 |
| .The Meaning of the Seal |
Obtaining
a License:Every state has a different process for professional licensure of land surveyors. Missouri's high standards and stringent laws result in a grueling licensing process.
At the time I was applying to became a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) the state board required no less than 12 hours of college course work in board-approved, survey-specific classes. In addition, one of the classes had to be Legal Aspects of Surveying taught in a Missouri school.
Once the educational requirement has been met, the applicant is then required to pass a test and begin a Land Surveyor in Training (LSiT) program. Before the trainee may take a final exam, he must work for a year under the direction of an existing licensed professional.
Due to these high standards, the testing schedule, and the deadlines for the board exam, the process can take well over one year to complete. This is, of course, in addition to the class work.
Once the board approves the LSiT's application, they must then pass a two-part National and Missouri-specific exam. Missouri is currently lengthening the time required as an LSiT and plans to increase the required college credits. But with my 13 years in the industry, I will have no trouble maintaining my license.
Importance of a License / What a PLS can do:
As a Licensed Professional Land Surveyor, I am not only competent to survey land, but I am also capable of legally setting boundary markers, filing plats with the appropriate state and county government entities, and producing documentation that will stand up in a court of law where property disputes are concerned.
No development of land should proceed without the services of a PLS. In addition to avoiding practical problems, a PLS also offers legal protection should disputes occur.
Additionally, I bring more than just surveying to the projects on which I work. I also have experience and trained skills in drafting, management, and agency coordination. ON the practical side of things, I also have much experience operating large, earth-moving machinery. When it comes to land development, I bring the total package to the table!
