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PS Surveying Exam
Engineering

Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) Exam — NCEES

The NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam is the licensing exam for experienced surveyors, covering legal principles, professional survey practices, standards and specifications, business practices and the areas of practice. The real exam has 100 questions in seven hours, closed book with an electronic reference. SummitCert's portal gives you explained multiple-choice practice questions, flashcards, a timed 100-question mock exam and progress tracking by area.

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350+ exam-style practice questions quiz pool

Your full practice pool — 350 questions total, written to mirror the real exam blueprint, with full answer explanations for every question.

5 exam domains covered

Including Legal Principles, Professional Survey Practices, Standards and Specifications, and more.

Full mock exam — 100 questions, 420-min timed

A complete, realistic exam-day simulation with the same question count and time limit as the real thing.

1000+ flashcards

Covering every key term, concept, and framework you're expected to know.

144+ curated video lessons

Hand-picked walkthroughs and explainers organized by topic.

34+ diagrams & visual references

Visual breakdowns of the frameworks and models the exam tests you on.

26+ key formulas & quick-reference sheet

The exact formulas and calculations you need, ready to review before test day.

122+ term glossary

A searchable glossary so unfamiliar terminology never slows you down.

Progress tracking & study planner

See your accuracy by domain, spot weak areas early, and follow a built-in study schedule.

Sage — your personalized AI study companion

Tailored to this exam: it knows your progress and weak areas, remembers your earlier chats, and picks up where you left off on your other devices.

Works on phone, tablet & desktop

Study anywhere — your progress syncs on the device you are using and picks up where you left off.

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Portal Access
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Full study portal: question bank, quiz & exam modes, flashcards, glossary, progress tracking. One-time purchase, lifetime access.

+ Extra Mock Exam
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A mock exam written specifically for your order — not from the standard bank. Does not include portal access on its own. Order as many as you like; every order is a new batch, different from the one you previously purchased.

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+ Higher-Difficulty Tier
$11.99

A tougher, "exam-hard" mock exam written specifically for your order, pushed past standard difficulty. Does not include portal access on its own. Order as many as you like; every order is a new batch, different from the one you previously purchased.

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Digital Flashcards
$7.98

A custom set of flashcards written specifically for your order — pick how many you want. Delivered as its own unique link & code, separate from portal access.

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Topics you'll drill

5 core topics pulled straight from the real question bank.

  • Legal Principles
  • Professional Survey Practices
  • Standards and Specifications
  • Business Practices
  • Areas of Practice

PS Surveying Exam exam requirements & cost

Straight from the certifying body — separate from what we charge for the study portal.

Eligibility
NCEES designs the PS exam for surveyors with at least four years of professional experience; some state boards require approval before you register with NCEES
Real exam cost
$375, paid directly to NCEES (NCEES PS exam page)
Format
100 questions · seven hours including a tutorial and an optional break · closed book with electronic reference · computer-based at Pearson centers · pass/fail result

The NCEES PS computer-based test specifications describe a 100-question exam taken in 7 hours, which includes a tutorial and an optional scheduled break; the exam is closed book with an electronic reference and uses the U.S. Customary System of units. The portal mock uses 100 questions and 420 minutes. The exam has multiple-choice questions and alternative item types such as multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop and fill in the blank; each item is scored correct or incorrect with no partial credit. The portal practice questions are multiple choice only. The specifications list five areas, each given as a range of questions rather than a fixed share: Legal Principles, Professional Survey Practices, Standards and Specifications, Business Practices and Areas of Practice. NCEES reports pass or fail and does not publish the passing score; your scaled result is compared with a minimum ability level set by subject-matter experts. The portal mock shows a percent score only as a rough self-check. The NCEES PS exam page lists a fee of $375, payable directly to NCEES; confirm the current amount on ncees.org before you register. NCEES designs the PS exam for surveyors with at least four years of professional experience; some state boards require approval before you register with NCEES.

Last verified: October 2026·Exam blueprint: Verified on October 30, 2026 against the NCEES PS exam page (fee, computer-based administration, four years of experience, one attempt per window and three per 12 months, cancellation rules) and the NCEES PS CBT exam specifications effective beginning January 2019 (100 questions in 7 hours, closed book with electronic reference, five areas given as question ranges). The passing score is not published.·Primary source: NCEES: PS exam ↗
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Common questions

The NCEES PS computer-based test specifications describe a 100-question exam taken in 7 hours, which includes a tutorial and an optional scheduled break; the exam is closed book with an electronic reference and uses the U.S. Customary System of units. The portal mock uses 100 questions and 420 minutes. The exam has multiple-choice questions and alternative item types such as multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop and fill in the blank; each item is scored correct or incorrect with no partial credit. The portal practice questions are multiple choice only. The specifications list five areas, each given as a range of questions rather than a fixed share: Legal Principles, Professional Survey Practices, Standards and Specifications, Business Practices and Areas of Practice. Format: 100 questions in seven hours including a tutorial and an optional break; the portal mock has 100 multiple-choice questions in 420 minutes.

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