8740-8759
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 8740-8759
8740. (a) An application for each division of the examination for a license as a land surveyor shall be made to the board on the form prescribed by it, with all statements therein made under oath, and shall be accompanied by the fee fixed by this chapter. (b) The board may authorize an organization specified by the board pursuant to Section 8745 to receive directly from applicants payment of the examination fees charged by that organization as payment for examination materials and services. 8741. (a) The first division of the examination shall test the applicant's fundamental knowledge of surveying, mathematics, and basic science. The board may prescribe by regulation reasonable educational or experience requirements including two years of postsecondary education in land surveying, two years of experience in land surveying, or a combination of postsecondary education and experience in land surveying totaling two years for admission to the first division of the examination. Applicants who have passed the engineer-in-training examination, or who hold professional engineer registration, are exempt from this division of the examination. The second division of the examination shall test the applicant's ability to apply his or her knowledge and experience and to assume responsible charge in the professional practice of land surveying. (b) The applicant for the second division examination shall have successfully passed the first division examination, or shall be exempt therefrom. The applicant shall be thoroughly familiar with (1) the procedure and rules governing the survey of public lands as set forth in "Manual of Surveying Instructions," published by the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. and (2) the principles of real property relating to boundaries and conveyancing. (c) The board may by rule provide for a waiver of the first division of the examination for applicants whose education and experience qualifications substantially exceed the requirements of Section 8742. (d) The board may by rule provide for a waiver of the second division of the examination and the assignment to a special examination for those applicants whose educational qualifications are equal to, and whose experience qualifications substantially exceed, those qualifications established under subdivision (c). The special examination may be either written or oral, or a combination of both. 8741.1. The second division of the examination for licensure as a land surveyor shall include an examination that incorporates a national examination for land surveying by a nationally recognized entity approved by the board, and a supplemental California specific examination. The California specific examination shall test the applicant's knowledge of the provisions of this chapter and the board' s rules and regulations regulating the practice of professional land surveying in this state. The board shall use the national examination on or before June 1, 2003. In the meantime, the board may continue to provide the current state-only second division examination and administer the test on the provisions of this chapter and board rules as a separate part of the second division examination for licensure as a land surveyor. 8742. (a) The educational qualifications and experience in land surveying, which an applicant for the second division examination shall possess, shall not be less than one of the following prescribed criteria: (1) Graduation from a four-year curriculum with an emphasis in land surveying approved by the board or accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Office of Education at a postsecondary educational institution and two years of actual broad based progressive experience in land surveying, including one year of responsible field training and one year of responsible office training, satisfactory to the board. (2) Actual broad based progressive experience in land surveying for at least six years, including one year of responsible field training and one year of responsible office training, satisfactory to the board. (3) Registration as a civil engineer with two years of actual broad based progressive experience in land surveying satisfactory to the board. (b) With respect to an applicant for a license as a land surveyor, the board shall count one year of postsecondary education in land surveying as one year of experience in land surveying up to a maximum of four years, provided the applicant has graduated from the course in land surveying and the curriculum in land surveying is approved by the board or is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized for the purpose by the United States Office of Education. Each year of study in an approved or an accredited course in land surveying without graduation shall be counted the same as one-half year of experience. Each applicant claiming equivalent credit for education may be required to produce a complete transcript of all college level courses completed. Until January 1, 2000, the board may, at its discretion, confer credit as experience in land surveying, not in excess of two years, for successfully passing the first division of the examination prescribed in Section 8741. 8743. The names and addresses of at least four land surveyors or civil engineers, duly qualified to practice in the place in which such practice has been conducted, each of whom has sufficient knowledge of the applicant to enable him to certify to the applicant' s professional integrity, ability and fitness to receive a license, shall be submitted with the application for the second division of the examination. 8744. The applicant for the second division of the examination shall state in his application that, should he be licensed, he will support the Constitution of this State and of the United States, and that he will faithfully discharge the duties of a licensed land surveyor. 8745. Examinations for license shall be held at such times and at such places within the state as determined by board rule. The scope of examinations and the method of procedure shall be prescribed by board rule. The board may make arrangements with a public or private organization to conduct the examination. The board may contract with a public or private organization for materials or services related to the examination. 8746. An applicant failing an examination may be examined again upon filing a new application and the payment of the fee fixed by the board. 