8725-8731
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 8725-8731
8725. Any person practicing, or offering to practice, land surveying in this state shall submit evidence that he or she is qualified to practice and shall be licensed under this chapter. It is unlawful for any person to practice, offer to practice, or represent himself or herself, as a land surveyor in this state, or to set, reset, replace, or remove any survey monument on land in which he or she has no legal interest, unless he or she has been licensed or specifically exempted from licensing under this chapter. 8726. A person, including any person employed by the state or by a city, county, or city and county within the state, practices land surveying within the meaning of this chapter who, either in a public or private capacity, does or offers to do any one or more of the following: (a) Locates, relocates, establishes, reestablishes, or retraces the alignment or elevation for any of the fixed works embraced within the practice of civil engineering, as described in Section 6731. (b) Determines the configuration or contour of the earth's surface, or the position of fixed objects above, on, or below the surface of the earth by applying the principles of mathematics or photogrammetry. (c) Locates, relocates, establishes, reestablishes, or retraces any property line or boundary of any parcel of land, right-of-way, easement, or alignment of those lines or boundaries. (d) Makes any survey for the subdivision or resubdivision of any tract of land. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "subdivision" or "resubdivision" shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, the definition in the Subdivision Map Act (Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7 of the Government Code) or the Subdivided Lands Law (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2 of Division 4 of this code). (e) By the use of the principles of land surveying determines the position for any monument or reference point which marks a property line, boundary, or corner, or sets, resets, or replaces any monument or reference point. (f) Geodetic or cadastral surveying. As used in this chapter, geodetic surveying means performing surveys, in which account is taken of the figure and size of the earth to determine or predetermine the horizontal or vertical positions of fixed objects thereon or related thereto, geodetic control points, monuments, or stations for use in the practice of land surveying or for stating the position of fixed objects, geodetic control points, monuments, or stations by California Coordinate System coordinates. (g) Determines the information shown or to be shown on any map or document prepared or furnished in connection with any one or more of the functions described in subdivisions (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f). (h) Indicates, in any capacity or in any manner, by the use of the title "land surveyor" or by any other title or by any other representation that he or she practices or offers to practice land surveying in any of its branches. (i) Procures or offers to procure land surveying work for himself, herself, or others. (j) Manages, or conducts as manager, proprietor, or agent, any place of business from which land surveying work is solicited, performed, or practiced. (k) Coordinates the work of professional, technical, or special consultants in connection with the activities authorized by this chapter. (l) Determines the information shown or to be shown within the description of any deed, trust deed, or other title document prepared for the purpose of describing the limit of real property in connection with any one or more of the functions described in subdivisions (a) to (f), inclusive. (m) Creates, prepares, or modifies electronic or computerized data in the performance of the activities described in subdivisions (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (k), and (l). (n) Renders a statement regarding the accuracy of maps or measured survey data. Any department or agency of the state or any city, county, or city and county that has an unregistered person in responsible charge of land surveying work on January 1, 1986, shall be exempt from the requirement that the person be licensed as a land surveyor until the person currently in responsible charge is replaced. The review, approval, or examination by a governmental entity of documents prepared or performed pursuant to this section shall be done by, or under the direct supervision of, a person authorized to practice land surveying. 8726.1. Any licensed land surveyor may offer to practice, procure, and offer to procure civil engineering work incidental to his or her land surveying practice, even though he or she is not authorized to perform such work, provided all such civil engineering work is performed by or under the direction of a registered civil engineer. Further, any licensed land surveyor may manage or conduct as manager, proprietor, or agent, a land surveying practice which offers to practice, procure, and offers to procure, such incidental civil engineering work. 8726.2. A licensed land surveyor may also perform land planning in connection with the land surveying activities authorized by this chapter. 8727. Surveys made exclusively for geological or landscaping purposes, which do not involve the determination of any property line do not constitute surveying within the meaning of this chapter. 8728. Surveys authorized under this chapter do not include the design, either in whole or in part, of any structure or fixed works embraced within the practice of civil engineering. 