2009 North Carolina Code
Chapter 89C - Engineering and Land Surveying.
§ 89C-13. General requirements for licensure.

§ 89C‑13.  General requirements for licensure.

(a)        Engineer Applicant. – To be eligible for licensure as a professional engineer, an applicant must be of good character and reputation. An applicant desiring to take the examination in the fundamentals of engineering must submit three character references, one of whom shall be a professional engineer. An applicant desiring to take the examination in the principles and practice of engineering must submit five references, two of whom shall be professional engineers having personal knowledge of the applicant's engineering experiences.

The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is qualified for licensure:

(1)        As a professional engineer (shall meet one):

a.         Licensure by Comity or Endorsement. – A person holding a certificate of licensure to engage in the practice of engineering, on the basis of comparable qualifications, issued to the person by a proper authority of a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or of Canada, who completes an application for licensure and submits five references, two of which shall be from professional engineers having personal knowledge of the applicant's engineering experience, and who, in the opinion of the Board, meets the requirements of this Chapter, based on verified evidence may, upon application, be licensed without further examination.

A person holding a certificate of qualification issued by the Committee on National Engineering Certification of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying whose qualifications meet the requirements of this Chapter, may upon application, be licensed without further examination.

b.         E.I. Certificate, Experience, and Examination. – A holder of a certificate of engineering intern issued by the Board, and with a specific record of an additional four years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character which indicates to the Board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, shall be admitted to the principles and practice of engineering examination. Upon passing the examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice professional engineering in this State, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

c.         Graduation, Experience, and Examination. – A graduate of an engineering curriculum of four years or more approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing, and with a specific record of an additional four years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character which indicates to the Board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, shall be admitted to the fundamentals of engineering examination, and the principles and practice of engineering examination. Upon passing the examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice professional engineering in this State, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

d.         Graduation, Experience, and Examination. – A graduate of an engineering or related science curriculum of four years or more, other than the ones approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing or with an equivalent education and engineering experience satisfactory to the Board and with a specific record of eight years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character which indicates to the Board that the applicant may be competent in the fundamentals of engineering, shall be admitted to the fundamentals of engineering examination and the principles and practice of engineering examination. Upon passing the examinations, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice professional engineering in this State, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

e.         Long‑Established Practice. – A person with a specific record of 20 years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character which indicates to the Board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering shall be admitted to the principles and practice of engineering examination. Upon passing the examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice professional engineering in this State, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

At its discretion the Board may require an applicant to submit exhibits, drawings, designs, or other tangible evidence of engineering work which the applicant personally accomplished or supervised.

The following shall be considered as minimum evidence that the applicant is qualified for certification:

(2)        As an engineering intern (shall meet one):

a.         Graduation and Examination. – A graduate of an engineering curriculum or related science curriculum of four years or more, approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing, or a student who has attained senior status in an accredited engineering program, shall be admitted to the fundamentals of engineering examination. The applicant shall be notified if the examination was passed or not passed and if passed he shall be certified as an engineering intern if the applicant is otherwise qualified.

b.         Graduation, Experience, and Examination. – A graduate of an engineering or related science curriculum of four years or more, other than the ones approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing, or with equivalent education and engineering experience satisfactory to the Board and with a specific record of four or more years of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character satisfactory to the Board, shall be admitted to the fundamentals of engineering examination. The applicant shall be notified if the examination was passed or not passed and if passed, the applicant shall be certified as an engineering intern if the applicant is otherwise qualified.

(b)        Land Surveyor Applicant. – To be eligible for admission to examination for land surveyor intern or professional land surveyor, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and shall submit five references with the application for licensure as a land surveyor, two of which references shall be professional land surveyors having personal knowledge of the applicant's land surveying experience, or in the case of an application for certification as a land surveyor intern by three references, one of which shall be a licensed land surveyor having personal knowledge of the applicant's land surveying experience.

The evaluation of a land surveyor applicant's qualifications shall involve a consideration of the applicant's education, technical and land surveying experience, exhibits of land surveying projects with which the applicant has been associated, and recommendations by references. The land surveyor applicant's qualifications may be reviewed at an interview if the Board determines it necessary. Educational credit for institute courses, correspondence courses, or other courses shall be determined by the Board.

The following shall be considered a minimum evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional land surveyor or for certification as a land surveyor intern respectively:

(1)        As a professional land surveyor (shall meet one):

a.         Rightful possession of a bachelor of science degree in surveying or other equivalent curricula, all approved by the Board and a record satisfactory to the Board of two years or more of progressive practical experience, one year of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor if the applicant has successfully passed the first examination (Fundamentals of Surveying) on or before January 1, 2013, or if the applicant has not successfully passed the first examination on or before January 1, 2013, two years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor, and satisfactorily passing any oral and written examination required by the Board, all of which shall determine and indicate that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying. Upon passing the first examination and successful completion of the experience required by this subdivision, the applicant may apply to take the second examination (Principles and Practice of Land Surveying). An applicant who passes both examinations and completes the educational and experience requirements of this subdivision shall be granted licensure as a professional land surveyor.

