BRPELS partners with the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) to administer national surveying exams. All NCEES exams are through Computer-Based Testing (CBT).
Board approval is no longer required to take an NCEES exam. Apply directly for your exam with NCEES.
NCEES Exam Information
NCEES Principals and Practice of Land Surveying (PS) 6-hr exam is a computer-based test and is offered year-round. Visit NCEES for more information.
You may buy study materials for the exam on the NCEES website.
Washington State Exam Information
In addition to the NCEES 6-hr PS exam, applicants must also pass a state 4-hr PS exam to become licensed as a Professional Land Surveyor in Washington State.
To apply for the Washington State PLS exam, visit Get Your Land Surveyor License.
The state exam is offered twice a year in Western and Eastern Washington and is an open book exam. Materials must be bound, such as a three-ring binder, no loose-leaf papers allowed. Calculators are allowed but must follow the NCEES Calculator Policy.
If you require special accommodations, please submit a message through the Customer Service Portal.
Check out the Washington State Land Surveyor Exam Blueprint and the Washington State Land Surveyor Domains and Subdomains.
You may visit the Land Surveyor Association of Washington (LSAW) website for additional study materials.
State Exam Deadlines
|
Examination date |
Application and reschedule deadline |
|
8:30 am, September 18, 2026 |
Application and reschedule deadline August 14, 2026 |
|
8:30 am, March 19, 2027 |
Application and reschedule deadline February 19, 2027 |
** If you do not receive a response from the board office within 2-weeks of submittal, please contact the board office by submitting a customer contact form.
- Need to Reschedule an Exam?
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Complete the reschedule application and submit online or by mail.
To reschedule online, login to your account, access our service "Manage Existing Professional License or Exam Application"
- Click the Submitted Requests tab
- Click your application number
- Click the Reschedule Exam in the blue menu bar
- After You Pass the Exams
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The state exam results are reviewed by the board for final approval. Board meeting information can be found on our webpage.
Make sure we have your current mailing and email address
If you have passed both the NCEES 6-hr exam and the state 4-hr exam you will receive an electronic copy of your license by email, a hard copy will be mailed out within 7-10 business days and the wall certificate in 4-6 weeks.
- Am I required to take and pass the NCEES PLSS Exam to become a Professional Land Surveyor in the State of Washington?
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No, you do not.