8729. (a) This chapter does not prohibit one or more licensed land surveyors or civil engineers licensed in this state prior to 1982 (hereinafter called civil engineers) from practicing or offering to practice, within the scope of their licensure, land surveying as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, firm, or corporation (hereinafter called business), if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) A land surveyor or civil engineer currently licensed in the state is an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the land surveying practice of the business. (2) All land surveying services are performed by or under the responsible charge of a land surveyor or civil engineer. (3) If the business name of a California land surveying business contains the name of a person, then that person shall be licensed by the board as a land surveyor or licensed by the board in any year as a civil engineer. Any offer, promotion, or advertisement by the business that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the name of the individual in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license discipline of each individual named. (b) An out-of-state business with a branch office in this state shall meet the requirements of subdivision (a) and shall have an owner, partner, or officer who is in charge of the land surveying work in this state, who is licensed in this state, and who is physically present at the branch office in this state on a regular basis. However, the name of the business may contain the name of a person not licensed in this state, if that person is appropriately licensed or registered in another state. Any offer, promotion, or advertisement that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the name of the individual in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license or registration discipline of each individual named. (c) The business name of a California land surveying business may be a fictitious name. However, if the fictitious name includes the names of any person, the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall be met. (d) A person not licensed under this chapter or licensed as a civil engineer in this state prior to 1982 may also be a partner or an officer of a land surveying business if the conditions of subdivision (a) are satisfied. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a person who is not licensed under this chapter or licensed as a civil engineer in this state prior to 1982 to be the sole owner or office of a land surveying business, unless otherwise exempt under this chapter. (e) This chapter does not prevent an individual or business engaged in any line of endeavor, other than the practice of land surveying, from employing or contracting with a licensed land surveyor or a licensed civil engineer to perform the respective land surveying services incidental to the conduct of business. (f) This section shall not prevent the use of the name of any business engaged in rendering land surveying services, including the use by any lawful successor or survivor, that lawfully was in existence on June 1, 1941. However, the business is subject to the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). (g) A business engaged in rendering land surveying services may use in its name the name of a deceased or retired person if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The person's name had been used in the name of the business, or a predecessor in interest of the business, prior to the death or retirement of the person. (2) The person shall have been an owner, partner, or officer of the business, or an owner, partner, or officer of the predecessor in interest of the business. (3) The person shall have been licensed as a land surveyor or a civil engineer by the board, if operating a place of business or practice in this state, or by an applicable state board in the event no place of business existed in this state. (4) The person, if retired, has consented to the use of the name and does not permit the use of the name in the title of another land surveying business in this state during the period of that consent, except that a retired person may use his or her name as the name of a new or purchased business, if that business is not identical in every respect to that person's name as used in the former business. (5) The business shall be subject to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). (h) This section does not affect Sections 6731.2 and 8726.1. (i) A current organization record form shall be filed with the board for all businesses engaged in rendering professional land surveying services. (j) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date. 8729. (a) This chapter does not prohibit one or more licensed land surveyors or civil engineers licensed in this state prior to 1982 (hereinafter called civil engineers) from practicing or offering to practice within the scope of their licensure, land surveying as a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, or corporation (hereinafter called business), if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) A land surveyor or civil engineer currently licensed in the state is an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the land surveying practice of the business. (2) All land surveying services are performed by or under the responsible charge of a land surveyor or civil engineer. (3) If the business name of a California land surveying business contains the name of a person, then that person shall be licensed by the board as a land surveyor or licensed by the board in any year as a civil engineer. Any offer, promotion, or advertisement by the business that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the name of the individual in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license discipline of each individual named. (b) An out-of-state business with a branch office in this state shall meet the requirements of subdivision (a) and shall have an owner, partner, or officer who is in charge of the land surveying work in this state, who is licensed in this state, and