8747. Any applicant who has passed the examinations prescribed by the board shall have a suitable license issued to him or her. (a) An applicant who has passed the first division of the examination shall be issued a certificate as a land surveyor-in-training. No renewal or other fee, other than the application fee, shall be charged for this certification. This certificate shall become invalid upon the person passing the second division of the examination and being issued a license as a land surveyor, as provided in subdivision (b). A land surveyor-in-training certificate shall not authorize the holder thereof to practice or offer to practice land surveying. No person shall use the title of land surveyor-in-training, or any abbreviation of this title, unless he or she is the holder of a valid land surveyor-in-training certificate. (b) An applicant who has passed the second division of the examination shall be issued a license as a land surveyor. The license shall authorize him or her to practice as a land surveyor. 8747.5. (a) The board shall issue, upon application and payment of the fee established by Section 8805, a retired license to a land surveyor who has been licensed by the board for a minimum of five years within California, and a minimum of 20 years within the United States or territories of the United States, and who holds a license that is not suspended, revoked, or otherwise disciplined, or subject to pending discipline under this chapter. (b) The holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section shall not engage in any activity for which an active land surveyor's license is required. A land surveyor holding a retired license shall be permitted to use the titles "retired professional land surveyor" or "professional land surveyor, retired." (c) The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license. (d) In order for the holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section to restore his or her license to active status, he or she shall pass the examination that is required for initial licensure with the board. 8748. The board, upon application therefor, and the payment of the fee fixed by this chapter, may issue a land surveyor's license, without written examination, to any person who holds a valid land surveyor's license issued to him or her by any state or country when the applicant's qualifications meet the requirements of this chapter and rules established by the board. 8748.5. If an applicant for license as a land surveyor or certification as a land surveyor-in-training is found by the board to lack the qualifications required for admission to the examination for such license or certification, the board may, in accordance with the provisions of Section 158 of this code, refund to him one-half of the amount of his application fee. 8749. A duplicate certificate of license to replace one lost, destroyed or mutilated may be issued subject to the rules and regulations of the board. The duplicate certificate fee fixed by this chapter shall be charged. 8750. Upon being licensed, each licensee shall obtain a stamp or seal of the design authorized by the board bearing the licensee's name, number of certificate, and the legend "Licensed Land Surveyor," or "Professional Land Surveyor." 8751. No person shall represent himself or herself as, or use the title of, or any abbreviation or combination of the words in the title of, professional land surveyor, licensed land surveyor, land surveyor, land survey engineer, survey engineer, geodetic engineer, geomatics engineer, or geometronic engineer unless he or she is the holder of a valid, unsuspended, and unrevoked license. 8752. An unrevoked, unsuspended and unexpired license, or renewal certificate, issued by the board is presumptive evidence in all courts and places that the person named is legally licensed under this chapter. 8759. (a) A licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer authorized to practice land surveying shall use a written contract when contracting to provide professional services to a client pursuant to this chapter. The written contract shall be executed by the licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer and the client, or his or her representative, prior to the licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer commencing work, unless the client knowingly states in writing that work may be commenced before the contract is executed. The written contract shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) A description of the services to be provided to the client by the licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer. (2) A description of any basis of compensation applicable to the contract, and the method of payment agreed upon by the parties. (3) The name, address, and license or certificate number of the licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer, and the name and address of the client. (4) A description of the procedure that the licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer and the client will use to accommodate additional services. (5) A description of the procedure to be used by any party to terminate the contract. (b) This section shall not apply to any of the following: (1) Professional land surveying services rendered by a licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer for which the client will not pay compensation. (2) A licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer who has a current or prior contractual relationship with the client to provide professional services pursuant to this chapter, and that client has paid the surveyor or engineer all of the fees that are due under the contract. (3) If the client knowingly states in writing after full disclosure of this section that a contract which complies with the requirements of this section is not required. (4) Professional services rendered by a licensed land surveyor or a registered civil engineer to any of the following: (A) A professional engineer licensed or registered under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700). (B) A land surveyor licensed under this chapter. (C) An architect licensed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5500). (D) A contractor licensed under Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000). (E) A geologist or a geophysicist licensed under Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 7800). (F) A manufacturing, mining, public utility, research and development, or other industrial corporation, if the services are provided in connection with or incidental to the products, systems, or services of that corporation or its affiliates. (G) A public agency. (c) "Written contract" as used in this section includes a contract that is in electronic form.