# Exam Tips and Tricks

Six Steps to Becoming a Texas RPLS

by NLC Support | Sep 16, 2020

So, you want to become a Texas Registered Professional Land Surveyor? That’s awesome! Being an RPLS has many benefits including the prestige of the license and the fantastic salaries being paid to RPLS’s these days. Texas is booming, and so is surveying in the Lone Star state.

I counsel an average of five to ten young people each week that are interested in becoming land surveyors, and many of them are shocked that it takes between 4 and 8 years to become licensed as a Texas RPLS. The combination of education (2-year degree minimum), exams (FS and RPLS), and experience (4000 hours in several areas of practice) make becoming an RPLS a long, hard road. But I guarantee that if you dedicate yourself, it is worth it in the end.

The first step of becoming an RPLS is to gain the necessary education. Until recently, a bachelor’s degree in surveying, or a bachelor’s degree in any subject plus 32 credits of surveying courses were required. This is not the place to debate the degree requirements of our profession; instead, I will bring your attention to the September 2019 statute change that lowered the degree requirements to either (1) an associate’s degree in surveying, or an associate’s degree in any subject plus 32 credits of surveying courses.

The second step of becoming an RPLS is to pass your Fundamentals of Surveying exam. This national exam is tough! Only about 30% – 50% of examinees pass on the first try depending on your educational background. Want to know what it takes to crush this exam? Checkout this free course that explains everything that you need to know in order to succeed. https://nlcprep.com/product/fs-preview/

The third step of becoming an RPLS is to gain the necessary responsible charge time under a currently licensed Texas RPLS. This time totals 4000 hours which translates to working full-time for two years. But simply working in the field as a party chief or in the office as a drafter is not good enough. Be sure that you meet all the requirements as outlined in the Board webpage. Instead, the Surveyor-in-Training must accumulate 3 months in each of the following categories:

Research
Legal Principles/Boundary Reconciliations and Deed Sketches
Computations/Traverse Accuracy Analysis
Documentation/Descriptions/Monumentation/Preparing Final Surveys
Field Experience

The fourth step of becoming an RPLS is to author two “sample surveys” and submit your work to the Board. These sample surveys – one rural (metes & bounds) and one urban (lot & block) – demonstrate to the Board that you can draft a complete and legal land survey plat. While minor details may be overlooked when drafting a survey for a client, since no one really reviews your work, the Board volunteers will catch every little mistake that you make! Do a good job and make sure that your boss reviews your work before submitting the survey plats to the Board.

The fifth step of becoming an RPLS is passing your RPLS exam. This is often a tough, frustrating exam for applicants for a variety of reasons. One reason is that the exam is not quite as polished as the NCEES exams. Mistakes happen in the exam room (diagram or question mix-ups given to students). Another reason is the lack of post-exam diagnostic reporting for non-passing examinees; you will receive a score if you did not pass, but there is no category reporting. So what do you study next time? Only God and the Board knows, and neither will discuss the exam contents with the applicant. Want to get started on the right foot with a customized game plan? Schedule a free call with me and let’s make one together.

The final step of becoming an RPLS, not to be overlooked, is keeping your license in good standing. For some people, this is the hardest step of all. Pay your yearly fees, attend 12 hours of continuing education courses approved by the Texas Board, and do good work!