Professional Land Surveyor – Licensure by Reciprocity

Ensure you have an active Professional Land Surveyor license in another state.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

After logging in, select Apply for a License and choose:

· Category: Business

· License Type: Professional Land Surveyor

· Application Method: Licensure by Reciprocity

Please Note:

You are not required to provide all documents before initial application submission. You do not need to upload documents to every available category

All Professional Land Surveyor applications will be reviewed by the Board Liaison of the Professional Land Surveyor Section for approval.

Complete and submit:

• Official Transcripts

• Form 463 – Experience Record.

• Form 474 - Professional Land Surveyor Applicant Appraisal Form

Complete and submit Form 475- Verification of Examination or Registration.

Other state licensing agencies may send their own verification form via email to DSPSCREDAEJointBoard@wisconsin.gov

Questions and clarifications about your application should be submitted as support tickets in LicensE. Email addresses provided for document submission are not monitored for support purposes. After a document is emailed, you can submit a support ticket to alert our staff.

Submit proof of 20 continuing education hours with a minimum of 2 hours in “Ethics/Professional Conduct,” within the two-year period prior to application.

If you were issued your initial Professional Land Surveyor license in another state less than two years prior to the application date, submitting proof of continuing education is not required.

To become licensed as a Professional Land Surveyor in Wisconsin, you must pass the required examinations, including the Wisconsin Jurisdictional Licensing Examination.

Wisconsin Jurisdictional Licensing Examination

The Wisconsin Jurisdictional Licensing Examination is an online, open-book exam that tests your knowledge of:

• The fundamentals of land surveying.

• Wisconsin laws, rules, and standards that apply to the profession.

• A score of *70% or higher** is required to pass.

Exam Content

The exam covers material from Wisconsin statutes, administrative code, and surveying references, including:

• Wisconsin Statutes Chapters 59, 70, 82, 157, 236, 703, 706, and 893

• Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters Trans 233, A-E 2, A-E 7, A-E 8, and A-E 10

• A Manual for Resurvey of Public Land Survey Corners and Sectionalized Subdivision Boundaries Within the State of Wisconsin

• 2009 Manual of Surveying Instructions (PLSS)

How to Access the Exam

After your application is approved, you will receive your:

• Exam name

• Password

To take the exam:

1. Go to https://eptol.drl.wi.gov/

2. Select "Test Launching."

3. Enter "dft" as the instructor.

4. If you cannot access the exam, try again later or refresh your browser.

Exam Details

• The exam is open-book.

• Do not click "Done" until you are ready to submit the exam.

• If you accidentally click *Done,"* restart the exam. Your previous score will be deleted.

• Print or save a copy of your score report for your records.

Retaking the Exam

If you do not pass the exam, you must:

• Submit the Request to Retake Statutes and Rules or Ethics Examination (Form 2699).

• Pay the required  $75 retake fee.

After your request is processed, you will be assigned a new exam.

Fundamentals and Principles & Practice Examinations

Applicants must also complete the required NCEES Fundamentals and Principles and Practice examinations, when applicable.

For exam registration, scheduling, cancellations, refunds, and other information, contact NCEES directly.

Questions

For technical support or questions about the Wisconsin Jurisdictional Licensing Examination, contact: DSPSCredentialingCSC@wisconsin.gov

Additional Resources

Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor Licensure Information Sheet

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.