing may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a surveyor in training certificate in the state, provided the applicant is qualified. Additionally upon obtaining a specific record of a minimum of five (5) years of experience, after graduation, of combined office and field experience satisfactory to the board in land surveying, of which a minimum of three (3) years has been under the supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying, the applicant may be admitted to a six (6) hour written examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.
    3. Graduation from a two (2) year accredited program experience, and examination. A graduate of a land surveying or related curriculum of satisfactory standing, of two (2) years or more approved by the board, who has obtained an associates degree, and upon obtaining a minimum of two (2) years experience, after graduation, satisfactory to the board, may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a surveying-in-training certificate in the state, provided the applicant is qualified. Upon obtaining a specific record of a minimum of an additional five (5) years of experience, of combined office and field experience satisfactory to the board in land surveying, of which a minimum of three (3) years has been under the supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying, the applicant may be admitted to a six (6) hour written examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.
    4. Graduation from a two (2) year non accredited program, experience and examination. A graduate of a land surveying or related curriculum of two (2) years or more, other than one approved by the board, who has obtained an associates degree, and upon obtaining a minimum of two (2) years experience, after graduation, satisfactory to the board may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a surveying-in-training certificate in the state, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified. Upon obtaining a specific record of a minimum of an additional eight (8) years of experience, of combined office and field experience satisfactory to the board in land surveying, of which a minimum of three (3) years has been under the supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying, the applicant may be admitted to a six (6) hour written examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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      Experience and Examination

      1. A person having acquired at least twelve (12) years of active office and/or field experience in land surveying, at least six (6) years of which experience has been under the direct supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, and with that experience being of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying, may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in the state, provided that the applicant is qualified and may admitted to a second six (6) hour written examination plus an additional two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state provided the applicant is qualified. This subsection expires at midnight, June 30, 2002.
      2. In certain instances in which an applicant presents an experience of unusually high quality, the board, at its complete discretion, may allow an applicant, having acquired six (6) years of active office and field experience in land surveying, which experience has been under the direct supervision of a professional land surveyor, to be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in the state, provided the applicant is qualified.



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    5. Surveying teaching. Teaching of advanced land surveying subjects in a college or university offering an approved land surveying curriculum may be considered as land surveying experience satisfactory to the board.
    6. Registration by comity or endorsement. A person holding a current certificate of registration to engage in the practice of land surveying, on the basis of comparable written examinations, issued to him or her by a proper authority of a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any foreign country who, in the opinion of the board, meets the requirements of this chapter, based upon verified evidence, may, upon application be registered, only if they have passed the two (2) hour written Rhode Island legal portion.
    7. The passing grade on all examinations offered by the land surveyors is not less than seventy percent (70%). An applicant failing any examination may apply for re-examination upon payment of the appropriate fees. An applicant who scores less than fifty percent (50%) on any examination may not apply for re-examination for at least one year.



  4. An applicant who fails any of the exams three (3) times must be interviewed by the board, before any further application can be acted upon. It is the applicant's responsibility to show the board that he or she will be successful if allowed to take the exam again.

Professional Engineers

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CHAPTER 5-8

SECTION 5-8-11

§ 5-8-11 General requirements for registration or certification.

To be eligible for registration as a professional engineer or certification as an engineer in training, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and shall submit five (5) references with his or her application for registration, three (3) of which references shall be registered engineers having personal knowledge of his or her engineering experience, or in the case of an application for certification as an engineer-in-training, by three (3) character references.

The following is considered minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for registration as a professional engineer or for certification as an engineer-in-training, respectively:

Professional Engineers

  1. Registration by endorsement.
    1. A person holding a current certificate of registration to engage in the practice of engineering, on the basis of comparable written examinations, issued to him or her by either a proper authority of a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or of any foreign country, and whose qualifications meets the requirements of this chapter, based on verified evidence may, upon application, be registered without further examination.
    2. A person holding a certificate of qualification issued by the national council of examiners for engineering and surveying, whose qualifications meet the requirements of this chapter, may, upon application, be registered without further examination, provided he or she is qualified.
  2. Graduation from an accredited program, experience and examination. A graduate of or senior enrolled in an ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more approved by the board as being of satisfactory standing, is admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering. Upon passing this examination and obtaining a specific record of a minimum of four (4) years of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, the applicant may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. The graduate having a specific record of twelve (12) years or more of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, is admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice engineering in this state, provided he or she is qualified.
  3. Graduation from a non accredited program, experience, and examination. A graduate of or senior enrolled in an engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more other than those approved by the board as being of satisfactory standing is admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering. Upon passing this examination and obtaining a specific record of a minimum of four (4) years of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, the applicant may be admitted to an eight (8) hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon passing these examinations, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice engineering in this state, provided he or she is qualified.
  4. Teaching. Engineering teaching in a college or university offering an ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more may be considered as engineering experience.
  5. Engineers previously registered. Each engineer holding a certificate of registration and each engineer in training under the laws of this state as previously in effect is deemed registered as an engineer or engineer in training as appropriate under this chapter.

Engineer in Training

The following is considered as minimum evidence that the applicant is qualified for certification as an engineer in training:

  1. Graduation and examination. A graduate of an ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more who has passed the board's eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering is certified or enrolled as an engineer in training, if he or she is qualified.
  2. Graduation from a non accredited program and examination. A graduate of anon accredited engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more who has passed the board's eight (8) hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering and has obtained two (2) years of engineering experience of a grade and character approved by the board is certified and enrolled as an engineer in training, if he or she is qualified.
  3. Duration of engineer in training certification. The certification or enrollment of an engineer in training is valid for a period of twelve (12) years.
Agnes Smith
Administrative Assistant
10 Orms Street, Ste. 324
Providence, Rhode Island 02904
401-277-25965

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE5/5-8-1/S00009.HTM

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE5/5-8/S00011.HTM

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