who is physically present at the branch office in this state on a regular basis. However, the name of the business may contain the name of a person not licensed in this state, if that person is appropriately licensed or registered in another state. Any offer, promotion, or advertisement that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the name of the individual in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license or registration discipline of each individual named. (c) The business name of a California land surveying business may be a fictitious name. However, if the fictitious name includes the names of any person, the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall be met. (d) A person not licensed under this chapter or licensed as a civil engineer in this state prior to 1982 may also be a partner or an officer of a land surveying business if the conditions of subdivision (a) are satisfied. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a person who is not licensed under this chapter or licensed as a civil engineer in this state prior to 1982 to be the sole owner or office of a land surveying business, unless otherwise exempt under this chapter. (e) This chapter does not prevent an individual or business engaged in any line of endeavor, other than the practice of land surveying, from employing or contracting with a licensed land surveyor or a licensed civil engineer to perform the respective land surveying services incidental to the conduct of business. (f) This section shall not prevent the use of the name of any business engaged in rendering land surveying services, including the use by any lawful successor or survivor, that lawfully was in existence on June 1, 1941. However, the business is subject to the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). (g) A business engaged in rendering land surveying services may use in its name the name of a deceased or retired person if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The person's name had been used in the name of the business, or a predecessor in interest of the business, prior to the death or retirement of the person. (2) The person shall have been an owner, partner, or officer of the business, or an owner, partner, or officer of the predecessor in interest of the business. (3) The person shall have been licensed as a land surveyor or a civil engineer by the board, if operating a place of business or practice in this state, or by an applicable state board in the event no place of business existed in this state. (4) The person, if retired, has consented to the use of the name and does not permit the use of the name in the title of another land surveying business in this state during the period of that consent, except that a retired person may use his or her name as the name of a new or purchased business, if that business is not identical in every respect to that person's name as used in the former business. (5) The business shall be subject to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). (h) This section does not affect Sections 6731.2 and 8726.1. (i) A current organization record form shall be filed with the board for all businesses engaged in rendering professional land surveying services. (j) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016. 8730. The following persons are not required to be licensed under this chapter: (a) Officers and employees of the United States of America, practicing solely as those officers or employees, except when surveying the exterior boundaries of federal lands in this state. (b) Insofar as he or she acts in the following capacity: (1) Any state, county, city, city and county, or district employee directly responsible to a licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer. (2) Any subordinate to a land surveyor or civil engineer licensed or registered as required by the laws of this state insofar as he or she acts as a subordinate. (c) Any officer or employee of an electric, gas, or telephone corporation, as defined in Sections 218, 222, and 234, respectively, of the Public Utilities Code, with annual revenues of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) or more, whenever he or she prepares a legal description of an easement for utility distribution lines and service facilities, provided the following conditions are met: (1) Each description identifies the corporation that prepared the description and states that it was prepared pursuant to this exemption. (2) Each corporation has in its employ, or on contract, an individual authorized to practice land surveying who shall be responsible for establishing criteria for determining the qualifications of technical specialists preparing those legal descriptions, specifying the format and information to be shown on maps or documents containing those descriptions, and capable of answering questions regarding the preparation of those descriptions. (d) Any state, county, city, or city and county public safety employee investigating any crime or infraction for the purpose of determining or prosecuting a crime or infraction. This exemption shall not permit a public safety employee to offer or perform land surveying as defined in Section 8726 for any purpose other than determining or prosecuting a crime or infraction. 8731. A registered civil engineer and a civil engineer exempt from registration under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 are exempt from licensing under this chapter and may engage in the practice of land surveying with the same rights and privileges, and the same duties and responsibilities of a licensed land surveyor, provided that for civil engineers who become registered after January 1, 1982, they shall pass the second division examination provided for in Section 8741 and obtain a land surveyor' s license, before practicing land surveying as defined in this chapter.