b.         Rightful possession of an associate degree in surveying technology approved by the Board and a record satisfactory to the Board of four years of progressive practical experience, three years of which shall have been under a practicing licensed land surveyor if the applicant has successfully passed the first examination (Fundamentals of Surveying) on or before January 1, 2013, or if the applicant has not successfully passed the first examination on or before January 1, 2013, eight years of progressive practical experience, four years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor, and satisfactorily passing any written and oral examination required by the Board, all of which shall determine and indicate that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying. If the applicant has not successfully completed the first examination on or before January 1, 2013, the applicant may apply to the Board to take the first examination after obtaining the associate degree and completing four years of practical experience, two years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor at the first regularly scheduled examination thereafter. Upon passing the first examination and successfully completing the practical experience required under this subdivision, the applicant may apply to the Board to take the second examination (Principles and Practice of Land Surveying). An applicant who passes both examinations and successfully completes the educational and experience requirements of this subdivision shall be granted licensure as a professional land surveyor.

c.         Repealed by Session Laws 1998‑118, s. 11.

d.         Graduation from a high school or the completion of a high school equivalency certificate and a record satisfactory to the Board of seven years of progressive practical experience, six years of which shall have been under a practicing licensed land surveyor if the applicant has successfully passed the first examination (Fundamentals of Surveying) on or before January 1, 2013, or if the applicant has not successfully passed the first examination on or before January 1, 2013, 16 years of progressive practical experience, nine years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor, and satisfactorily passing any oral and written examinations required by the Board, all of which shall determine and indicate that the candidate is competent to practice land surveying. If the applicant has not successfully passed the first examination on or before January 1, 2013, the applicant may be qualified by the Board to take the first examination upon graduation from high school or the completion of a high school equivalency certificate and successfully completing 10 years of progressive practice experience, six of which shall have been under a practicing licensed land surveyor.

e.         Repealed by Session Laws 1985 (Regular Session, 1986), c. 977, s. 7.

f.          Licensure by Comity or Endorsement. – A person holding a certificate of licensure to engage in the practice of land surveying issued on comparable qualifications from a state, territory, or possession of the United States will be given comity considerations. However, the applicant may be asked to take any examinations as the Board requires to determine the applicant's qualifications, but in any event, the applicant shall be required to pass an examination which shall include questions on laws, procedures, and practices pertaining to the practice of land surveying in North Carolina.

g.         A licensed professional engineer who can satisfactorily demonstrate to the Board that the professional engineer's formal academic training in acquiring a degree and field experience in engineering includes land surveying, to the extent necessary to reasonably qualify the applicant in the practice of land surveying, may apply for and may be granted permission to take the principles and practice of land surveying examination and the fundamentals of land surveying examination. Upon satisfactorily passing the examinations, the applicant shall be granted a license to practice land surveying in the State of North Carolina.

h.         Professional Engineers in Land Surveying. – Any person presently licensed to practice professional engineering under this Chapter shall upon application be licensed to practice land surveying, providing a written application is filed with the Board within one year next after June 19, 1975.

i.          Photogrammetrists. – Any person presently practicing photogrammetry with at least seven years of experience in the profession, two or more of which shall have been in responsible charge of photogrammetric mapping projects meeting National Map Accuracy Standards shall, upon application, be licensed to practice land surveying, provided:

1.         The applicant submit certified proof of graduation from high school, high school equivalency, or higher degree;

2.         The applicant submit proof of employment in responsible charge as a photogrammetrist practicing within the State of North Carolina to include itemized reports detailing methods, procedures, amount of applicant's personal involvement and the name, address, and telephone numbers of the client for five projects completed by the applicant with the State. A final map for one of the five projects shall also be submitted;

3.         Five references to the applicant's character and quality of work, three of which shall be from professional land surveyors, are submitted to the Board; and

4.         The application is submitted to the Board by July 1, 1999. After July 1, 1999, no photogrammetrist shall be licensed without meeting the same requirements as to education, length of experience, and testing required of all land surveying applicants.

The Board shall require an applicant to submit exhibits, drawings, plats or other tangible evidence of land surveying work executed by the applicant under proper supervision and which the applicant has personally accomplished or supervised.

Land surveying encompasses a number of disciplines including geodetic surveying, hydrographic surveying, cadastral surveying, engineering surveying, route surveying, photogrammetric (aerial) surveying, and topographic surveying. A professional land surveyor shall practice only within the surveyor's area of expertise.

(2)        As a land surveyor intern (shall meet one):

a.         Rightful possession of an associate degree in surveying technology approved by the Board, a record satisfactory to the Board of four years of progressive practical experience, two years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor, and satisfactorily passing a written and oral examination as required by the Board.

b.         Repealed by Session Laws 2005‑296, s. 1.

c.         Graduation from high school or the completion of a high school equivalency certificate and a record satisfactory to the Board of 10 years of progressive, practical experience, six years of which shall have been under a practicing licensed land surveyor and satisfactorily passing any oral and written examinations required by the Board.

d.         Graduation and examination. – A graduate of a surveying curriculum or other equivalent curriculum in surveying approved by the Board or a student who has attained senior status in an accredited surveying program of four years or more shall be admitted to the fundamentals of surveying examination. The applicant shall be notified if the examination was passed or not passed, and if passed the applicant shall be certified as a surveying intern if the applicant is otherwise qualified.

The Board shall require an applicant to submit exhibits, drawings, plats, or other tangible evidence of land surveying work executed by the applicant under proper supervision and which the applicant has personally accomplished or supervised. (1921, c. 1, s. 9; C.S., s. 6055(j); 1951, c. 1084, s. 1; 1953, c. 999, s. 2; 1957, c. 1060, ss. 2, 3; 1975, c. 681, s. 1; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 977, ss. 1‑15; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 671, s. 2; 1995, c. 509, s. 36.1; 1998‑118, s. 11; 1998‑217, s. 41; 2005‑296, s. 1.)